James D. Raisbeck
Encyclopedia
James David Raisbeck is a notable American
aeronautical engineer, known for his entrepreneurship in developing products which enhance the performance of production aircraft.
(1954), with the goal of studying mechanical engineering. However, he lasted only one semester before flunking out. Having to find a way to support a wife and daughter, he joined the US Air Force
as an E-1
. He served as a flight engineer on Convair B-36
bombers. After his four-year enlistment in the USAF, Raisbeck returned in 1958 to Purdue University. To help cover the costs of tuition and living expenses, he signed up for active reserve duty with the 434th Troop Carrier Wing at Bakalar AFB, Columbus, Indiana, as a flight engineer on Fairchild C-119s. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in aeronautical engineering, science and mathematics.
Raisbeck moved to Seattle, Washington and joined Boeing
as a research aerodynamicist in 1961. His first boss was Louis "Bernie" Gratzer, head of Boeing's aerodynamics research group. (Gratzer would, after retirement, join forces with Joe Clark at Aviation Partners Inc.
, developing their blended winglets.) While at Boeing, Raisbeck and a team of engineers and flight crew designed and flight-tested an internally-blown trailing edge flap system on the prototype 707, 367-80, known as the Dash 80. The Dash 80 first flew in December 1963, and soon demonstrated flight at speeds as slow as 60 knots, at gross weights exceeding 150,000 lbs. Raisbeck's later assignments at Boeing included liaison with the aeronautical laboratories at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
and as a designer and program manager in preliminary design at Boeing.
Raisbeck had not used any of his allowed vacation time while working at Boeing. He eventually was forced by the payroll department to use his accumulated vacation time. While on vacation, he went to work for Robertson Aircraft, a Seattle-based small business that specialized in developing and certifying STOL
kits for single- and twin-engine Cessna and Piper aircraft. In 1969 Raisbeck left Boeing to work full-time at Robertson Aircraft, where he soon became chairman, CEO, president and chief engineer.
At Robertson, Raisbeck participated in the development and construction of the University of Kansas
Redhawk, a modified Cessna 177 Cardinal and the Advanced Technology Light Twin, a modified Piper PA-34 Seneca, both under contract to NASA
. The Redhawk wing featured movable leading edge devices, Fowler flaps and spoilers for roll control. In 1970 he negotiated with Pierre Clostermann to have Reims Aviation
install Robertson STOL kits onto production Reims F337 Skymasters.
In 1973 the expanded Robertson Aircraft Company was sold to an investment company, and Raisbeck left. He worked for one year for Allen E. Paulson
at American Jet Industries in Los Angeles as vice president of technology. Deciding he wanted to start his own company, he founded Raisbeck Engineering in 1973, on his dining room table, with $500. His first project was the task of redesigning the wings of the Learjet for Gates Learjet. Clay Lacy
had introduced Raisbeck to Dee Howard, founder of Howard Aero and The Dee Howard Company. Having problems with the wing redesign, Raisbeck became partners with Howard in February 1975, to enable him to complete the development of the Mark II system. The modification was intended to reduce the approach and takeoff speeds of the Learjet family. With Howard's help, he finished the program and Gates Learjet adopted the Mark II wing's principles in 1976. The system's enhancement of the low-speed Learjet flight characteristics and short runway performance led Gates Learjet to adopt the highly successful technology on new production aircraft, beginning in 1976.
In 1976 Rockwell contracted Raisbeck to redesign the wing of its Sabreliner series. All production Sabreliner 65 aircraft would be equipped with supercritical wings to be developed by Raisbeck, and Sabreliner models 60 and 80 would be retrofitted. The resulting Mark V wing was the first supercritical wing in service in the United States. Raisbeck built all 75 wing sets for the Sabre 65 in Seattle, and shipped them to Rockwell in El Segundo, California
. His company now had 750 employees, most working on the supercritical wing program. Although the program was a technical success, by 1979, Raisbeck's company was in financial distress. Raisbeck declared bankruptcy
in 1979.
On his own, in 1979 he developed the Mark IV Wing System for the Learjet 35/36 family of aircraft. This system reduced the aircraft's approach speeds, increased the level of operating safety.
Raisbeck regrouped and reformed his company in 1981, with five employees. His vice-president, Joe Clark, arranged a deal with Morrison Knudsen and got Raisbeck started on developing the Mark VI system of performance enhancements for the Beech Super King Air. Clark would later go on to co-found Horizon Airlines
and Aviation Partners Inc.
.
The Mark VI system included nacelle wing lockers, dual aft body strakes
, exhaust stack fairings, engine inlet ram air recovery system, high flotation landing gear doors and enhanced performance inboard wing leading edge. Raisbeck went on in 1983 to develop Quiet Turbofan Propellers for the King Air with Hartzell Propeller. The same propeller technology was later used by Raisbeck and Hartzell to develop a Quiet Turbofan Propeller for the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
. Installed on the King Air, the quiet propellers reduce the perceived noise levels enough to allow the airplanes to operate out of European airports with the most stringent noise requirements.
In 1994 Raisbeck introduced the aft fuselage locker for Learjet 35/36 aircraft, which allows the carriage of up to 11 cubic feet (0.31 m³)and 300 lb (136 kg) of cargo with easy external access to the watertight locker. The locker was also later certified for use on the Learjet 31.
Turning to airliners, in 1996 the Raisbeck Commercial Air Group completed recertification of the Boeing 727
to meet Stage 3 noise limits without weight and performance penalties. The Raisbeck Stage 3 Noise Reduction Systems for the Boeing 727 covered all models and weights. Aerodynamic innovation provided Stage 3 noise compliance without costly engine modifications, saving their operators several million dollars on each installation. American Airlines
ordered and took delivery of 52 Raisbeck 727 Stage 3 systems. Other customers have included TWA, Pan Am, Air Algerie, TAME and many smaller airlines.
In August 2001 Raisbeck delivered a redesigned overhead bin system For JetBlue's fleet of Airbus A320
s. Because of the design of enlarged bins, popular, 22-inch, upright bags carried by passengers could be stored crosswise, with the handle facing the door. The redesigned overhead door and extended bin floor almost double the usable overhead storage space, allowing for quick and easy baggage stowage. Raisbeck has now equipped all of JetBlue's Airbus fleet of more than 100 aircraft.
Raisbeck began developing bulletproof doors and bulkheads for Boeing 737s and 757s in 2000 (before the September 11-mandated FAA requirement). Four weeks after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the first of Raisbeck's prototype Hardened Cockpit Security System was installed. Alaska Airlines, American Trans Air and other airlines operating the Boeing 737 immediately ordered and took delivery of the cockpit doors. The doors included rapid decompression, emergency pilot egress and crash-crew cockpit ingress, bulletproof protection, cockpit-to-cabin visual identification and structural integrity. In March 2002 Raisbeck turned over its flight deck security business and customers to Boeing.
Returning to business aircraft in 2002-2005 Raisbeck developed the ZR LITE performance enhancement system for the Learjet 35/36 aircraft. The ZR LITE wing and flap system reduces cruise drag by almost 10 percent and increases the FAA-certified takeoff performance, allowing these airplanes to operate safely into and out of many previously unavailable airports. The Learjet 35/36 were first to be certified, in 2005, followed by the Learjet 31/31A in 2006. Bombardier Aviation Services and other independent Learjet maintenance facilities make these kit installations in the U.S. and internationally.
Work is currently underway at Raisbeck Engineering on developing an aft fuselage locker system for the Learjet 60
aircraft.
, the Seattle Opera
, Pacific Northwest Ballet
, Seattle Symphony Orchestra and The Seattle Arts Fund. Seattle's Hope Heart Institute honored Raisbeck and his wife, Sherry, an artist and former special education teacher, with its "Wings of Hope" 2003 annual award for their leadership in philanthropy. The Raisbecks were selected as the 2007 Seattle-King County First Citizens for their generous support of local arts, education and medical research organizations.
Purdue University honored Raisbeck with its Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1979, and presented him with its Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award in 1999. In May 2005 he received Purdue University's highest recognition to engineers, an honorary doctorate in engineering.
In 2000, Professional Pilot Magazine
named Raisbeck Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2002 the National Business Aviation Association awarded him its NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award
. Raisbeck was the recipient of the prestigious Pathfinder Award, bestowed by Seattle's Museum of Flight in October 2007. In January 2008 he received the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Living Legends of Aviation award in honor of his contributions in the field of aviation and aeronautics spanning a 50-year period.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aeronautical engineer, known for his entrepreneurship in developing products which enhance the performance of production aircraft.
Biography
Raisbeck grew up in Whitefish Bay, a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After high school, he entered Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
(1954), with the goal of studying mechanical engineering. However, he lasted only one semester before flunking out. Having to find a way to support a wife and daughter, he joined the US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
as an E-1
Airman Basic
Airman Basic is the lowest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force , immediately below Airman. The pay grade for Airman Basic is E-1.As opposed to all other USAF enlisted and officer ranks, Airman Basic has no rank insignia affiliated...
. He served as a flight engineer on Convair B-36
Convair B-36
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built , although there have...
bombers. After his four-year enlistment in the USAF, Raisbeck returned in 1958 to Purdue University. To help cover the costs of tuition and living expenses, he signed up for active reserve duty with the 434th Troop Carrier Wing at Bakalar AFB, Columbus, Indiana, as a flight engineer on Fairchild C-119s. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in aeronautical engineering, science and mathematics.
Raisbeck moved to Seattle, Washington and joined Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
as a research aerodynamicist in 1961. His first boss was Louis "Bernie" Gratzer, head of Boeing's aerodynamics research group. (Gratzer would, after retirement, join forces with Joe Clark at Aviation Partners Inc.
Aviation Partners Inc.
Aviation Partners Inc. or API is a Seattle-based private corporation, which specializes in the production of performance enhancing winglet systems...
, developing their blended winglets.) While at Boeing, Raisbeck and a team of engineers and flight crew designed and flight-tested an internally-blown trailing edge flap system on the prototype 707, 367-80, known as the Dash 80. The Dash 80 first flew in December 1963, and soon demonstrated flight at speeds as slow as 60 knots, at gross weights exceeding 150,000 lbs. Raisbeck's later assignments at Boeing included liaison with the aeronautical laboratories at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties in the state of Ohio. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is located approximately...
and as a designer and program manager in preliminary design at Boeing.
Raisbeck had not used any of his allowed vacation time while working at Boeing. He eventually was forced by the payroll department to use his accumulated vacation time. While on vacation, he went to work for Robertson Aircraft, a Seattle-based small business that specialized in developing and certifying STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
kits for single- and twin-engine Cessna and Piper aircraft. In 1969 Raisbeck left Boeing to work full-time at Robertson Aircraft, where he soon became chairman, CEO, president and chief engineer.
At Robertson, Raisbeck participated in the development and construction of the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
Redhawk, a modified Cessna 177 Cardinal and the Advanced Technology Light Twin, a modified Piper PA-34 Seneca, both under contract to NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. The Redhawk wing featured movable leading edge devices, Fowler flaps and spoilers for roll control. In 1970 he negotiated with Pierre Clostermann to have Reims Aviation
Reims Aviation
Reims Aviation Industries is a French aircraft manufacturer located in the city of Reims, currently producing the F406 Caravan II. Reims Aviation is a wholly owned subsidiary of GECI Aviation.-History:...
install Robertson STOL kits onto production Reims F337 Skymasters.
In 1973 the expanded Robertson Aircraft Company was sold to an investment company, and Raisbeck left. He worked for one year for Allen E. Paulson
Allen E. Paulson
Allen Eugene Paulson was an American aviation entrepreneur, philanthropist, thoroughbred racehorse breeder and owner, and a self-made multi-millionaire.-Business career in aviation:Born in Clinton, Iowa, Allen E...
at American Jet Industries in Los Angeles as vice president of technology. Deciding he wanted to start his own company, he founded Raisbeck Engineering in 1973, on his dining room table, with $500. His first project was the task of redesigning the wings of the Learjet for Gates Learjet. Clay Lacy
Clay Lacy
Clay Lacy is the founder and chief executive officer of Clay Lacy Aviation, established in 1968 as the first executive jet charter company in the Western United States...
had introduced Raisbeck to Dee Howard, founder of Howard Aero and The Dee Howard Company. Having problems with the wing redesign, Raisbeck became partners with Howard in February 1975, to enable him to complete the development of the Mark II system. The modification was intended to reduce the approach and takeoff speeds of the Learjet family. With Howard's help, he finished the program and Gates Learjet adopted the Mark II wing's principles in 1976. The system's enhancement of the low-speed Learjet flight characteristics and short runway performance led Gates Learjet to adopt the highly successful technology on new production aircraft, beginning in 1976.
In 1976 Rockwell contracted Raisbeck to redesign the wing of its Sabreliner series. All production Sabreliner 65 aircraft would be equipped with supercritical wings to be developed by Raisbeck, and Sabreliner models 60 and 80 would be retrofitted. The resulting Mark V wing was the first supercritical wing in service in the United States. Raisbeck built all 75 wing sets for the Sabre 65 in Seattle, and shipped them to Rockwell in El Segundo, California
El Segundo, California
El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located on the Santa Monica Bay, it was incorporated on January 18, 1917, and is one of the Beach Cities of Los Angeles County and part of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments...
. His company now had 750 employees, most working on the supercritical wing program. Although the program was a technical success, by 1979, Raisbeck's company was in financial distress. Raisbeck declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1979.
On his own, in 1979 he developed the Mark IV Wing System for the Learjet 35/36 family of aircraft. This system reduced the aircraft's approach speeds, increased the level of operating safety.
Raisbeck regrouped and reformed his company in 1981, with five employees. His vice-president, Joe Clark, arranged a deal with Morrison Knudsen and got Raisbeck started on developing the Mark VI system of performance enhancements for the Beech Super King Air. Clark would later go on to co-found Horizon Airlines
Horizon Airlines
Horizon Airlines may refer to:*Horizon Airlines *Horizon Air...
and Aviation Partners Inc.
Aviation Partners Inc.
Aviation Partners Inc. or API is a Seattle-based private corporation, which specializes in the production of performance enhancing winglet systems...
.
The Mark VI system included nacelle wing lockers, dual aft body strakes
Strake (aviation)
In aviation, a strake is an aerodynamic surface generally mounted on the fuselage of an aircraft to improve the airflow and hence the flight characteristics.In general a strake is longer than it is wide, in contrast to a winglet or a moustache....
, exhaust stack fairings, engine inlet ram air recovery system, high flotation landing gear doors and enhanced performance inboard wing leading edge. Raisbeck went on in 1983 to develop Quiet Turbofan Propellers for the King Air with Hartzell Propeller. The same propeller technology was later used by Raisbeck and Hartzell to develop a Quiet Turbofan Propeller for the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
. Installed on the King Air, the quiet propellers reduce the perceived noise levels enough to allow the airplanes to operate out of European airports with the most stringent noise requirements.
In 1994 Raisbeck introduced the aft fuselage locker for Learjet 35/36 aircraft, which allows the carriage of up to 11 cubic feet (0.31 m³)and 300 lb (136 kg) of cargo with easy external access to the watertight locker. The locker was also later certified for use on the Learjet 31.
Turning to airliners, in 1996 the Raisbeck Commercial Air Group completed recertification of the Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
to meet Stage 3 noise limits without weight and performance penalties. The Raisbeck Stage 3 Noise Reduction Systems for the Boeing 727 covered all models and weights. Aerodynamic innovation provided Stage 3 noise compliance without costly engine modifications, saving their operators several million dollars on each installation. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
ordered and took delivery of 52 Raisbeck 727 Stage 3 systems. Other customers have included TWA, Pan Am, Air Algerie, TAME and many smaller airlines.
In August 2001 Raisbeck delivered a redesigned overhead bin system For JetBlue's fleet of Airbus A320
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
s. Because of the design of enlarged bins, popular, 22-inch, upright bags carried by passengers could be stored crosswise, with the handle facing the door. The redesigned overhead door and extended bin floor almost double the usable overhead storage space, allowing for quick and easy baggage stowage. Raisbeck has now equipped all of JetBlue's Airbus fleet of more than 100 aircraft.
Raisbeck began developing bulletproof doors and bulkheads for Boeing 737s and 757s in 2000 (before the September 11-mandated FAA requirement). Four weeks after the attacks of September 11, 2001, the first of Raisbeck's prototype Hardened Cockpit Security System was installed. Alaska Airlines, American Trans Air and other airlines operating the Boeing 737 immediately ordered and took delivery of the cockpit doors. The doors included rapid decompression, emergency pilot egress and crash-crew cockpit ingress, bulletproof protection, cockpit-to-cabin visual identification and structural integrity. In March 2002 Raisbeck turned over its flight deck security business and customers to Boeing.
Returning to business aircraft in 2002-2005 Raisbeck developed the ZR LITE performance enhancement system for the Learjet 35/36 aircraft. The ZR LITE wing and flap system reduces cruise drag by almost 10 percent and increases the FAA-certified takeoff performance, allowing these airplanes to operate safely into and out of many previously unavailable airports. The Learjet 35/36 were first to be certified, in 2005, followed by the Learjet 31/31A in 2006. Bombardier Aviation Services and other independent Learjet maintenance facilities make these kit installations in the U.S. and internationally.
Work is currently underway at Raisbeck Engineering on developing an aft fuselage locker system for the Learjet 60
Learjet 60
The Learjet 60 is a mid-size cabin, medium range business jet aircraft manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Wichita, Kansas, USA. The Learjet 60 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada model 305A turbo fan engines producing 4,600 total pounds of thrust. The manufacturer notes the range of the...
aircraft.
Awards and Honors
Raisbeck is a member of the board of the Museum of FlightMuseum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum at King County International Airport , south of downtown Seattle, Washington. It was established in 1965 and is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums...
, the Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera
The Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
, Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. It is said to have the highest per...
, Seattle Symphony Orchestra and The Seattle Arts Fund. Seattle's Hope Heart Institute honored Raisbeck and his wife, Sherry, an artist and former special education teacher, with its "Wings of Hope" 2003 annual award for their leadership in philanthropy. The Raisbecks were selected as the 2007 Seattle-King County First Citizens for their generous support of local arts, education and medical research organizations.
Purdue University honored Raisbeck with its Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1979, and presented him with its Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award in 1999. In May 2005 he received Purdue University's highest recognition to engineers, an honorary doctorate in engineering.
In 2000, Professional Pilot Magazine
Professional Pilot Magazine
Professional Pilot Magazine is a monthly aerospace publication produced in the United States focusing on business aviation, including issues affecting pilots, managers and dispatchers. Editorial content includes pilot technique, airmanship, operations, weather, reader surveys, helicopters,...
named Raisbeck Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2002 the National Business Aviation Association awarded him its NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award
NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award
The NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award is an American award in aviation given annually since 1950 by the National Business Aviation Association, Inc. ....
. Raisbeck was the recipient of the prestigious Pathfinder Award, bestowed by Seattle's Museum of Flight in October 2007. In January 2008 he received the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Living Legends of Aviation award in honor of his contributions in the field of aviation and aeronautics spanning a 50-year period.