?»?J William (Bill) Davis

I have always been interested in airplanes and things that fly. I would have liked to become a pilot, but poor eye sight precluded that. I did solo while in college in a J-3. I wanted to be associated with aircraft so I became an Aeronautical Engineer.

I got my Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University in 1953. While at Purdue I joined and became a student member of the IAS, Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. Later the IAS merged and became the AIAA, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. I have continued my membership in the AIAA and am now, after over 50 years, an Emeritus Lifetime Member.

After graduation I went to work for Boeing in Seattle. The work there involved a new area of composite structures. This was in a Structural Development Unit. The only composite structures at the time were radomes and isolating metal structures as antenna, B-52 vertical stabilizer.

In 1957 I left Boeing and went to work for the 3M Co., which had a group involved in composite materials. My first work involved testing of the composites. I became active in the ASTM, American Society for Testing Materials, and was chairman for many years of a subcommittee on test methods for Reinforced Plastic Materials. In the later part of my career I was the interface between the Aerospace customers and the laboratory. We were very active in supplying glass fiber reinforced composite to the helicopter industry for rotor blades. We also supplied boron reinforced prepreg used for the skins of the F-14, Tomcat, horizontal stabilizer. Other cooperative efforts were made with Alcoa and Delph University on ARALL, a laminate of thin aluminum and fiber reinforced composite.

After retirement, in 1991, I continued my interest in things that fly by volunteering at the University of Minnesota Raptor Center. I worked on both clinic and flight crews. Our patients were Hawks, Falcons, Owls and Eagles. We would treat injured birds and prepare them to be released back into the wild. The flight crews would take the birds out, with a light line and exercise them. I flew both Golden and Bald Eagles. It was my great honor to release an adult Bald Eagle. This is an awe inspiring event.

I hope my small efforts while working have brought us to the position where composite materials will be the accepted aircraft material.