Frederick S. Billig

Frederick Stucky Billig (February 28, 1933 – June 1, 2006) was an American aerospace engineer who was a pioneer in the development of scramjet propulsion.

Billig's primary research was in the area of high-speed, air-breathing propulsion for advanced flight vehicles including pioneering work in external burning and supersonic combustion. He was responsible for highspeed propulsion programs sponsored by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force and NASA.

Education Billig received his undergraduate education at Johns Hopkins University, graduating in 1955 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in mechanical engineering. Billig and Dugger made and ground-tested a proposed engine and later modifications.

There were six identifiable technologies which were considered critical to the success of the NASP project. Three of these "enabling" technologies were related to the propulsion system, which would consist of a hydrogen-fueled scramjet.

Pyrodyne was awarded a contract by Aerojet for engine design work on the Falcon project. Falcon was a $124 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project led by Lockheed Martin. Sacramento, Calif.-based Aerojet was awarded a $15 million subcontract to the project and passed along much of the engine research work to Pyrodyne. Pyrodyne designed the flow line of the engines, the geometrical shape of the engine's air inlet, combustors, fuel nozzles and injectors. Pyrodyne also built a model of the engine for testing. The HyTech scramjet will power the X-51 hypersonic test vehicle.

In 2006, Billig's business partner, Lance Jacobsen, formed a new company, GoHypersonic, in Dayton, Ohio, to continue the hypersonic research conducted by Pyrodyne. GoHypersonic inherited Billig's technical library.

Death Billig died on June 1, 2006. He was preceded in death by Peggy Billig, his wife of 50 years. He was survived by his four children: Linda Baumler and husband Robert, Donna Bartley and husband Dave, Fred Billig and wife Trish, and Jimmy Billig and wife Stephanie.

Innovation Hall of Fame

Billig was inducted into the Innovation Hall of Fame in May 1997, for "pioneering work and outstanding contributions in the area of supersonic and hypersonic combustion."