gyroplanes
05-24-2006, 07:08 AM
Curtis Steele came into my life at a PRA convention many years ago.
Curt climbed up on the back of his VW pickup truck (yes, he was that different) and started to preach about how the PRA could be better, and how the members ought to get involved and start to improve the PRA.
Curt caused a lot of controversy and was a real pot stirrer, but he was also a machinist and builder of gyros and parts.
If I remember correctly, Curt was one of the first to offer an alternative to Bensen blades, The Steele blades. Owners were always asked "what kind of blades are those?", of course the reply was "Steele", and the response was always "They look like aluminum to me". I believe they went through Dick Johnson, Frank Haller, Doug Hillman and Neal Carnes to become Rotorhawks.
Correct me if I'm wrong , Chuck?, Doug?
Link to picture, obituary and guestbook: http://www.legacy.com/hamilton/Obituaries.asp?Page=Notice&PersonID=17807487
From the obituary:
STEELE, Curtis ''Curt'' Conrad Age 67, of Somerville, passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton of a fatal hemorrhagic stroke. He was born in Laurel County, Kentucky on November 13, 1938 to the late Craig Estil and Sarah Tamar (Clark) Steele. On June 30, 1958, Curt married his wife of over 48 years, Evette Roberts. Curt had an exciting and full life. He built and flew gyrocopters, he was extremely creative and holds two patents, and he studied astronomy with his telescope he built himself. He was a machinist at Aeronca and was a truck driver for Maxwell Co. earlier in his life. He retired from his own business, Supreme Technologies, and bought a tree farm to play on. Curtis loved his life, his children, his grandsons, and his wife. Curt leaves behind his loving wife of 48 years, Evette; son, Blake Steele and his wife Laura of Trenton; daughter, Paula Steele and her husband Dwight of Hamilton; four grandsons, Dwight Curtis Steele and his wife Claudia, Daniel Conrad Steele, Derek Craig Steele, and Bryan Steele; four sisters, Joyce Black of Florida, Joan Armstrong of Trenton, June Hutsler of Indiana, and Judy Freeman and her husband Gary of Missouri; and numerous family and friends. Curt was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Joe, Kenneth, Betty and Janet. At Curt's request, there will be no services, but he wanted everyone to remember him in their hearts. Curt knew and loved his Heavenly Father and he always said, "Let His will be done and not mine." But Curt's most favorite belief and saying was, "Everything is going to be O.K."
Curt climbed up on the back of his VW pickup truck (yes, he was that different) and started to preach about how the PRA could be better, and how the members ought to get involved and start to improve the PRA.
Curt caused a lot of controversy and was a real pot stirrer, but he was also a machinist and builder of gyros and parts.
If I remember correctly, Curt was one of the first to offer an alternative to Bensen blades, The Steele blades. Owners were always asked "what kind of blades are those?", of course the reply was "Steele", and the response was always "They look like aluminum to me". I believe they went through Dick Johnson, Frank Haller, Doug Hillman and Neal Carnes to become Rotorhawks.
Correct me if I'm wrong , Chuck?, Doug?
Link to picture, obituary and guestbook: http://www.legacy.com/hamilton/Obituaries.asp?Page=Notice&PersonID=17807487
From the obituary:
STEELE, Curtis ''Curt'' Conrad Age 67, of Somerville, passed away on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton of a fatal hemorrhagic stroke. He was born in Laurel County, Kentucky on November 13, 1938 to the late Craig Estil and Sarah Tamar (Clark) Steele. On June 30, 1958, Curt married his wife of over 48 years, Evette Roberts. Curt had an exciting and full life. He built and flew gyrocopters, he was extremely creative and holds two patents, and he studied astronomy with his telescope he built himself. He was a machinist at Aeronca and was a truck driver for Maxwell Co. earlier in his life. He retired from his own business, Supreme Technologies, and bought a tree farm to play on. Curtis loved his life, his children, his grandsons, and his wife. Curt leaves behind his loving wife of 48 years, Evette; son, Blake Steele and his wife Laura of Trenton; daughter, Paula Steele and her husband Dwight of Hamilton; four grandsons, Dwight Curtis Steele and his wife Claudia, Daniel Conrad Steele, Derek Craig Steele, and Bryan Steele; four sisters, Joyce Black of Florida, Joan Armstrong of Trenton, June Hutsler of Indiana, and Judy Freeman and her husband Gary of Missouri; and numerous family and friends. Curt was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Joe, Kenneth, Betty and Janet. At Curt's request, there will be no services, but he wanted everyone to remember him in their hearts. Curt knew and loved his Heavenly Father and he always said, "Let His will be done and not mine." But Curt's most favorite belief and saying was, "Everything is going to be O.K."