Louis Dorworth

Manager, Direct Services Division

Abaris Training Resources, Inc.

Louis C. (Lou) Dorworth has been involved with the advanced composites industry since 1978. He has been a senior member of SME since 1997 and is currently the chairman of the Plastics, Composites, and Coatings Community (PCC), within SME’s Technical Community Network (TCN).

Lou is a composite materials and process specialist with working experience in research and development, material and process engineering, manufacturing engineering, tool engineering/design, and tool fabrication.

In 1979, Lou started his aerospace composites career as a tool fabricator/designer and later an M&P technician at Lear Fan Ltd., the first all carbon fiber aircraft program designed by the late William (Bill) Lear. Over the years, Lou has been involved with many major aircraft composite structures programs including the Northrop B-2, Beechcraft Starship 1, Boeing C-17 and 777, Airbus A-330/340, as well as many other projects including non-aerospace applications ranging from wind energy to recent automotive industry programs. He is currently the manager of the Direct Services Division at Abaris Training Resources, Inc. out of Reno, NV, where he has been employed since 1989.

Lou is a well-published author, teacher, and conference presenter and is the primary co-author of the popular industry textbook titled Essentials of Advanced Composite Fabrication & Repair, published by Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc. (ASA) ISBN 978-1-56027-752-1.