John H. McMasters
Encyclopedia
John H. McMasters was an aeronautical engineer notable for his contributions to aerodynamics and engineering education.
and fell in love with airplanes in 1943 when he his uncle gave him a private “air show” in a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. After completing high school, he went on to earn BS and MS degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder
in 1960 and 1962 and a PhD from Purdue University
in 1975, all in Aeronautical Engineering.
After having completed his BS and MS on a ROTC scholarship, he entered the US Air Force as a 1st Lt Working at the US Air Force Special Weapons Center (later the Air Force Weapons Lab) at Kirtland Air Force Base
in New Mexico
, he was given the opportunity to develop a guided missile eventually given the provisional designation ZAIM-68A Quetzalcoatl
. In 1965 he left the US Air Force to attend Purdue University and work on his PhD. In 1971 and 1972 he taught at Arizona State University
. As there were few jobs available at time in aerospace, he worked from 1972 to 1974 as a tent designer at Camp Trails in Phoenix Arizona, while at the same time working on his PhD dissertation. In 1975 he returned to Purdue to finish his PhD. The next year, having completed graduate school, he took a job working at Boeing Commercial Airplanes
as a research aerodynamicist and worked there until his death.
His professional and avocational interests ran together over a broad range of topics including: low-speed/highlift aerodynamics, airplane design, Reynolds number scale conditions in wind tunnel testing, soaring and human powered flight technology, bioaerodynamics, paleontology, and engineering education. He authored over 90 publications and technical papers, and lectured to a broad range of university, government, and professional society audiences in all these topic areas. John made significant contributions in a variety of aerodynamic and aircraft design areas, including high-lift aerodynamics, sailplanes, vortex generators, very large aircraft design, undersea gliders, smart wings, and many other concepts.
John became an Associate Technical Fellow at Boeing in 1995 and a Technical Fellow in 1996. Starting in 1994 he was a member of what has become the Boeing Company Offices level University Relations Process Council. In this capacity he was instrumental in establishing and conducting the Boeing-Welliver Faculty Summer Fellowship, Boeing Fellow on Campus, and Boeing Outstanding Educator Programs. He was also one of the original architects of the Boeing-initiated Industry-University-Government Roundtable for Enhancing Engineering Education (IUGREEE). Beginning in 1990, he also served as an Affiliate [Adjunct] Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington
and he was also a member of the External Advisory Board of the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder
.
At the time of his death, John was a program manager on the staff of Ed Wells Initiative, a joint program between Boeing and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace
charged with enhancing the technical excellence of the SPEEA-represented Boeing technical workforce.
John was an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
, and served as an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer, from 1992-94 and again from 2002-2006. In 2002, he was named an Outstanding Aerospace Engineer by the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. He was awarded the 29th SAE/AIAA Littlewood Memorial Lectureship, 2004 and was selected as a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer for 2005-07.
John served for five years on the Vashon Island
, Washington School Board.
Career
John McMasters was born in Taft, CaliforniaTaft, California
Taft is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet . The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census...
and fell in love with airplanes in 1943 when he his uncle gave him a private “air show” in a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. After completing high school, he went on to earn BS and MS degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
in 1960 and 1962 and a PhD from Purdue University
Purdue 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...
in 1975, all in Aeronautical Engineering.
After having completed his BS and MS on a ROTC scholarship, he entered the US Air Force as a 1st Lt Working at the US Air Force Special Weapons Center (later the Air Force Weapons Lab) at Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base
Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy C. Kirtland...
in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, he was given the opportunity to develop a guided missile eventually given the provisional designation ZAIM-68A Quetzalcoatl
AIM-68 Big Q
The AIM-68 is an American air-to-air missile design. It never entered production.-Overview:The Big Q began life in 1963 as a replacement for the AIR-2 Genie rocket. The Genie was unguided, and had generally poor flight performance characteristics. The Big Q was to be a much more capable weapon,...
. In 1965 he left the US Air Force to attend Purdue University and work on his PhD. In 1971 and 1972 he taught at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. As there were few jobs available at time in aerospace, he worked from 1972 to 1974 as a tent designer at Camp Trails in Phoenix Arizona, while at the same time working on his PhD dissertation. In 1975 he returned to Purdue to finish his PhD. The next year, having completed graduate school, he took a job working at Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes designs, assembles, markets and sells large commercial jet aircraft and provides product-related maintenance and training to customers worldwide...
as a research aerodynamicist and worked there until his death.
His professional and avocational interests ran together over a broad range of topics including: low-speed/highlift aerodynamics, airplane design, Reynolds number scale conditions in wind tunnel testing, soaring and human powered flight technology, bioaerodynamics, paleontology, and engineering education. He authored over 90 publications and technical papers, and lectured to a broad range of university, government, and professional society audiences in all these topic areas. John made significant contributions in a variety of aerodynamic and aircraft design areas, including high-lift aerodynamics, sailplanes, vortex generators, very large aircraft design, undersea gliders, smart wings, and many other concepts.
John became an Associate Technical Fellow at Boeing in 1995 and a Technical Fellow in 1996. Starting in 1994 he was a member of what has become the Boeing Company Offices level University Relations Process Council. In this capacity he was instrumental in establishing and conducting the Boeing-Welliver Faculty Summer Fellowship, Boeing Fellow on Campus, and Boeing Outstanding Educator Programs. He was also one of the original architects of the Boeing-initiated Industry-University-Government Roundtable for Enhancing Engineering Education (IUGREEE). Beginning in 1990, he also served as an Affiliate [Adjunct] Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
and he was also a member of the External Advisory Board of the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
.
At the time of his death, John was a program manager on the staff of Ed Wells Initiative, a joint program between Boeing and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace
Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace
The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace , IFPTE Local 2001 is a professional labor union representing more than 24,000 engineers, technical workers and other professionals in the aerospace industry. SPEEA represents employees at The Boeing Company, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE...
charged with enhancing the technical excellence of the SPEEA-represented Boeing technical workforce.
John was an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is the professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA was founded in 1963 from the merger of two earlier societies: the American Rocket Society , founded in 1930 as the American Interplanetary Society , and the Institute...
, and served as an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer, from 1992-94 and again from 2002-2006. In 2002, he was named an Outstanding Aerospace Engineer by the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University. He was awarded the 29th SAE/AIAA Littlewood Memorial Lectureship, 2004 and was selected as a Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer for 2005-07.
Personal Life
John was married to Marie from September 1960 to the time of his death. Together, they had two children.John served for five years on the Vashon Island
Vashon Island
Vashon is a census-designated place in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon-Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,624 at the 2010 census. At , it is about 60 percent larger...
, Washington School Board.