
Jim Corning
Founder and CEO
Novakinetics Aerosystems & Kinetic Defense

Jim Corning's career spans aviation, engineering, composites, and ballistic protection. After earning a Mechanical Engineering degree from MIT in 1977, he began working in aviation in 1985 and has since focused on designing and upgrading aircraft systems.
Jim’s achievements include FAA-PMA approval for Pratt & Whitney engine crankshafts, designing helicopter armor and ballistic blankets for the Department of State, and developing carbon fiber SATCOM reflectors. In 1996, he founded Novakinetics Aerosystems Inc. in Flagstaff, producing a wide range of composite parts, from aircraft components to Grizzly bear-resistant containers.
He also co-founded Prometheus Solar in 2008 and later established Kinetic Defense, which developed ballistic armor for over 100 aircraft and helicopters for the Department of State Air Wing. Jim has built a Flagstaff team of 40+ employees skilled in composites, CNC machining, and engineering, operating under an AS9100-certified quality system since 2016.
Jim moved to Flagstaff in 2001 and actively supports local causes, including the Willow Bend Environmental Education Center and the Coco-Op maker space.