1908-1931 |
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Courtesy of Phyllis Cato Ferguson |
Courtesy of Phyllis Cato Ferguson |
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OF JOSEPH L. CATO AERONAUTICAL STUDIES AND EXPERIENCE 1908-1931 February 1908. Submitted to the War Department thru the office of General James Allen, Chief of Signal Corps, a design together with specifications and offered to build a power driven airplane for military use. January 1909. Became actively engage in aeronautical work at the Sunset Aviation Field, Alameda, Calif. Started construction of Curtiss type single surface plane. October 1909. Made first solo hop in Curtiss type single surface plane. 1910. Designed and built a monoplane and 2 cyl. 35 H.P. aircooled engine to power same and made quite a few hops with this machine. started designing and building my third machine, a Curtiss type single surface biplane. February 1911. Completed my #3 machine and built one more Curtiss type machine of my own design. Assisted in the designing and builiding of a 9 cyl. air-cooled rotary engine. Installed this engine in plane #3 with the head gear removed, it being the fourth engine installed in this machine. Started the design of a 60 H.P. 4 cyl. water-cooled engine. 1912. Completed designs and built a 60 H.P. water-cooled engine and designed my first double surface biplane for same. This machine had a Farman type landing gear and ailerons with a 3 in 1 control. Rebuilt Curtiss type plane and did aeronautical work for other constructors. Also contracted exhibition flying thru California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and Alberta, Canada. 1913 to November 1915. Designed three machines, completed two and partly completed the third and did little exhibition flying, but mostly flying for pleasure. These two planes, as well as one completed early in 1912, were powered with my 60 H.P. engine. In 1910 this engine was sold to a party in Seattle for installation in a speed boat, from which they received good results for two seasons. November 1915 to April 1916. Employed by Sloane Aeroplane Co., doing experimental work and in charge of general assembly, which included field service and flight tests. April 1916 to December 1918. Employed by L.W.F. Engineering Co., New York City, as Aeronautical Experimental Engineer and assistant to the General Manager, Mr. A.H. Flint. Works manager and in charge of all field service and experimental test flying. Redisigned the model "G" fighing plane. Installed the first Liberty engine (8 cl.#2) of any type to fly. December 1918 to June 1919. Employed by Marlin-Rockwell Corp. to develop a small sporting monoplane and the Cato 72 H.P. all ball-bearing air-cooled engine. This plane and motor were completed in less than 150 days, reports show several hundred hours in the air, without any changes in the plane or motor after my first design was made on the board. June 1919 to December 1920. Employed by L.W.F. Engineering Co., as Aeronautical Mechanical Engineer to develop a 60 H.P. (Cato) air-cooled engine and light monoplane for this engine. This engine was stand tested for 27 hours and had 67 hours in the air powering the above monoplane designed for its installation, no changes in this engine were found necessary after my first design on the board. May 1921 to May 1922. Employed by Air Service Engineering Division, McCook Field, as Project Engineer and assistant to Capt. Geo. E.A. Hallett in developing air-cooled cylinders and radial engines. Followed up all experimental single cylinders tested, all experimental engines tested, all torque stand tests and all tests on production air-cooled engines of every known make. May 1922 to December 1926. Resigned from Air Service Engineering Division to carry on experimental work on motorless flight, light plane construction and light plane engines. December 1926 to April 1030. Employed by G. Elias & Bro., Inc., Aircraft Dept., Buffalo, New York, as Chief Engineer and Manager of their Aircraft Department to develop an 80 H.P. horizontal opposed air-cooled engine and light plane for same. Also works manager and in complete charge of production planning, designing of tool and jig equipment, all estimating and all military equipment manufactured by this company for the U.S. Government. Completed production designs and production equipment manufactured by this company for the U.S. Government. Completed production designs and production equipment for the "Aircoupe", "Airsport" and "Trainair" light sport monoplanes and compted premiminary designs for an 80 H.P. air-cooled engine. May 1930 to May 1931. Employed by Emsco Aircraft Corporation, Downey, Calif., as Superintendent and Production Engineer. |
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