son of Edward M Bassett &
Annie (Preston) Bassett
m. Jeanne Mordorf
Preston Bassett, aeronautical expert
Preston Rogers Bassett, a former president of Sperry Gyroscope Co. and chief engineer in the development of the first automatic pilot and other flight instruments, died Thursday at his home in Ridgefield, Conn. He was 100.
He died of cardiac arrest, a son, Preston R. Bassett Jr. of Wyckoff, N.J., said.
Mr. Bassett joined Sperry in 1914 as a research engineer and remained with the company for 42 years, serving as president from 1945 until his retirement in 1956.
He also directed the development of the Sperry Gyropilot flight director for automatic flying, as well as blind-flying instruments, the gyro-horizon and the directional gyro, which became standard equipment on transport and military planes.
Interested in the entire field of air transportation, Mr. Bassett helped the Air Mail Service establish the first night airfield with beacons and floodlights.
Mr. Bassett was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and served on this civilian panel from 1954 to 1958.
Besides his son Preston Jr., he is survived by two other sons, Allen M. of Paris and William A. of Ithaca, N.Y.; a daughter, Margaret B. Stern of New York City; 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
[published in The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC), Sunday, May 3, 1992]
Annie (Preston) Bassett
m. Jeanne Mordorf
Preston Bassett, aeronautical expert
Preston Rogers Bassett, a former president of Sperry Gyroscope Co. and chief engineer in the development of the first automatic pilot and other flight instruments, died Thursday at his home in Ridgefield, Conn. He was 100.
He died of cardiac arrest, a son, Preston R. Bassett Jr. of Wyckoff, N.J., said.
Mr. Bassett joined Sperry in 1914 as a research engineer and remained with the company for 42 years, serving as president from 1945 until his retirement in 1956.
He also directed the development of the Sperry Gyropilot flight director for automatic flying, as well as blind-flying instruments, the gyro-horizon and the directional gyro, which became standard equipment on transport and military planes.
Interested in the entire field of air transportation, Mr. Bassett helped the Air Mail Service establish the first night airfield with beacons and floodlights.
Mr. Bassett was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and served on this civilian panel from 1954 to 1958.
Besides his son Preston Jr., he is survived by two other sons, Allen M. of Paris and William A. of Ithaca, N.Y.; a daughter, Margaret B. Stern of New York City; 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
[published in The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC), Sunday, May 3, 1992]
son of Edward M Bassett &
Annie (Preston) Bassett
m. Jeanne Mordorf
Preston Bassett, aeronautical expert
Preston Rogers Bassett, a former president of Sperry Gyroscope Co. and chief engineer in the development of the first automatic pilot and other flight instruments, died Thursday at his home in Ridgefield, Conn. He was 100.
He died of cardiac arrest, a son, Preston R. Bassett Jr. of Wyckoff, N.J., said.
Mr. Bassett joined Sperry in 1914 as a research engineer and remained with the company for 42 years, serving as president from 1945 until his retirement in 1956.
He also directed the development of the Sperry Gyropilot flight director for automatic flying, as well as blind-flying instruments, the gyro-horizon and the directional gyro, which became standard equipment on transport and military planes.
Interested in the entire field of air transportation, Mr. Bassett helped the Air Mail Service establish the first night airfield with beacons and floodlights.
Mr. Bassett was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and served on this civilian panel from 1954 to 1958.
Besides his son Preston Jr., he is survived by two other sons, Allen M. of Paris and William A. of Ithaca, N.Y.; a daughter, Margaret B. Stern of New York City; 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
[published in The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC), Sunday, May 3, 1992]
Annie (Preston) Bassett
m. Jeanne Mordorf
Preston Bassett, aeronautical expert
Preston Rogers Bassett, a former president of Sperry Gyroscope Co. and chief engineer in the development of the first automatic pilot and other flight instruments, died Thursday at his home in Ridgefield, Conn. He was 100.
He died of cardiac arrest, a son, Preston R. Bassett Jr. of Wyckoff, N.J., said.
Mr. Bassett joined Sperry in 1914 as a research engineer and remained with the company for 42 years, serving as president from 1945 until his retirement in 1956.
He also directed the development of the Sperry Gyropilot flight director for automatic flying, as well as blind-flying instruments, the gyro-horizon and the directional gyro, which became standard equipment on transport and military planes.
Interested in the entire field of air transportation, Mr. Bassett helped the Air Mail Service establish the first night airfield with beacons and floodlights.
Mr. Bassett was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and served on this civilian panel from 1954 to 1958.
Besides his son Preston Jr., he is survived by two other sons, Allen M. of Paris and William A. of Ithaca, N.Y.; a daughter, Margaret B. Stern of New York City; 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
[published in The News & Observer, (Raleigh, NC), Sunday, May 3, 1992]
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Bassett
Preston Rogers
husband
Mar 20 1892
Apr 30 1992
Jeanne Mordorf
wife
Nov 1 1893
Oct 21 1988
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