Jan Roskam

1930 - 2022

Dr. Jan Roskam was born on 2-22-30 in The Hague, The Netherlands to Jan and Ada (Bosman) Roskam. After attending elementary and high school in The Hague he enrolled in Aeronautical Engineering at Delft University of Technology in Delft, The Netherlands. He graduated with a Master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1954. He also obtained his private pilot's license at The Netherlands National Flying School in 1954.

His first employment was as assistant chief designer for the Aviolanda Aircraft Company working on several military airplane projects. Being eligible for the military draft, he was fortunate to be appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Netherlands Air Force while remaining in his job at Aviolanda. After fulfilling his military service in that manner, he became employed by Cessna Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas where he assisted in the design of the Cessna T-37 and AT-37 military jets from 1956-1958.

From 1958 to 1967 he was employed by The Boeing Company, first in Wichita, Kansas and since 1962 in Seattle, Washington. At Boeing he worked on a variety of military and civilian aircraft designs, including the Boeing TFX fighter (that became the F-111), the AMSA bomber (that became the B-1) and the 2707 Supersonic Transport (cancelled by the US Congress). He became a U.S. citizen in 1962. While employed at Boeing he enrolled in a Ph.D. program at The University of Washington and earned his Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1965.

While working full time at Cessna and Boeing he taught aeronautical engineering and mathematics courses in the evening at The University of Wichita (now Wichita State University) and later at Seattle University.

In 1967 Dr. Roskam was appointed as Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. He was promoted to full professor in 1972 and to Ackers Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering in 1974.