Richard Whitcomb, 88, the long-time NASA engineer des-cribed as the most significant aerodynamics contributor of the second half of the 20th century, died on October 13 in Newport News, Va. He was the recipient of the prestigious Collier Trophy for his discovery of the area rule fuselage, which gave fighter jets supersonic speed and greater range, and his supercritical wing and winglets are found on many of today’s aircraft designs. He was also awarded the National Medal of Science, the NAA Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy and the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, among others.
William DeCota, 52, the long-time aviation director of the Port Authority of New York and Jersey, died suddenly on September 11. He joined the agency in 1982 as a financial analyst and became a national authority on major airport issues, and a strong proponent of programs to modernize the U.S. aviation system and reduce flight delays. Responsible for one of the busiest aviation regions in the world, his oversight included John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, La Guardia and Teterboro Airports.
