Clyde Vernon Cessna

Clyde Vernon Cessna ( born December 5, 1879 in Hawthorne, Iowa, † November 20, 1954 in Rago, Kansas) was the founder of the aircraft manufacturer Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita in the United States. He is considered one of the great pioneers of aviation.

Life

Growing up as the son of a farmer, he still began at a young age to improve agricultural machines and to develop new methods of agriculture. After graduating from high school Clyde Cessna was in Enid, Oklahoma a dealer for farm equipment and automobiles. His interest in art led him to flying. The trigger was a 1910 conducted air show in Kansas.

In 1911 the first engine aircraft from Cessna named Silverwing was completed. The simple construction consisted, in addition to the compounds from wood and fabric. The Silverwing was powered by a 4- cylinder engine with 40 hp at 1,050 rev / min. It was the first airplane that flew between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. In 1916 he acquired to build their own airplane, a hall of the Jones Motor Car in Wichita, which was also used as a flight school.

In 1924 he founded with Lloyd Stearman and Walter Beech, the Travel Air Manufacturing Co., Inc. and produced biplane. The Cessna Aircraft Company Cessna founded on 7 September 1927, built monoplane with cantilever wings. In the 1920s, he developed the first four-seat single-engine passenger aircraft, the Cessna Model A was the Grunstein for future success of the Cessna Aircraft Company. Within a few years the most successful private Cessna aircraft manufacturer of the United States. Clyde Cessna became known as a constructor numerous innovations in aircraft, such as single-deck construction with cantilever wings.

After Clyde Cessna had lost a close friend a flight accident, he showed no further interest more in aviation. He handed over the company to two nephews, Dwane and Dwight Wallace, who made the name synonymous with private Cessna aircraft.