Taking to the Air
TSU Remebers It's Aeronautical Engineering History

Written by Krista Shields

Tri-State University’s rich legacy in aeronautics is being documented by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in an upcoming book entitled Aerospace Engineering Education during the First Century of Flight. The book has approximately 70 chapters that describethe history of aerospace engineering education in the United States since 1903. Each chapter was written by faculty involved in each school’s particular program. In TSU’s chapter, Dr. Roger Hawks, Dean of the Allen School of Engineering and Technology, helped to author a contribution. The piece on TSU explains how the school became the first college in Indiana to offer an aeronautical engineering degree in 1929, spawning a generation of aviation enthusiasts.

The book highlights colleges whose influence on aeronautic history has been paramount. TSU’s chapter documents legendary engineers who went on to work on projects such as the Spruce Goose, the Boeing 747 and C-17, and the Apollo Spacecraft. TSU is also noted for its world-class wind tunnels. In fact, at one time, one wind tunnel was considered to be the largest outside of the National Advisory Council for Aeronautics (predecessor to NASA) tunnels at Langley Field. Sections on civilian pilot training and flying clubs note TSU’s relationship with the area airport and its efforts to include unique opportunities for students and the community as a whole.

Though the program granted its last degree in 2001, the TSU chapter is acelebration of a program which has influence still evident today. The book has been available since 2004 in its original version. The latest copy is a corrected reprint with additional chapters, including TSU’s chapter, and became available at the end of September 2006.