Remembering Franklin F. Eckhart
Monday, January 10, 2022
Media Contact: Kristi Wheeler | Manager, CEAT Marketing and Communications | 405-744-5831 | kristi.wheeler@okstate.edu
Franklin F. Eckhart was born on March 18, 1931, to Fred and Hilda Eckhart in Palmerton, Pennsylvania.
in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. After spending his boyhood working on the family farm, Eckhart was the first in his family to attend high school and college, graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in aeronautical engineering.
His interest in aviation was sparked when he was a boy during World War II. Watching movies and newsreels of young men flying through the air in fascinating aircrafts as they destroyed the enemy convinced him that he had to be one of them.
In the fall of 1947, Eckhart attended the local county fair. A pilot was offering local flights in his Ercoupe airplane and took Frank for a flight over his family farm where he saw the farm in a whole new perspective. The pilot even let Frank take the controls.
He was hooked!
After meeting in college, he married Donna J. Eckhart on April 3, 1954. Their marriage endured for 58 years, until Donna’s death in 2012.
They were blessed with five children: Brian, Gale, Kevin, Scot and Franklin Jr.
After graduation from college on an ROTC scholarship, Frank served his country as a naval aviator, flying the S2F submarine hunter/killer during the Cold War.
Frank spent many hours behind the controls of hundreds of planes and logged thousands of hours. He spent many of those hours teaching young military test pilots, some who went on to become astronauts.
He flew with astronauts John Sweigert and Joe Engle on the first in-flight simulation of the shuttle orbiter in 1972. In 1965, Frank was invited to be on hand to watch the launch of the space shuttle Columbia on its seventh orbital flight. Commanding that ship was one of Frank’s former students, Bob Crippen.
Upon fulfilling his commitment to the military, Frank attended Princeton University, where he obtained a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering. He then moved with his growing family to Buffalo, New York, where he went to work as a test pilot for the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories (later known as Calspan).
His efforts there included much of the early work on the space shuttle, and Frank worked closely with many future astronauts on developing in-flight simulation, particularly of the shuttle’s approach and landing capabilities. He simultaneously flew in the Air National Guard, where he retired at the rank of major.
In the mid-1970s, Frank transitioned to a career in education, and served as an associate professor at Oklahoma State University until his retirement.
OSU wanted to provide aeronautical engineering students with an instructor who had practical knowledge of aeronautical research. This would provide an opportunity for Frank to spend more time with his growing family.
He developed the first airplane test flight test course offered there. After 21 years of service to OSU and to engineering students, he retired in 1996.
The impact he had on his students over the years will always be remembered.
“I will always treasure the “in-flight classroom” experience with Dr. Eckhart!” said Laurette Lahey, a former student. “The stories, lessons and experiential learning provided by him turned dull, theoretical book-learning into practical sense for me. I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t have gotten my first job at Boeing — or as an aerodynamicist anywhere — if it were not for his version of ‘experimental fluids.’ I’ve had plenty of opportunities to compare aerospace engineering curriculums for undergrad programs, and this type of course offering is rarely found outside of military courses. I often highlight his course and teaching methods when discussing what inspired and influenced me. I count myself incredibly fortunate to have had the honor of taking one of his courses. Frank Eckhart is a true hero to me!”
Frank, along with Donna, loved to travel, enjoyed time with family and took great pride in his children and grandchildren. As an example of their love of travel and family, Donna and Frank arranged and paid for a family Caribbean Disney Cruise (including children and grandchildren) and later, a trip to Hawaii.
Story by Kristi Wheeler | IMPACT Magazine