As a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, Tom studied foreign affairs, became fluent in Portuguese, and completed a rigorous science and engineering curriculum. As a result of his outstanding Portuguese language proficiency, he was accepted into the prestigious Service Academies Foreign Exchange Program, where he served with both the Brazilian and Portuguese navies, including a cruise on the Portuguese tall ship “Sagres.” In conjunction with his foreign affairs studies, he took and passed the United States Foreign Service Officer’s Exam.
After graduation from the Naval Academy, Tom received orders to flight school, where he completed flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator. He flew the H-46 tandem rotor helicopter on Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises, attaining the designation of Aircraft Commander. While on active duty he was head of his squadron’s training and administrative departments and ran the aircraft maintenance quality assurance division. He was a squadron instructor pilot, and was certified as a Nuclear Weapons Transshipment Pilot. His awards include the Sea Service and Battle Efficiency ribbons, and the National Defense and Navy Commendation medals.
Upon leaving active duty he was accepted to the Temple University School of Law, where he earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. After law school, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve while managing a successful law practice. His assignments as a reservist included tours with the U.S. Fleet Intelligence Center, the Office of Naval Intelligence, and intelligence support assignments at Naval Air Station, Sigonella, Sicily. His duties as a naval intelligence officer included Latin American geopolitical analyst, airborne anti-submarine warfare operations specialist, Foreign Language Intelligence (Portuguese) Translator, and Fleet Intelligence Operations Center Officer-of-the-Watch. He retired from the Navy with twenty years of active and reserve service.
As the owner of a general practice law firm for more than two decades, he remained proficient in multiple areas of law, including business contract development and negotiations, partnership agreements, incorporation, and litigation.
After retiring from private law practice, he accepted a position as chief counsel for the FH1100 Manufacturing Corp. in Century, Florida, which manufactures turbine-powered helicopters. At FH1100 he was involved with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aircraft Certification Office, Manufacturing and Inspection District Office, and Flight Standards District Office. His experience there included protracted litigation in defense of the FH1100 Manufacturing Corp.’s rights under the FH1100 helicopter type certificate. His tenure at FH1100 gave him the opportunity to apply his knowledge of the FARs as they relate to type certificates, parts manufacturing, and aircraft manufacturing.
In 2005 Tom was given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly Sikorsky S-61s at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) on Andros Island, Bahamas, and to serve as the AUTEC Director of Aviation Safety. His responsibilities at AUTEC include managing the Center’s aviation safety program; assuring compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations applicable to operations under FAR Parts 91, 133 and 135; directing the Air Mobility Command certification program; involvement with fulfillment of federal aviation services contracts; and maintaining full mission qualification in the Sikorsky S-61 helicopter.
Tom is a helicopter airline transport pilot, with type ratings in the Sikorsky S-61 and the Boeing BV-107; a helicopter certified flight instructor and a helicopter certified instrument flight instructor; as well as an instrument rated commercial airplane pilot. He has established a helicopter world speed record for flight between Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and West Palm Beach, Florida, USA, as certified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and the National Aeronautic Association.
As a dual citizen of Ireland and the United States, Tom has the right to work in any European Union country without the need for a work visa. This is of great value to any company conducting business in Europe. An additional tool for foreign business efforts is Tom’s ability to speak Portuguese. This is of great benefit to any company offering, or seeking to offer, products and services in Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Macao, East Timor, or any other Portuguese-speaking country.
Contact Thomas S. Algeo, J.D., International Aviation Consultant, for assistance with your aviation needs, wherever in the world they may be.
