Fri, Aug 11, 2006
Two Deservng Aviators Receive Proper Recognition
B.J. Schramm
B. J. Schramm (below, left), founder
of RotorWay Aircraft and creator of the Scorpion and Executive kit
helicopters, and Edgar James Lesher, pioneer of the pusher prop
design, will both be posthumously inducted into the EAA
Homebuilders Hall of Fame on October 27.
Debuting in 1967, Schramm's one-of-a-kind design led to the
Scorpion, a breakthrough in sport flying. It became the first
successful kit helicopter on the market, incorporating
affordability and simplicity. By 1972, 600 kits had been
produced.
In 1980, Schramm unveiled the Rotorway Executive, which refined
the building process that put a reliable helicopter as an
achievable goal for the homebuilder. Schramm continued to be very
active in the homebuilt community until his death in 2004.
Ed Lesher
Lesher (above, right), a longtime member of EAA Chapter 113 who
passed away in 1998, was a distinguished aviation teacher and
engineer. He joined the University of Michigan's Department of
Aerospace Engineering in 1942, and through his teaching decided to
begin designing airplanes.
Lesher's "Teal" broke numerous world record setting flights for
speed, and won many distinguished awards. He is remembered for his
dedicated service as an educator and engineer who advanced the
science of aircraft design.
The Homebuilders Hall of Fame, established in 1993, honors those
who have made significant lifetime contributions to the aircraft
construction community. On October 27, Schramm and Lesher will be
inducted to the Hall during a special ceremony at the EAA
AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.
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