John Roncz

John Gregory Roncz (born 1948) is an inventor, businessman, computer expert, book author, and aerodynamicist.

Roncz was born in Indiana. A musical prodigy, he had mastered the violin by age 5, and was competing in international piano competitions by age 11. His first 8 years of schooling were in a Catholic school. He then joined a tiny private high school (seminary) on the University of Notre Dame campus, where he learned Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. By his graduation from college, Roncz was proficient in several languages. "I have a funny talent for languages." (A&S December 1990) He earned a bachelor's degree in Government & International Studies, and then worked as a carpenter in a mobile home plant. He briefly pursued a career in abstract painting, then started Gemini Sales, supplying steel to the metal-stamping industry.

During his college study, Roncz attempted to study the seminal airfoil-section reference book Theory of Wing Sections (1949). He had long been interested in airplanes, and realized the formulas in that book would allow him to improve the design of airfoil sections. However, their complexity deterred him until 1975, when he purchased and assembled a Heathkit H-8 computer kit. He quickly realized this radical new invention could be used to manipulate the airfoil equations, and immersed himself in the world of computational fluid dynamics.

Roncz was particularly interested in the world of laminar flow, that elusive concept which promises greatly reduced drag if it could be achieved and maintained in a practical operational situation. Of his own volition, he analyzed the canard airfoils of Burt Rutan's homebuilt airplane design, the Long-EZ. He was not acquainted with Rutan, but he sent his analysis to the then-famous airplane designer. Rutan verified the analysis with an airfoil specialist at Rockwell International, then contacted Roncz. The two have since collaborated on some 20 designs, 17 of which have been constructed.

While pursuing his early business interests after college, Roncz learned to fly, and bought his first airplane (Rockwell 112A), and maintained a part-time career as a cargo pilot in twin-engine Navajo propeller aircraft.

Roncz's first public collaboration with Rutan was the Solitaire sailplane. Possibly his best known contribution to Rutan's designs is his involvement in the Rutan Voyager, the incredibly light and incredibly efficient twin-engine craft which flew nonstop/non-refueled around the world. Worried about the effects of rain or insects on the canard, he funded a wind tunnel model, which was tested at The Ohio State University Aeronautical and Astronautical Research Laboratory in their 3 by 5 foot wind tunnel. With Roncz running the computer data system, and Dick Rutan running the wind tunnel, they created vortex generator designs which would protect the canard wing in any weather. He also designed the propellers for both the front and rear engines, increasing their efficiency by 4%. He designed all the airfoil surfaces to control contamination by drag increasing bug-spattering. The airflow approaching the airfoil would direct heavier insects along the stagnation point, and smaller insects to go above the wing. Post-flight examination found only 3 insect carcasses splattered on the Voyager's wings.

...
Wikipedia