James D. Raisbeck
James D. Raisbeck | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | August 31, 2021 | (aged 84)
Citizenship | United States |
Education | BSAeroEngr, BSSci, BSMath |
Alma mater | Purdue University |
Occupation | Aeronautical engineer |
Known for | Aircraft performance enhancement products |
Spouse | Sherry Raisbeck |
James David Raisbeck (September 29, 1936 – August 31, 2021) was an American aeronautical engineer, known for his entrepreneurship in developing products which enhance the performance of production aircraft.
Biography
Raisbeck grew up in
Raisbeck had not used any of his allowed vacation time while working at Boeing. He eventually was forced by the payroll department to use his accumulated vacation time. While on vacation, he went to work for Robertson Aircraft, a Seattle-based small business that specialized in developing and certifying STOL kits for single- and twin-engine Cessna and Piper aircraft. In 1969 Raisbeck left Boeing to work full-time at Robertson Aircraft, where he soon became chairman, CEO, president and chief engineer.[2]
At Robertson, Raisbeck participated in the development and construction of the University of Kansas Redhawk, a modified Cessna 177 Cardinal and the Advanced Technology Light Twin, a modified Piper PA-34 Seneca, both under contract to NASA. The Redhawk wing featured movable leading edge devices, Fowler flaps and spoilers for roll control. In 1970 he negotiated with Pierre Clostermann to have Reims Aviation install Robertson STOL kits onto production Reims F337 Skymasters.[2]
In 1973 the expanded Robertson Aircraft Company was sold to an investment company, and Raisbeck left. He worked for one year for
In 1976 Rockwell contracted Raisbeck to redesign the wing of its Sabreliner series.[7] All production Sabreliner 65 aircraft would be equipped with supercritical wings to be developed by Raisbeck, and Sabreliner models 60 and 80 would be retrofitted. The resulting Mark V wing was the first supercritical wing in service in the United States. Raisbeck built all 75 wing sets for the Sabre 65 in Seattle, and shipped them to Rockwell in El Segundo, California. His company now had 750 employees, most working on the supercritical wing program. Although the program was a technical success, by 1979, Raisbeck's company was in financial distress.[2] Raisbeck declared bankruptcy in 1979.
On his own, in 1979 he developed the Mark IV Wing System for the Learjet 35/36 family of aircraft. This system reduced the aircraft's approach speeds, increased the level of operating safety.
Raisbeck regrouped and reformed his company in 1981, with five employees. His vice-president, Joe Clark, arranged a deal with
The Mark VI system included nacelle wing lockers,
In 1994 Raisbeck introduced the aft fuselage locker for Learjet 35/36 aircraft, which allows the carriage of up to 11 cubic feet (0.31 m3) and 300 lb (136 kg) of cargo with easy external access to the watertight locker. The locker was also later certified for use on the Learjet 31.[2]
Turning to airliners, in 1996 the Raisbeck Commercial Air Group completed recertification of the Boeing 727 to meet Stage 3 noise limits without weight and performance penalties. The Raisbeck Stage 3 Noise Reduction Systems for the Boeing 727 covered all models and weights. Aerodynamic innovation provided Stage 3 noise compliance without costly engine modifications, saving their operators several million dollars on each installation. American Airlines ordered and took delivery of 52 Raisbeck 727 Stage 3 systems. Other customers have included TWA, Pan Am, Air Algerie, TAME and many smaller airlines.[2][14]
In August 2001 Raisbeck delivered a redesigned overhead bin system for
Raisbeck began developing bulletproof doors and bulkheads for Boeing 737s and 757s in 2000 (before the September 11-mandated FAA requirement). Four weeks after the
Returning to business aircraft in 2002–2005, Raisbeck developed the ZR LITE performance enhancement system for the Learjet 35/36 aircraft. The ZR LITE wing and flap system reduces cruise drag by almost 10 percent and increases the FAA-certified takeoff performance, allowing these airplanes to operate safely into and out of many previously unavailable airports. The Learjet 35/36 were first to be certified, in 2005, followed by the Learjet 31/31A in 2006. Bombardier Aviation Services and other independent Learjet maintenance facilities make these kit installations in the U.S. and internationally.[2][17]
Work is currently underway at Raisbeck Engineering on developing an aft fuselage locker system for the Learjet 60 aircraft.
Raisbeck was a major donor to
He died on August 31, 2021, at the age of 84.
Awards and honors
Raisbeck was a member of the board of the
Purdue University honored Raisbeck with its Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1979, and presented him with its Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award in 1999. In May 2005 he received Purdue University's highest recognition to engineers, an honorary doctorate in engineering.[4]
In 2000,
In 2011, Raisbeck was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.[19]
References
- ^ Pia Bergovist, Raisbeck Engineering: James Raisbeck has made a career of making good airplanes better Flying, September 2011, pp. 66-70
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l James Raisbeck: Breathing New Technology into Aviation Archived 2012-06-27 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Flying
- ^ a b c d James D. Raisbeck biography Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Flying, p. 68
- ^ Flying, p. 67
- ^ Flying p. 67
- ^ The lockers are mounted behind each engine, atop the wing. They are certified to carry 300 pounds (136 kg) each, with items up to 7.2 feet (2.2m) in length, and 8 cubic feet (0.23 m3) per side.
- ^ The strakes smooth the previously turbulent air aft of the fuselage-wing intersection. "... one customer refuses to fly any King Air that does not have Raisbeck's dual aft body strakes because of the differences in the noise level and vibration inside the cabin." Flying, p. 69. When the strakes are installed, the yaw-damper-inoperative restriction on the KA 200 and the F90 is eliminated.
- ^ "High-flotation landing gear doors eliminate the speed penalty from the drag created by otherwise protruding wheels designed for unimproved surfaces." Flying, p. 69
- ^ King Air Performance Systems Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Quiet Turbofan Propellers for Twin Otters Archived 2011-06-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Flying, p. 69
- ^ Boeing 727 Stage 3 Noise Reduction Kits Archived 2011-06-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Airbus A320 Overhead Bin Enlargement Kits Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Boeing 737 Hardened Cockpit Security System Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Learjet Products Archived 2011-08-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 25 July 2011
- ^ Shaw, Linda (26 March 2009). "$4 million gift for Aviation High". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-57864-397-4.