An avid motorcyclist, Bob Liebeck, shown here near Yosemite National Park, enjoys touring aboard his Honda VFR Nighthawk. (Photo courtesy Bob Liebeck)
wing design for supersonic transports, and the design of high-altitude unmanned aircraft. For the past 15 years, Liebeck has been program manager of Boeing’s Blended Wing Body project, developing a 500-passenger “flying wing” aircraft. “The BWB project continues to both progress and remains a challenge,” Liebeck said. The BWB X-48B, a subscale prototype with a 21-foot wingspan and three 50-pound turbojet engines, is undergoing tests. late A.M.O. Smith of Douglas, who encouraged him to continue the research. The revolutionary devices are now called “Liebeck airfoils” in the industry. Originally designed in the ’70s for high altitude airplanes, a Liebeck airfoil will be used in the NASCAR Car of Tomorrow scheduled to be unveiled this year.
1956 last September, Liebeck and his classmates were asked to list their interests and hobbies. Golf, travel, grandchildren were the most popular answers among his peers, most of whom are retired. Liebeck’s were motorcycles, running, and writing a book on airplane
In his spare time, Liebeck has designed wings for India-
design. He runs two to three miles every other day and
napolis 500 and Formula One racing cars, the keel for
competes in the occasional 10K race.
the yacht that won the America’s Cup in 1991 and the wing for a World Championship acrobatic airplane, an unmatched triple crown. “This could be summarized as victory on land, sea, and air,” he said.
His fascination with motorcycles began as a teenager in Wheaton, IL. Liebeck acquired his first motorcycle at age 14, a Whizzer — basically, a motorized bicycle — with an ear-splitting exhaust. At the University of
Liebeck is a member of the National Academy of Engi-
Illinois he said he had guilt pangs when he upgraded to
neering and a world-renowned authority in the fields of
a BSA 500 single with a louder exhaust. He now owns
aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, and aircraft design. He
four cycles, two of which are quiet. “I no longer feel
attained world recognition starting in the 1970s with
guilty,” he said.
his novel designs for high-lift “Liebeck airfoils.” He has made substantial contributions to a variety of related fields, including propeller design, windmill analysis,
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At the 50th reunion of Wheaton High School’s class of
AERO-ASTRO 2006-2007
Bob Sales, a former executive editor of the Boston Herald and editor of the Boston Phoenix, teaches journalism at Boston University and Northeastern University. He may be reached at bobsales@att.net.