The Latest News at Piasecki Aircraft Corporation

It’s that time of year again! All Piasecki footballers, wearing their school colors, were out for an annual intramural football game.  Rumor is the best team won!

(left to right–Josh Nastarowicz, a rising junior in Mechanical Engineering from Rowan University in New Jersey; Edward Klapper, a rising Senior in the University of Maryland Honors program in College Park, MD; Ashley Hoback, a recent graduate from Widener University in Chester, PA with a dual degree in Physics and Engineering; David Stilwell, a recent graduate from Villanova University in Radnor Township, PA; and Jake Berkowitz, a rising junior at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.) The 2019 group of Piasecki Aircraft summer technical interns has an impressive array of technical and  academic credentials. They represent five different universities along the mid-Atlantic coast. In becoming part of the Piasecki team, the interns fired up the company grill, leading the annual summer employee bar-be-cue. “Back to the days of my father, Frank N. Piasecki, our company has always had a tradition of nurturing next-generation technical talent.  It is important for us as we gain access to creativity and insight and they gain much-needed practical experience. Our summer intern program at Piasecki Aircraft is designed around that dual principle. We work hard to attract the best, most talented people possible and we put them to work on important projects for customers. We have always had a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to the ongoing development of our employees skills,” said Fred W. Piasecki, Piasecki Aircraft Board Chairman and Chief Technical Officer.

The Vertical Flight Society (VFS) held its 75th annual forum in Philadelphia May 13-16, 2019.  It was a sold-out event highlighting the best in rotorcraft technology.  The show featured displays from over 100 companies but as usual the backbone of the event were the several dozen technical presentations made about all things vertical flight. PiAC was a prominent player in the VFS’s 75th annual Forum ceremonial first night historic “commemoration of the founder’s” event.  Board Chairman and Chief Technology Officer, Fred Piasecki, spoke offering multiple remembrances of his father, the late Frank N. Piasecki.  Fred was joined on the panel along with (left to right); Mr. Ed Hey, a personal friend of the late Maitland Bleeker, who was an inventor and instrumental in early rotorcraft design; Duncan Pitcairn, nephew of Harold F. Pitcairn who developed The Pitcairn PCA-2 an autogyro developed in the US in the early 1930s and first to sell in quantity;  Dan Kurkjian, representing the families of Burke Wilford and Arthur Young, early helicopter pioneers; Sergei Sikorsky, son of rotorcraft industry legend Igor Sikorsky; and, Mr. Fred Piasecki, son of Frank N. Piasecki, the founder of Piasecki Aircraft Corporation and a prominent early rotorcraft inventor and developer. A ceremonial kickoff reception took place following the Historical Commemoration with PiAC President John Piasecki speaking, He noted “Philly is the indeed America’s cradle of rotorcraft innovation.”  John Piasecki referenced that autogyro’s, ducted fan, compound and tandem rotorcraft and tiltrotors were all developed in the Philly region.  He stated at present over 9,000 people are currently employed locally in rotorcraft resulting in a $1.3B annual payroll and $1.5B in annual supplier purchases.  All told this translates to a $9B+ annual local economic benefit.  Mr. Neil Weaver, “executive deputy secretary” of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development also spoke representing […]

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation (PiAC) is preparing to offer several versions of the Air Scout, a competitive next-generation Unmanned Air System (UAS) for use by military and commercial customers. PiAC envisions a combination of offers including all electric, hybrid and Jet-A powered UAS. PiAC plans to integrate the SNC—Kutta ground control station in combination with long range communications and a Klear-Path™ sensor suite.  Air Scout is a Commercial Off-the Shelf (COTS) design to meet emerging cargo logistics requirements consistent with UAS Classification Group 3. Air Scout is sized at 300lbs, with payload potential of 50-150 lbs. PiAC anticipates developmental testing beginning in early 2019.