Born: United States of America
Primarily active in: United States of America

Robert L. Pinckney, a Boeing research engineer and FORUM 51 session co-chairman, had a prominent career in which he made major contributions to the development of nonmetallic and low-observables materials and processes for rotary-wing aircraft. After early assignments supporting new material development for the B-47 and B-52 heavy bomber aircraft, Pinckney was assigned in 1964 to Boeing Helicopters where he was responsible for the development, manufacture, and evaluation in flight of all-composite, advanced-geometry rotor blades for the CH-47 Chinook.

He performed seminal studies at Boeing of all-glass-fiber and all-boron-fiber rotors, and he participated in the development of early automated composite fabrication machines. In 1983, he assumed responsibility for development of advanced manufacturing process involved in the V-22 program.  Subsequently he received the Society of Manufacturing Engineers' Jud Hall Award for Excellence in Composites Manufacturing and, in 1989, was appointed a Boeing Associate Technical Fellow.

Pinckney passed away in 1995 at age 71.

AHS Update: Vertiflite May/June 1995