McAVOY, DRAIN

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Monday, January 28, 2008 at 06:54:34 :

Independent Journal
Monday, April 21, 1980
Page 4

WILLIAM H. McAVOY

A private funeral will be held for William H. McAvoy of San Rafael, who for many years was one of the nation’s leading test pilots.

McAvoy died Saturday in a local hospital after a brief illness. He was 83.

Born in Baltimore, Md., he took Army pilot training during World War I, then became a test pilot for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at Langley Field, testing as many as seven different types of airplanes in a day. Only once during his 8,000 hours of test flying did he have to parachute from a disabled plane when a rotor-wing aircraft shed a blade during high-speed flight.

McAvoy wrote books and scientific articles on flying and specific hazards such as spins and icing, and helped develop scientific techniques for all manner of aircraft tests. In 1940, he was transferred to the Ames Research Laboratory at Moffett Field in Sunnyvale, where he became head test pilot and chief of flight operations.

In 1953 he received the Octave Chanute Award for contributions to aeronautical science.

After retirement, he moved to San Rafael in 1963 and pursued his hobbies of yachting and painting. He suffered a severe stroke 10 years ago, but recovered and persevered in his painting.

He was a retired major in the Air Force Reserve, a member of the Quiet Birdmen and honorary fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret, at home; two sons, Robert H. McAvoy of San Rafael and William H. McAvoy Jr. of San Bruno; a daughter, Martha Rose Drain of Los Angeles; and four grandchildren.

His ashes will be scattered at sea.