Donald A. Hall
Encyclopedia
Donald Albert Hall was a pioneering aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer who is most famous for having designed the Ryan NYP (known commonly as The Spirit of St. Louis) in only sixty days. 
, New York on December 7, 1898. He attended the Manual Training High School in Brooklyn, and graduated from the Pratt Institute
with a certificate in mechanical engineering in 1917.
, Elias & Brothers, and L.W.F. Engineering before moving to Santa Monica, California in 1924 to work for Douglas Aircraft.
He left Douglas Aircraft in 1926 to become an aviation cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, but did not become a military pilot. He returned to Douglas Aircraft, and began working part time for Ryan Airlines
in San Diego. In 1926, Ryan Airlines changed ownership when T. Claude Ryan
sold his half of the business to Benjamin Franklin Mahoney. At that time Hall accepted the position of chief engineer.
of St. Louis asking if they could design and build an aircraft capable of flying nonstop from New York to Paris. Donald Hall signed off on the inquiry. Ryan Airlines responded in the affirmative and after all the other potential manufacturers had said no, Charles A. Lindbergh finally traveled to San Diego to inspect the Ryan Airlines facility. There he met Donald Hall for the first time. After touring the facility with the new owner Benjamin Franklin Mahoney, Lindbergh met and discussed the project with Donald A. Hall in his second story office. Lindbergh wanted to decide if the company could really deliver on the proposed aircraft.
Lindbergh later stated in his Pulitzer Prize
winning book, The Spirit of St. Louis, that the decision to go with Ryan Airlines would depend primarily on his estimate of the chief engineer, Donald Hall. He found a true partner in Donald Hall and the men at Ryan Airlines, so an agreement was finalized and the two men began working closely to design and construct the aircraft in only sixty days. History would be made in that short amount of time.
The final aircraft was known as the Ryan NYP (registration number N-X-211) which captured popular imagination as the Spirit of St. Louis
in May 1927 by flying nonstop from New York
to Paris
. Charles A. Lindbergh would become a world wide celebrity because of this famous flight and aviation would become much more popular around the globe.
Hall left Ryan Airlines in 1929 after the company became Mahoney-Ryan Airlines and later relocated to St. Louis.
bomber. He was discharged by Consolidated (then known as Convair) during the defense cutbacks following World War Two.
In 1952, he became head of the Navy's helicopter division at North Island, San Diego. He worked there in research until 1963.
Early years
He was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York on December 7, 1898. He attended the Manual Training High School in Brooklyn, and graduated from the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
with a certificate in mechanical engineering in 1917.
Aviation career
He worked for the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor CompanyCurtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was an American aircraft manufacturer that went public in 1916 with Glenn Hammond Curtiss as president. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States...
, Elias & Brothers, and L.W.F. Engineering before moving to Santa Monica, California in 1924 to work for Douglas Aircraft.
He left Douglas Aircraft in 1926 to become an aviation cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps, but did not become a military pilot. He returned to Douglas Aircraft, and began working part time for Ryan Airlines
Ryan Airlines
Ryan Airline Company was an airline company founded by T. Claude Ryan and Benjamin Franklin "Frank" Mahoney at San Diego, California on April 19, 1925. They had earlier established a scheduled service between San Diego and Los Angeles with a fare of $14.50 one-way and $22.50 round-trip...
in San Diego. In 1926, Ryan Airlines changed ownership when T. Claude Ryan
T. Claude Ryan
Tubal Claude Ryan was an Irish-American aviator born in Parsons, Kansas. Ryan was best known for founding some airlines and four airplane factories.-Business career:...
sold his half of the business to Benjamin Franklin Mahoney. At that time Hall accepted the position of chief engineer.
The Spirit of St. Louis
Only days later, Ryan Airlines received an inquiry from Robertson Aircraft Corp.Robertson Aircraft Corporation
Robertson Aircraft Coroporation was a post-World War I American aviation service company based at the Lambert-St. Louis Flying Field near St. Louis, Missouri, that flew passengers and U.S. Air Mail, gave flying lessons, and performed exhibition flights...
of St. Louis asking if they could design and build an aircraft capable of flying nonstop from New York to Paris. Donald Hall signed off on the inquiry. Ryan Airlines responded in the affirmative and after all the other potential manufacturers had said no, Charles A. Lindbergh finally traveled to San Diego to inspect the Ryan Airlines facility. There he met Donald Hall for the first time. After touring the facility with the new owner Benjamin Franklin Mahoney, Lindbergh met and discussed the project with Donald A. Hall in his second story office. Lindbergh wanted to decide if the company could really deliver on the proposed aircraft.
Lindbergh later stated in his Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winning book, The Spirit of St. Louis, that the decision to go with Ryan Airlines would depend primarily on his estimate of the chief engineer, Donald Hall. He found a true partner in Donald Hall and the men at Ryan Airlines, so an agreement was finalized and the two men began working closely to design and construct the aircraft in only sixty days. History would be made in that short amount of time.
The final aircraft was known as the Ryan NYP (registration number N-X-211) which captured popular imagination as the Spirit of St. Louis
Spirit of St. Louis
The Spirit of St. Louis is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize.Lindbergh took off in the Spirit from Roosevelt...
in May 1927 by flying nonstop from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Charles A. Lindbergh would become a world wide celebrity because of this famous flight and aviation would become much more popular around the globe.
Hall left Ryan Airlines in 1929 after the company became Mahoney-Ryan Airlines and later relocated to St. Louis.
Later career
In 1932, he formed Hall Aeronautical Research and Development Company, and designed and built the Hall X-1. This was a tandem wing design for which Hall held the patent. He closed this company due to financial problems, and joined Consolidated Aircraft Corporation where he was involved in the design of the B-24 LiberatorB-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
bomber. He was discharged by Consolidated (then known as Convair) during the defense cutbacks following World War Two.
In 1952, he became head of the Navy's helicopter division at North Island, San Diego. He worked there in research until 1963.