Edward Bayard Heath

Edward Bayard Heath , better known under the name Ed Heath , (born November 17, 1888 in Brooklyn , New York, † November 1, 1931 in Maine Township , Cook County, Illinois ) was an American aviation pioneer and entrepreneur.

biography

Ed Heath came to Amsterdam , New York at a young age with parents Clark Heath and Ada M. Johnson . Early in 1909 he obtained the pilot's license and started on the basis of Blériot - monoplanes to develop their own aircraft. His goal was to manufacture and market small aircraft as a kit at prices for everyone. He flew his first model on October 10, 1909 at what was then the Amsterdam Airfield, where the landing gear was damaged on landing. In 1911, Heath worked in Glenn Curtiss' aero engine construction and later took over the motorcycle engines developed and converted by Curtiss for his own aircraft kits.

In 1912, Heath founded the EB Heath Aerial Vehicle Company in Chicago , which was renamed the Heath Airplane Company in 1926. In the same year, Ed Heath took part in the Air Races in Philadelphia with his machine, which was specially built for air races , and won a prize of 2500 dollars.

Heath Parasol (2003 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh )

Heath Airplane Company manufactured the Heat-Feather and Heath-Favorite types before the First World War . After the war a series followed, which was sold under the name Heath-Parasol , a high-decker with engines from Henderson-Motorcycle-Engines.

On February 1, 1931, Ed Heath had a fatal accident during a test flight with a prototype in Main Township. The Heath Airplane Company was sold in succession and aircraft construction ceased. The new owners changed the company name to Heathkit , but took over the name and the business idea of selling kits from Ed Heath. The new company, based in Chicago, became known worldwide for high quality electronic kits, from radio to shortwave amateur radio.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ History of the Heath Parasols
2. ^ The Heathkit story