Terence Nonweiler

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Terence Nonweiler (8 February 1925 - 17 December 1999) held a Chair of Aeronautical Engineering at Glasgow University and later became Dean of the Faculty of Engineering. He has been credited with being the pioneer of wave-riding technology. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

In January 1957 Nonweiler, and six other enthusiasts (including Beverley Shenstone) met at the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield and formed the Man-Powered Aircraft Committee (later to become the Man-Powered Aircraft Group of the RAeS) with the purposes of reviewing relevant literature, assessing its prospects, and promoting its realisation. [5]

He also developed a family of airfoils, [6] the best-known of which is the GU25-5(11)8 which was the subject of a wind tunnel test by F.H. Kelling in 1968. [7] This airfoil was used as the canard wing section on the Quickie aircraft.

Personal life

Nonweiler was born on 8 February 1925 in London. He married Patricia Hilda Frances (née Neame) in 1949 and they had four sons and one daughter. [8] He died at his home in Raumati Beach on 17 December 1999 at the age of 74. [3]

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References

  1. Flight, 1961 July 20 page 67 (Accessed August 2012)
  2. STAAR Research- The Scottish Rocket Programme: An Historical Overview of Waverider Evolution (Accessed August 2012)
  3. 1 2 The Herald Tuesday 28 December 1999 Obit:Prof Terence Nonweiler (Accessed August 2012)
  4. New Scientist 24 Dec 1959 (Accessed August 2012)
  5. Reay, D.A (1977). The History of Man-Powered Flight. Pergammon. p. 136. ISBN   978-1483113579.
  6. Nonweiler, T. R. F. (1968). "A new series of low-drag aerofoils". Aeronautical Research Council Reports and Memoranda. 3618 via Cranfield University AERADE.
  7. Kelling, F. H. (1971). "Experimental investigation of a high-lift low-drag aerofoil". Aeronautical Research Council Current Papers. 1187 via Cranfield University AERADE.
  8. "Biography of Terence Nonweiler". University of Glasgow . Retrieved 22 March 2022.