Final Flight: Joe Sutter
He led the 747 design team.

Joe Sutter, “father of the Boeing 747,” died on August 30 at the age of 95 after a career of truly jumbo proportions. He joined Boeing Commercial Airplane aerodynamics group in February 1946, “debugging” the 377 Stratocruiser, which provided engineering, flight-test and regulatory experience, before heading 367-80, 707, 727 and 737 aerodynamics. Sutter originated the latter’s flush wing/engine mounting and shared in the twinjet’s design patent.