Richard Coar
American aerospace engineer (1921–2013) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard John Coar (May 2, 1921 – December 29, 2013), an American aeronautical engineer and former president of Pratt & Whitney.
Richard Coar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Richard John Coar May 2, 1921 Hanover, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | December 29, 2013 (aged 92) Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Tufts University (BS) |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Years active | 1941–1986 |
| Employer(s) | Pratt & Whitney United Technologies |
| Known for | J58 turbojet for the SR-71 "Blackbird" RL10 rocket engine |
| Children | Kenneth |
| Awards | George Westinghouse Medal Daniel Guggenheim Medal |
Early life
Coar was born on May 2, 1921 in Hanover, New Hampshire.[1] He spend his childhood in Hanover and Kingston, Massachusetts.[1]
He received a four-year scholarship from Tufts College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering summa cum laude in 1942.[2][1] While at Tufts, he joined Tau Beta Pi in 1942.[3]
Career
Summarize
Perspective
The summer before his senior year in college, Coar worked as a summer internata the Pratt & Whitney's engineering department.[1] After college, he became a test engineer for the company, working with the engines used in United States military aircraft during World War II.[1] He helped develop the model 304 liquid hydrogen aircraft engine and the RL10 rocket engine.[4]
After the war, he continued to work for Pratt & Whitney, and later with its parent company, United Technologies Corporation.[1] He became the chief engineer of its Florida Research and Development Center in West Palm Beach in 1956.[1] Coar returned to Connecticut in 1971 as Pratt & Whitney's vice president, overseeing commercial and military engine development.[1] He was promoted to executive vice president in 1976 and became the company's president in 1983.[1] In 1984, he became the executive vice president of United Technologies, retiring in 1986.[1]
Coar was a member of the National Research Council's Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board.[1] He was a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Society for Metals.[5][1]
Honors and award
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers honored him with the George Westinghouse Medal in 1984.[6] He received the Franklin W. Kolk Air Transportation Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers in 1985.[1] In 1998, he received the Daniel Guggenheim Medal for achievements in aeronautics.[6][1]
Personal life
Coar was married to Cecile Berle who died in 1971.[1] He then married Lucille Hicks. His son, Ken Coar, is well known for his involvement in the launch of the Apache Foundation, a United States–based non-profit software development company. His other children are Candace, Andrea Tittle, and Roger.[1]
Coar was an avid golfer and sailor.[1] He died at his home in Roanoke, Virginia on December 29, 2013.[1]
References
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