13 Facts About Fred Weick

Fred Ernest Weick was an airmail pilot, research engineer, and aircraft designer.

Fred Weick was one of the first engineers hired by the original US Air Mail Service.

Fred Weick worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at its Langley Aeronautical Laboratory, in Hampton, Virginia beginning in November 1925.

Fred Weick helped design the first wind tunnel devoted to full-scale propeller research and wrote a textbook on propeller design that became a classic.

Fred Weick left NACA in 1936, and joined ERCO's fledgling aircraft team as chief designer.

Fred Weick's goal was to make flying as easy and safe as driving the family auto.

Later in the 1930s, Fred Weick improved on that design with the Ercoupe, the two-seat, all-metal, low-wing aircraft that was so easy and safe to fly that many students mastered it in five hours or less.

Fred Weick mentioned that he had seen gas turbines demonstrated as early as 1922, and that their future use in light aircraft would only be viable with development of cost-efficient materials that could withstand the heat.

Fred Weick felt future aircraft would not be radically different, but could benefit from safety improvements in controllability.

Fred Weick joined Piper Aircraft in 1957 as director and chief engineer of its development center, remaining there until his retirement at age 70.

Fred Weick remained active in general aviation, regularly attending the Experimental Aircraft Association Oshkosh airshow for entertainment and lectures.

Fred Weick married Dorothy Church and they had three children together.

Fred Weick died on Thursday, July 8,1993, in Vero Beach, Florida.