Posted on 02/16/2008 8:39:56 PM PST by JillValentine
Frank Piasecki, a pioneer helicopter designer and AOPA charter member (AOPA 60631), died Feb. 11 at his home in Havertown, Pa. He was 89.
Piasecki joined AOPA in May 1939, just as the association was signing up its first members. He went on to form his own company and develop the tandem-rotor helicopter configuration in 1945.
The twin-rotor design—with one rotor in front and one in back—could carry three times the weight of a conventional helicopter. The technologies from his tandem-rotor work later were incorporated in the Army’s CH-47 Chinook and Navy’s CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters.
According to The Washington Post, Piasecki faced an awkward situation when in 1943 he became the second American to ever fly a helicopter (Igor Sikorsky was the first). Prior to the flight, an official asked to see Piasecki’s pilot certificate, but when he said he didn’t have one, Piasecki was instantly granted the first pilot certificate with a helicopter rating.
Piasecki received many awards. Among them were the National Medal of Technology and the National Air and Space Museum’s lifetime achievement award. He was also inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
ping
Indeed!
"Tard" refers to the ping list members and not to the subject of the thread!
List of Ping Lists
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Rest in peace.
great pic
Hell, I thought that he died years ago. Father of the Flying Banana.
Sharp guy. Spoke with him by telephone several times about 8-9 years ago. Had a heck of a time tracking him down, he was still very very busy, but once I got hold of him he was very nice and glad to offer help and an amazing resource...of course. RIP.
RIP.
Every time I see one of those old birds it reminds me of the movie..Bridges of Toko Ri.
Mickey Ronnie was flying one of those..great movie.
One of the greatest movie lines ever..
“Where do we get men like these?”
I knew Stan Hiller very well - another pioneer in helicopter aviation.
RIP Mr. Piasecki.
That picture was taken at Hiller Aviation Museums “Vertical Flight” celebration.
Held every year in June.
My Father worked for him is the early days designing rotor systems. Frank used have a bed in the factory and would call my dad @ 3 am to come down because he thought he heard a noise in test system. It was usually nothing an would drive my dad crazy.
He bought one of my dad’s helicopter’s my dad built after he left Piasecki and stowed it in his back yard. The Jacobs 104
I met him once before he had his stroke, great man. My prayers to his family
I also got to spend some time with Stan Hiller when he was restoring another of my dad’s helicopters. The whole generation was truly special and will missed.
Rest in peace Frank Piaseki...Ya done good...
And a generation like him.
//Hell, I thought that he died years ago. Father of the Flying Banana//
Me too
Nope.. . ...you're thinking of the HH43 Kaman Huskie
designed by Charles Kaman, who also invented the Ovation guitar.
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