Roy LoPresti
Roy LoPresti | |
---|---|
Born | Leroy Patrick LoPresti 9 June 1929 |
Died | 7 August 2002 | (aged 73)
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | New York University |
Known for | Aircraft Engineering |
Parent(s) | Agnes LaRusso LoPresti and Patrick LoPresti |
LeRoy Patrick "Roy" LoPresti (June 9, 1929 – August 7, 2002) was an eclectic American
LoPresti designed the
Biography
Roy LoPresti was born to Agnes LaRusso LoPresti and Patrick LoPresti in
LoPresti graduated in 1950 and obtained employment with
When he returned to Grumman LoPresti worked on missile designs, but was later put in charge of design at their recently acquired American Aviation division in
During the 1970s he moved to
In a 1979 interview, LoPresti predicted that by the year 2000, most general aviation aircraft would be essentially unchanged in airframe and powerplants. He felt radical new designs and materials would not be marketable and only a few examples would be produced.[7]
He then became the Vice President of Engineering at
In 1987 LoPresti took her advice and joined
In spite of this promising start, Piper went bankrupt in 1991, leading to a huge legal squabble over the rights to the designs. LoPresti formed LoPresti Speed Merchants as an upgrade firm, making modifications to existing aircraft to make them fly faster. They also created a large fixed-base operation in Florida. The company finally gained the rights to build the upgraded Globe Swift, which is now called the LoPresti Fury.[citation needed]
During the 1980s LoPresti served on the Aeronautical Advisory Committee to the US Congress. In 1990 he received the Godfrey L. Talbot Trophy for outstanding contributions to the science of aerospace engineering, from the Aero Club of New England.[citation needed]
LoPresti was climbing a ladder to clear leaves from his house's rain gutter when he slipped and fell. He died 35 days later (7 August 2002) of complications from the fall.[9]
References
- ^ Durden, Rick (November 1, 2016). "Speed mods: Bucks for Knots". The Aviation Consumer. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^ Cox, Bill. "The Fury Is Coming", Plane & Pilot. Accessed October 2, 2008.
- ^ speedmods.com/roybio.htm "Roy LoPresti's Biography"
- ^ "Roy LoPresti's Obituary", LoPresti Speed Merchants
- ^ "LeRoy LoPresti Bio - LoPresti Speed Merchants". speedmods.com. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Biography of LeRoy LoPresti", LoPresti Speed Merchants
- ^ "Designers talk about the future". Air Progress. January 1979.
- ^ "Interavia", pg. 65
- ^ a b c S. Clayton Moore, "All in the Family: LoPresti Builds the Perfect Airplane" Archived 2007-05-03 at the Wayback Machine, Airport Journals, August 2006
- ^ Janet Rose Daly Bednarek and Michael Bednarek, "Dreams of Flight ", Texas A&M University Press, 2003, pg. 131