Kamal Ramakrishnan is an avionics software and systems engineering leader with over 15 years of experience delivering FAA-certified, safety-critical avionics and engine instrumentation systems across civil and military aviation programs. He specializes in DO-178B/C software development at Design Assurance Levels (DAL) A through C and has led multiple FAA and Designated Engineering Representative (DER) certification efforts through SOI-1 to SOI-4 audits for complex flight-critical systems.
As Director of Engineering at Howell Instruments, Inc., Kamal leads the architecture, development, verification, and certification of advanced avionics platforms, including Electronic Engine Instrument Systems and cockpit instrumentation deployed across hundreds of aircraft and engine configurations. He has advanced configuration-driven avionics software architectures enabling certified reuse across diverse fleets while maintaining regulatory compliance under ARP4754A and DO-178C frameworks. His leadership has contributed to commercially successful avionics programs supporting long-term OEM partnerships and sustained operational deployments.
He has directed modernization initiatives for long-fielded, mission-critical military and commercial turbine engine diagnostic systems, preserving form, fit, and function while eliminating hardware and software obsolescence. His expertise spans embedded software, hardware integration, calibration systems, cybersecurity compliance, deterministic architectures, and cross-functional engineering leadership supporting U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Army aviation programs.
Previously at Genesys Aerosystems, Kamal contributed to the development and FAA certification of DAL A Electronic Flight Instrument Systems and served as the lead software engineer for multiple certified avionics subsystems, including I/O expansion modules and autopilot voice annunciation systems.
He holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from The University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Anna University, Chennai.