Bela P. Collins, father, devoted engineer, veteran, and pioneer in air traffic efficiency, passed away peacefully at his Ocean City, Maryland home on August 7, 2026, at the age of 91. Born in Harrisonburg, Virginia on November 13, 1934, he was preceded in death by his mother, Treva Mary Wimer Collins, his birth Father, Bela Pleasant Smith, his adoptive father, Browning A. Collins, and son, Michael Collins, and his wife Anna. He is survived by his wife, Susan Ascencio and his first wife, and mother of his children, JoAnn Wood Nichols. His youngest son, Joe Collins and his wife Autumn. Stepson Nick Aponte and wife Pauline. Stepdaughter Gina Aponte; grandchildren Logan, Liza, Becca, David, Anthony, and Maddie; great-grandchildren Kaia, Oliver, and Jackson; and an adopted sister, Linda Sue.
After graduating from Warren County High School in Front Royal, Virginia, Bela embarked on an extraordinary journey. He first attended Carnegie Tech on scholarship, then enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served as both a military and civilian air traffic controller. Following his honorable discharge, he pursued his education at the University of Virginia, earning a degree in Aerospace Engineering-a foundation that propelled a distinguished career.
Bela's professional life was defined by his work on many and various aerospace projects of the day. While at Teledyne, he contributed to the analysis and development of an autothrottle system for Navy jet carrier aircraft. He also participated in research and development on the F104G JATO program in Germany. Later, his desire to return stateside led him to Ceramic Systems, of Newburgh New York, and then American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he channeled his passion into fuel conservation and airliner efficiency, as well as working on many other airline engineering projects.
This combined expertise eventually brought him to the MITRE Corporation and then, ultimately, he created his own company, Aviation Technology Systems. Where he led a successful and incredible team in the development and deployment of the first oceanic non-radar computer display using real-time weather and aircraft specific fuel burn modeling known as the 'Dynamic Ocean Track system (DOTS)'. This system established daily optimal routes, pairing daily predicted weather conditions with accurate fuel burn models specific to each aircraft type. This gave all aircraft the most efficient and optimal route and allowed air traffic controllers to visualize those routes over the ocean without radar. This system is still in use today helping oceanic air traffic controllers in Oakland, New York and Anchorage to visualize and optimize long oceanic routes across the Pacific and Atlantic ocean without radar in the most fuel-efficient way. Although many roadblocks, obstacles, and bureaucracy, would come his way, he could always redirect and come up with an alternative to succeed with his vision and make it happen. He never quit and would never give up until he came up with a solution for every complex problem that blocked the pathway to success.
Bela's passion for new ideas and his unwavering commitment to craft solutions that made a safer and more efficient air traffic system was a source of inspiration for many. His ability to pay attention to detail, his resilience, his determination, and his imaginative approaches should serve as an enduring beacon for those navigating the skies of today.
A celebration of his remarkable life will be held on September 26, 2026 at Windmill Creek in Berlin, Maryland from 3-5 PM.
