Einar Enevoldson

Einar K. Enevoldson (born June 15, 1932, in Seattle, Washington) is the director of the Perlan Project. He was a civilian research pilot for NASA's Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. from 1968 until 1986. He was involved in many research programs, including those with experimental wings, propulsion and digital computer flight control systems.

Enevoldson attended several colleges. He received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and his M.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Wyoming in 1963.

He was a jet fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, and as an exchange officer with the Royal Air Force attended the Empire Test Pilot's School in Farnborough, Hampshire, England. Following graduation, he served as a test pilot on the Hawker Hunter, English Electric Lightning, and Gloster Javelin British fighter aircraft from 1966 to 1967.

Enevoldson had been awarded the USAF Distinguished Flying Cross in 1959 for his record flights in a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. In 1974 he was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, for his contributions as NASA Project Pilot on the F-111 Supercritical Wing Program and on the F-15 Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle. In 1980 he was awarded second NASA Exceptional Service Medal for contributions as project pilot on F-14 stall and spin resistance tests.

In 1986 he retired from NASA and accepted a full-time position as the chief test pilot for the Grob Egrett in Mindelheim, Germany in 1988. The Egrett was a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft for the German Air Force. Enevoldson set the absolute altitude record for all turboprop aircraft in the prototype Egrett in 1988, as well as time-to-climb. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 the requirement for the Egrett diminished, and the project was cancelled after 6 aircraft had been built.

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