William T. Piper

William Thomas Piper Sr. (January 8, 1881 – January 15, 1970) was an American airplane manufacturer, aviation businessman, oil industry businessman, and engineer. He was the founding president of the Piper Aircraft Corporation and led the company from 1929 until his death in 1970. He graduated from Harvard University in 1903 and later became known as "the Henry Ford of aviation".

Early life
Piper was born on January 8, 1881 in Olean, New York, Cattaraugus County 14 miles Northeast of Bradford, PA. Piper was the second youngest of 5 children of Thomas and Sarah Elizabeth Piper (née Maltby). His father dabbled both in dairy farming and in the promising crude oil busines as Piper was growing up often helping his father. By the time he was eight, Piper was milking cows and walking several miles to a one-room country school. At the age of nine he introduced himself to the oil business when he assisted his father in the task of repairing well pumps. When family finances improved, the Piper family moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania.

In 1898 due to the sinking of the USS Maine Piper lied about his age and joined the United States Army. Piper attended Harvard University where he was on the track and field team. He graduated in 1903 with honors with a degree in business and mechanical engineering.

Military and commercial career


Piper served in the Spanish–American War and World War I, in the latter as a captain in the Corps of Engineers. He made most of his fortune from oil wells. In 1929, he became the original investor in the Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation for $400 ($5,647 in 2017 dollars). A year later, during the onset of the Great Depression, the company went bankrupt and Piper bought its assets and reorganized it into the Taylor Aircraft Corporation. During this period, he sought to manufacture reliable and affordable light aircraft. In 1937, Piper established the Piper Aircraft Corporation and, by 1940, the company dominated the light aircraft market. At the time, a Piper Cub and flying lessons cost $1,325 dollars ($19,808 in 2017 dollars). The Piper Cub would go on to become the most-produced fabric-covered monoplane in history, with over 20,000 units delivered from 1938–1947.

Death and legacy
Piper died in his home in Lock Haven due to natural causes on January 15, 1970. Just prior to his death, in 1968, Piper's son, William Piper, Jr., took over the company and was appointed president. In 1970, Piper Jr. was also named chairman by the board, and in 1973, Piper Aircraft was sold, moving from Pennsylvania to where it is located today, Vero Beach, Florida.

In 1980, William Piper was posthumously inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. In 1993, Piper was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The William T. Piper Memorial Airport in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania is named in his honor.