Michael J. Wendl, AIAA Senior Member Emeritus, died 22 May 2025 in St. Louis.
Wendl started his career with McDonnell Aircraft Company (McAir) after graduating from Washington University in 1958 with a degree in electrical engineering, working initially in missile controls and inertial navigation systems. He simultaneously continued his graduate education at Washington University under the tutelage of Professor John Zaborszky, who was also a McAir consultant. These studies culminated three years later in a thesis on the mathematical theory of electro-mechanical controls of the type applicable to aircraft and missiles.
Wendl then worked briefly on Project Mercury, before relocating to Houston in 1963 to work temporarily on Project Gemini at Manned Spacecraft Center (now NASA Johnson Space Center). Upon returning to St. Louis, he transitioned to fighter aircraft research and development. Wendl was part of Project 666A, a joint effort among McAir, Texas Instruments, and General Electric, that culminated in one of the first practical demonstrations of terrain following, in which the aircraft flies close to the ground to avoid anti-aircraft fire. He also worked on the fly-by-wire transition away from purely mechanical controls that the newer, higher-performing generation of jet fighters would require. This research was part of the U.S. Air Force Survivable Flight Control System (SFCS) program conducted through the Flight Dynamics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. With Robert Kisslinger, Wendl wrote the “control laws supplement” of the SFCS program report TR-71-20. Incidentally, the F-4E Phantom II airframe, serial number 62-12200, that had been used extensively for testing in these and several related programs was later donated by McDonnell-Douglas Corporation to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, where it is currently undergoing restoration.
In the late 1960s, McDonnell-Douglas was chosen by the U.S. Air Force to develop what would become the F-15 Eagle to counter the Soviet Mig-25. Wendl would work both on this program and on the F-18 Hornet program for the U.S. Navy over much of the rest of his career and this included frequent journeys to Edwards Air Force Base for flight tests. He ultimately rose through the McDonnell-Douglas ranks to Branch Chief, being responsible for ongoing F-15 flight controls development and the F-15 Keep Eagle program, which sought to perfect recoveries from high angle-of-attack departures. He also was called upon as part of the engineering contingent involved in the Japanese Self Defense Force’s adoption of the F-15, with flight evaluations at Kadena Air Force Base on Okinawa.
Over the years Wendl garnered many technical awards, including the SAE Wright Brothers Medal in 1974, the McDonnell-Douglas Engineering and Research Fellow’s Medal in 1992, and several Air Force Commendations, including one for Keep Eagle from program commander USAF General Richard Scofield. Although he retired shortly after the McDonnell-Douglas merger with Boeing in 1997, Wendl continued to stay abreast of aeronautical progress and government and military policy developments and enjoyed attending the McDonnell-Douglas retiree “fighter mafia” luncheon reunions.
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