Francis Rogallo
He gave wings to the everyman by inventing a simple, flexible airfoil that evolved into the modern hang glider and paraglider.
1912–2009 (age 97)·American aeronautical engineer·Birthday: January 27·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Francis Rogallo, an aeronautical engineer at NACA, the precursor to NASA, spent his career thinking about how air moves over surfaces. But his most transformative idea was born at home in his living room with his wife Gertrude, where they stitched together prototypes from kitchen curtains. This wasn't about jets or rockets; it was about pure, unpowered flight. The Rogallo wing, a elegantly simple V-shaped parachute of flexible fabric, was a radical departure from rigid aircraft structures. While NASA initially explored it for spacecraft recovery, the invention truly found its soul in the 1960s and 70s. It was adopted and refined by enthusiasts, becoming the heart of the hang gliding movement that turned flight from a spectator sport into a personal, visceral experience. Rogallo's legacy isn't in a museum piece, but in the silent, graceful arcs of wings over coastal dunes every weekend.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Francis was born in 1912, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Francis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1912
Francis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1912Born
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1917Started school
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Became a teenager
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Could drive
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1930Could vote
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Turned 21
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1942Turned 30
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 40
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 50
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 60
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 70
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 80
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2009Died at 97
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Co-invented the flexible Rogallo wing with his wife Gertrude, a foundational design for modern hang gliders and paragliders.
- Held key patents for flexible wing controls and airfoil configurations that enabled safe, piloted flight.
- His work was seriously investigated by NASA for potential use in recovering spacecraft capsules.
- His invention democratized personal flight, directly inspiring the sport of hang gliding as it exists today.
Did You Know?
He and his wife Gertrude built early wing prototypes using their home sewing machine and common household materials.
The Rogallo wing design was used in some early versions of the Delta Wing kite, a popular toy.
He held both utility patents for mechanical function and design patents for the ornamental look of his wing controls.
The Wright Brothers' first flight happened when Rogallo was not yet born; his invention enabled the second great wave of personal aviation.
“The simplest wing is the one you can fold and put in your pocket.”
