Bill Lear

William (Bill) Powell Lear (June 26, 1902 - May 14, 1978) was an American electrical engineer and businessman. Lear is best known for founding Lear Jet, Inc the makers of Lear Jets, a popular range of business jets. He also developed the 8-track cartridge, an audio tape system popular in the 1960s and 1970s.

One of Lear's most innovative projects was his last -- a revolutionary airplane called the LearFan. The turborpop was made of lightweight composite materials instead of the standard aluminum. It also featured an innovative "pusher" design, in which two aircraft engines powered a single spinning propeller blade that faced the rear of the aircraft.

Many years in development, it was not completed before Lear died. He begged his wife, Moya Lear, to finish it, and with the help of investors, she attempted to do so. But the plane never made it into production. The FAA was not concerned about its use of innovative materials; rather it failed to obtain certification because of concerns that even with two engines, the gear mechanism that powered the single propeller blade might fail. If it did, the plane would crash.