Presentation Date: August 28, 2014
Larry Rinek, Former USAF Officer
Larry Rinek has spoken previously at various CAF Golden Gate Wing dinner events in Alameda, reviewing famous USAF aircraft from the Cold War era. He is a published aviation historian, a guest lecturer in aero engineering for five universities, a former USAF officer, and a Senior Technology Consultant at Frost & Sullivan in Mountain View, CA. His topic for the 28 August dinner meeting is the evolution of US aircraft jet engine technology, with an historical perspective.
Jet engines are now the propulsion preference for most military, commercial and high-end of general aviation aircraft. Why did this technology replace aircraft piston engines? How did US companies perform in developing aircraft jet engines (a technology invented overseas), from the 1940s to the present?
Larry’s presentation traces the origins of US turbojets, (mostly licensed from the UK and independently developed designs) and later US development of world-class high-thrust turbofan engines for military aircraft and commercial airliner applications.
Jet engine developers overcame major technical obstacles including:
-- inferior high-temperature materials
-- engine control issues, inadequate thrust
-- axial compressor surges and stalls
-- low propulsive efficiency.
Larry has breathtaking video clips of various US jet aircraft taking off. A few scale models of famous USAF jet aircraft will be on display.
He is a published aviation historian, a guest lecturer in aero engineering at 5 universities, a former USAF officer, and is presently a Senior Technology Consultant at Frost & Sullivan. He is an aerospace industry veteran, and an active member of several aero/technical organizations. They include: AIAA, SAE International, AAHS, SAH, Wings of History (WOH), Air Force Association (AFA), and he is a Charter Member of the Aircraft Engine Historical Society (AEHS). He earned a BS cum laude in engineering and an MBA, both from UCLA.
Holding a BS in engineering (cum laude) plus an MBA in marketing, Larry is a veteran of the aerospace industry and an active member of various aero/technical organizations including the:
-- Air Force Association (AFA)
-- American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS)
-- American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA)
-- Society for Aviation History (SAH)
-- Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International)
-- Wings of History (WOH)
Larry is also a charter member of the Aircraft Engine Historical Society--AEHS). Besides flight training including multiple solos in fixed-wing aircraft (Piper J-3C Cub), he is an avid pilot of radio-controlled (RC) model helicopters.
He earned a BS (with honors) in Industrial Engineering and an MBA in Marketing, both from UCLA, and has over 35 years of consulting experience. Many of his projects were sponsored by leading aerospace companies around the world, particularly when he worked for SRI International (the former Stanford Research Institute) in Menlo Park for 24 years.