Sat, Sep 24, 2022
Homebuilt Aircraft Writer, Builder, and Teacher Sees Efforts Recognized by Industry
Davisson earned his way into the ranks of the EAAs greatest builders with a lifetime of work on homebuilt aircraft, aerobatic flight, and aviation safety. His years of scholarship within the industry will be acknowledged on November 10th alongside 4 more individuals to take their place on the rolls.
Davisson began his aeronautical career with a degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1965, using the Thorp T-18 as a class subject in structural analysis. His work paid off when John Thorp recommended him for a job in California, where he soon experienced the homebuilt industry at the hands of the first T-18 to fly. Bill Warwick’s 180-hp T-18 must have set off something in the young Davisson, since the next year the college student attended his first of 53 EAA conventions by hitchhiking from Oklahoma to Rockford, Illinois for a fly-in. Luckily the trip was worthwhile, as homebuilt designer Leeon Davis decided Davisson was just the man to demo his DA-2A throughout the event. Ultimately, Davisson logged 15 hours over the course of the fly-in, racking up the time in 5 minute increments with prospective buyers.
Later on, Davisson obtained his master’s degree, instructed, and taught aerobatics before buying the 6th factory-made Pitts Special. Since then, the CFII/MEL has made the bulk of his flying bones aboard the Pitts, with 7,500 of his 10,500 total flight hours logged while instructing in the model. Through the course of his career, he also obtained a type rating in two classic aircraft in the the B-25 and the P-38. Davisson’s running column in Air Progress magazine circulated for 46 years straight through a handful of newsstand brands. His published writing often pertained to amateur-built aircraft and pilot reports covering every aspect of aircraft design, manufacture, and home building. Even today Davisson is a frequent forum presenter at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, as well as a regularly published EAA contributor through a variety of topics.
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