Frank Piasecki
| Frank Piasecki | |
|---|---|
Piasecki in the early 1950s
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| Born |
October 24, 1919 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 11, 2008 (aged 88) Haverford, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | New York University |
| Occupation | Helicopter designer |
| Known for | Designing tandem rotor helicopters |
| Spouse(s) | Vivian O'Gara Weyerhaeuser |
| Children | Nicole, Frederick, John, Lynn, Frank, Michael, and Gregory |
Frank Piasecki (/piːəˈsɛki/ pee-ə-SEK-ee; Polish: [pjaˈsɛtski]; October 24, 1919 – February 11, 2008) was an American engineer and helicopter aviation pioneer. Piasecki pioneered tandem rotor helicopter designs and created the compound helicopter concept of vectored thrust using a ducted propeller.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to an immigrant Polish tailor, Piasecki worked for autogyro manufacturers while still attending Overbrook High School, then studied mechanical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania before graduating with a bachelor's degree from New York University. In 1940, he formed PV Engineering Forum with former Pennsylvania classmate Harold Venzie. He built a single-person, single-rotor helicopter designated the PV-2 and flew it on April 11, 1943. This helicopter impressed the United States Navy sufficiently to win Piasecki a development contract.
The name PV Engineering was changed to Piasecki Helicopter Corporation in 1946. After a boardroom dispute, Piasecki left Piasecki Helicopter in 1955 and formed the Piasecki Aircraft Company.
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