George Dowty

Sir George Herbert Dowty (27 March 1901 – 7 December 1975) was an English inventor and businessman.

He founded Dowty Aviation in the 1930s producing aircraft components such as hydraulic systems, undercarriage units, and warning devices.

Early life Dowty was born in Pershore, Worcestershire in 1901. He was sent to the Royal Grammar School Worcester after losing his right eye at the age of 12 making a firework.

Aircraft equipment In 1931 he set up his own company in Cheltenham making aircraft equipment: for this purpose he leased a factory and bought Arle Court in Cheltenham.

Dowty retarder

He also invented the "Dowty retarder" for use in railway classification yards, a hydraulic device that regulates the speed of rail cars as they roll down an inclined track. The devices are built for a specified speed, set at the factory. If the rail car is below the set speed, the device offers no resistance. (Certain hydraulically-powered Dowty retarders can actually boost the rail car's speed in that circumstance. ) If the car speed is at or greater than the speed setting, an internal valve is activated to provide a resistance to the wheel, thus slowing the car. This keeps cars rolling within a relatively narrow range of speeds.

Honours In 1956 he was knighted for his services to the industry. and President of the Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

He died in 1975 in the Isle of Man an element of it still remains as Messier-Dowty, a subsidiary of the Safran Group and Dowty Propellers, a subsidiary of GE Aviation.

Family His first wife was Edith Dowty. In 1948 he married Marguerite Anne Gowans.