About Jonathan Knaul, PhD, PEng, CD
Jonathan Knaul, PhD, PE, CD, is a distinguished test pilot instructor and aerospace professional with over three decades of military-aviation experience. His unique blend of tactical and technical expertise has made him a respected figure in both military and civilian aviation circles.
Throughout his 33-year career with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Knaul flew tactical helicopter missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan. He holds a PhD from the Royal Military College of Canada and is a graduate of the prestigious French Ministry of Defense test pilot school. As an associate fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a licensed professional engineer, Knaul has contributed to the field through various publications, including featured articles in Air & Space Magazine | Smithsonian Magazine.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Knaul’s life has been profoundly shaped by his experiences as a caregiver. At age 15, he cared for his father through terminal cancer. Years later, he took on the role of primary caregiver for his mother during her journey with dementia, balancing these responsibilities with his demanding military career.
Currently, Knaul shares his wealth of knowledge at the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, training the next generation of test pilots and flight test engineers. He combines rigorous technical/flying instruction with real-world insights gained from his diverse career and personal experiences.
Based in Palmdale, California, Knaul balances his professional pursuits with hobbies that include downhill skiing, scuba diving, and photography. His unique perspective bridges the worlds of high-stakes aviation and compassionate eldercare, offering valuable insights for those navigating the challenges of balancing a demanding career with caregiving responsibilities.
To be a good caregiver,
One has to know the person being cared for. I took care of both my father, and many years later my mother, through to their passings. I’ve included my father’s Holocaust memoire, which partly inspired me to write my book Final Approach. A large segment of his memoire is included in Final Approach (with a few spelling & grammar corrections). After my father passed in 1984, my mother made it a personal project to place the notes of his Holocaust stories and poems into a proper book – it took her 10 years. Herein I present you my father’s Holocaust memoire, Quo Vadis?, as edited by my mother Marie Knaul and first printed in 1994 in Toronto. It was never previously published.
