Bill Lear

William Powell Lear (June 26, 1902 – May 14, 1978) was an American inventor and businessman. He is best known for founding

Lear was born on June 26, 1902, in Hannibal, Missouri to Rueben Marion Lear, a carpenter, and Gertrude Elizabeth Powell Lear. His mother left his father and he stayed with his aunt, Gussie Bornhouser, in Dubuque, Iowa. Later, Otto Kirmse took him in and he became his stepson.^[2] The family relocated to Chicago where Lear attended Kershaw Grammar School. On Sundays, he attended the Moody Tabernacle (now Moody Church). "From listening to Paul Rader, of the Moody Tabernacle, he learned grammar and how to speak. He found out how to meet people, how to shake hands, and what to say when he did so... He learned about hypocrisy, too", and ceased any further church affiliation.^{[3]: 10, 11}

While in Chicago, Lear was employed briefly at a local airfield.

One of his first ventures was with Lawrence Sorensen, selling "Loose Coupler" radios. He had been an "instructor in wireless" in the U.S. Navy so he confidently identified himself as a radio engineer to Clifford Reid in Quincy, Illinois. Reid was selling auto supplies and hired Lear to expand into radio. With contractor Julius Bergen, he founded Quincy Radio Labs and built speaker boxes for radios. Lear also helped develop WLAL which evolved into the powerful station KVOO.^{[citation needed]}

In 1924, he moved to Chicago and built a B-

Lear pioneered an early step toward the miniaturization of electronics. Tuning coils in the radio frequency stage of a set were rather large; he reduced their size by using Litz wire, braided from many fine strands to create a large surface area, giving it high conductivity at radio frequency. Lear borrowed $5,000 from his friend Algot Olson to build machines to wrap the strands, braid the wire, and wind the coils. The industry was set up in the basement of his mother's old house on 65th street, and run with assistance of Don Mitchell, a railroad electrician. Lear called the company Radio Coil and Wire Corporation. Eugene F. McDonald of Zenith Electronics ordered 50,000 coils, which were one-quarter the size of coils made with solid wire.^{[3]: 15–23}

Lear traded his business (Radio Coil) for one-third interest in

In 1931, Lear bought his first aircraft, a Fleet biplane for $2,500 from a woman in Dearborn, Michigan (equivalent to $50,088 in 2023). The challenges of aerial navigation led Lear into the development of radio direction finders and avionics products.

Lear founded Lear Developments, a company specializing in aerospace instruments and electronics.

During the brief existence of SAAC, King Michael I of Romania met Lear and agreed to work as a test pilot for the Swiss part of the company. This was during the king's forced exile, which lasted for 50 years until 1997.^[8] In 1962, Lear sold his interest in Lear Incorporated to the Siegler Corporation after failing to persuade Lear Incorporated's board to go into the aircraft manufacturing business. The company became known as Lear Siegler.

Lear next moved to

One of Lear's most innovative projects was his last—a revolutionary aircraft called the LearAvia Lear Fan 2100, a seven-passenger aircraft whose single pusher propeller was powered by two turbine engines. The fuselage of the aircraft was made of lightweight composite materials instead of the more typical aluminum alloys. The Lear Fan was never completed; at the time of his death Lear asked his wife, Moya, to finish it. With the help of investors she attempted to do so, but the aircraft failed to obtain FAA certification; it was never put into production.^[16]

Other notable inventions

Lear developed the

A popular theory is that Learjets also included 8-track players. In 1965, a partnership between Ford, RCA, and Lear offered the first pre-recorded 8-track music cartridges.^[18] RCA released the first Stereo 8 Tape Cartridges in September 1965 and released 175 titles.^[19] In 1968, Lear started work on a closed circuit steam turbine to power cars and buses. He built a transit bus and converted a Chevrolet Monte Carlo sedan to use the turbine system. It used a proprietary working fluid dubbed Learium, possibly a chlorofluorocarbon similar to DuPont Freon.^[20] A prototype racing car was built to enter the 1969 Indianapolis 500, the Lear Vapordyne. The car never entered the race and never ran at competitive speeds.^[21][22]

Personal life

Marriages and children

• His first wife was Ethel Peterson Lear, daughter Mary Louise was born in January 1925.
• He married his second wife, Madeline Murphy, in October 1926. Their son, William Lear Jr., was born on May 24, 1928.^[23] Daughter Patti was born on June 26, 1929.^{[citation needed]}
• Lear's third marriage, in February 1936, to Margaret Jane Radell, was childless.^{[citation needed]}
• In 1941, Lear married his fourth wife, Moya Marie Olsen. They had four children together: John Lear, Shanda, David and Tina.^{[citation needed]}

Lear had a reputation for being difficult.^[24]

The 75-year-old Lear died of leukemia in Reno, Nevada on May 14, 1978.^[25] His remains were cremated and scattered at sea.

Tributes and honors

In 1944, Harry Bruno included William P. Lear in a list of 87 "all-time greats in American aviation ... [who] gambled their necks, their brains and their money – that aviation might grow."^[26]

• 1949, Collier Trophy for F-5 autopilot
• 1954, member Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
• 1967, appeared as himself in the film In Like Flint^[27]
• 1972, Elliott Cresson Medal
• 1972, Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement^[28]
• 1974, Tony Jannus Award for his distinguished contributions to aviation.
• 1978, National Aviation Hall of Fame^[29]
• 1981, International Air & Space Hall of Fame^[30]
• 1993, National Inventors Hall of Fame^[2]
• 2003, Hannibal Municipal Airport was renamed the Hannibal Regional Airport, William P. Lear Field in his honor.
• 2020, The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the Museum of Flight a $236,000 grant to process and digitize the collected papers of William P. Lear and Moya Olsen Lear over a 2-year period.^[31]

Notes