Boeing engineer Jim Hutton was honored earlier this month for his leading role in the design and development of his company's automatic overwing exit door. Hutton received the Royal Aeronautic Society's B.W.O. Townsend Award in ceremonies in London. Once triggered by a passenger or flight attendant, the exit door swings outward and up, out of the way of passengers. This compares to standard "plug" type emergency overwing exit doors that have to be pulled inward, then stowed, and have the potential to block or slow passenger exits. The door designed by Hutton and his team allowed Boeing to receive European Joint Airworthiness Authorities' certification for maximum seating versions of the "Next Generation" 737. Hutton now serves as project manager for a team developing the 737-700C freighter.