Michael J. Wendl
Michael J Wendl | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 6, 1934 |
| Died | May 22, 2025 (aged 90) |
| Alma mater | Washington University in St. Louis |
| Awards | Wright Brothers Medal (1974) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Missile guidance Guidance, navigation, and control |
| Institutions | McDonnell Douglas Boeing |
| Thesis | A Describing Function Study of a Single Stage Open-Center Hot Gas Servo Valve (1961) |
| Academic advisors | John Zaborszky |
Michael John Wendl (June 6, 1934 – May 22, 2025) was an American engineer who worked at the McDonnell-Douglas Corporation, mainly in the area of aerospace control. He is noted primarily as one of the early developers of terrain following technology and a proponent of incorporating energy management theory into the design of fighter aircraft. He won the Wright Brothers Medal in 1974 with Ralph Pruitt, Gordon G. Grose, and J. L. Porter for a paper discussing future aircraft designs that integrate fly-by-wire controls with engine inlets/nozzles and advanced pilot displays.