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Charles H. Kaman



Charles H. Kaman

Charles H. Kaman
CHARLES H. KAMAN
Rotary Wing Aircraft Designer
and Manufacturer
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Charles Kaman graduated from Catholic University with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1940. Working in the emerging field of helicopter design, he perfected a servo-flap, controlled rotor system to improve controllability.

Kaman founded his own company in 1945 and introduced his first production helicopter, the K-225, four years later. In 1951, a redesigned K-225 became the world's first turbine-powered helicopter. Other innovative developments flowed from Kaman's company such as the world's first remotely controlled helicopter and the first all-composite rotor blade.

In the 1950s and 1960s Kaman Corporation became a significant producer of military helicopters. These included the prolific Navy H-2 series, first flown in 1959, and the Air Force's record-setting H-43 "Husky," the only military helicopter to go through its entire service life with no accidents attributable to the aircraft's design.

In the 1990s, Charles Kaman has received many national and international honors, and his corporation continues its reputation for innovation with the K-MAX, the world's first helicopter designed specifically for heavy lift operations.

Elected to the International Aerospace Hall of Fame 1999