Inventor Name
Weick, Fred E.
Repository
National Air and Space Museum
Smithsonian Institution
Archives Division
Room 3100, MRC 322
PO Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012
202-633-2320
http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/arch/
Physical Description
0.5 cubic ft.
Summary
Fred E. Weick ia an aeronautical engineer who has had a profound effect on light aircraft development. While working for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), he developed the NACA low-draw cowling for radial engines and built low landing speed aircraft as an independent project sparked by a series of light aircraft design seminars at NACA’s Langley Research Center. At the same time he created the concept of the 50” foot obstacle clearance” as a measure of aircraft take-off performance, which remains a standard measure. From 1948 to 1956, Weick developed a series of agricultural aircraft which evolved into the Piper Pawnee series. Contents of the collection include transcripts of Weick’s dictation for his autobiography.