William F. Milliken, Jr.

Who was William F. Milliken, Jr.?

William F. Milliken, Jr. was an aerospace engineer, automotive engineer and racecar driver. He was born in Old Town, Maine.

After graduating from MIT in 1934, Milliken worked in the aircraft industry for 20 years in analysis, wind tunnel and flight testing, with emphasis on stability and control. He was assistant head of Flight Test at Boeing Aircraft during World War II, and was on the first flights of the prototype XB-29 and several B-17 models.

As head of Flight Research at Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory he initiated a program for measuring aircraft dynamics in flight using automatic control techniques, accomplishing the first frequency response measurements. Also, as co-inventor of the variable stability aircraft he was involved in pioneering stability augmentation and modern electrohydraulic flight control systems.

Milliken competed in over 100 post-war road races. He was a founding member of the Watkins Glen Road Races, serving as head of the Rules Committee. He competed in the very first Watkins Glen event in 1948. "Milliken's Corner" on the original Watkins Glen circuit is named after him.