Donald A. Hall, Sr. Biography Highlights

• Born December 7th, 1898 - Brooklyn, New York
• Graduated from Pratt Institute - Industrial Mechanical Engineering, 1917-19
• US Army (S.A.T.C.) - Rank: Private, 1918
• Curtiss Aeroplane & Motor Corp. – Junior draftsman, checker, designer, 1919-21
• Elias & Bros - Aerodynamic design and acting chief engineer, 1921-22
• Designed night bombardment airplane, which won prize in competition at Dayton, OH, 1922
• The Douglas Company - Aerodynamics engineer, 1924-25
• Ford Motor Company (Airplane Division) - Airplane designer, 1926
• US Army (Brooks Field Army Air Corps) - Rank: Flying Cadet, 1926
• Ryan Airlines, Inc. - Chief engineer & Parts inspector, 1927-28
• Designed the Spirit of St. Louis with Charles A. Lindbergh, winner of the Orteig prize, 1927
• Author - National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Technical Note #257, “Technical Preparation of the Spirit of St. Louis,” 1927
• Hall Aeronautical Development Co. - President and chief engineer, 1929-1936
• Consolidated Vultee Aircraft/Convair - Aerodynamics and pre-design engineer, Patent director, 1936-49
• Associate Fellow - American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA), 1937-1968
• Prepared Technical Appendix in Charles A. Lindbergh’s Pulitzer prize winning book, The Spirit of St. Louis, 1953
• Naval Air Station (North Island) - Head supervisor: Helicopter Engineering branch, 1949-1963
• Died, May 2nd, 1968 - San Diego, California