“I hope heaven is in south Florida or at least Texas.” Bill L. Burgess went to his eternal home far too young on May 19th, 2021. He currently resided in San Antonio, Texas, but was born in Fayetteville, West Virginia, on Dec. 17th, 1940. That date coinciding with the Wright Brothers first flight 37th year anniversary, and it fit perfectly with his love for flying. That love shaped his life, career, and influenced his choices. He started flying as a teen by trading labor at a small local airport for training flying Piper Cubs. Bill went on to obtain several pilot ratings or endorsements including multiengine high performance, and high altitude.
His love for flying then led to an aeronautical engineering degree from Embry Riddle in Miami, Florida. But before he could pursue his career, he first had to serve his country which he did in the Army Reserve. He started his career doing drafting for a small firm called Aeronautical Engineers (still in business) doing conversions and engineering solutions also in Miami. At that time AEI had Friday “rushes” where engineers parked at the end of the parking lot so at the end of the day you could run and be first in the cross town race to the bank against all the other engineers to be paid before the account zeroed. He moved on when he found engineering projects that started up and went with major aerospace manufactures for new or updated airframes, first in Florida, then Georgia. Then projects drew him out west to Oklahoma, Texas, and then Kansas.
Along his career he progressed from a draftsman to ending his career as being vice president of engineering at several major manufacturers for engineering project design. He also progressed in the technology over the decades from manual inked drawings to the commencement of the use of digital computing to support advanced aeronautical design, and he became proficient in new or novel techniques obtaining a BA in computing from Oklahoma City University. His career in aeronautical engineering involved heading up projects in private, commercial, and military design programs done while working for several major aerospace manufacturers such as Raytheon, Beech, Fairchild, Piper, and North American Rockwell. He led programs that produced a range of airframes from crop dusters, single engine, multi engine, high performance, transport, the Beech Hawker, and the T-1 Jayhawk trainer that is still in use today. He was even involved in the design of the Space Shuttle bay doors for NASA. As a distinguished expert, he was loaned by Rockwell to the Swedish Royal Airforce to develop aerial early warning radar platforms.
Bill was proceeded in death by his father Bill B. Burgess, and mother, Almeda M. Sinclair. Bill leaves behind the love of his life to which he was married 60 years, Edith Burgess. The two met at about age 4, grew up and went to the same high school in the mid 1950’s in Fayetteville, West Virginia, a town having only about 1500 people. Both moved to Miami, Florida and were married. He is also survived by his son Robert Burgess, daughter-in-law Julie Burgess, grandson Paul Burgess. Paul is married to Leticia Burgess and has a daughter, Lucia Burgess.
Bill will be remembered by his loved ones for his kind spirit, good company, and quiet humorous remarks. He loved the edge, loved speed, and power; fast planes, fast cars, and his career with airplanes and jets. To him, the machine was fast, powerful, had the lines, and did the job, else it could be summed up as “just an anemic vehicle”. He had a remarkable influence over others leading by example. His grandson Paul credits his grandfather for his developing a career in aeronautical engineering and project engineering. A private service will be held.
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