Father of IAE Passes Away
Robert ‘Bob’ E. Rosati, the founder of International Aero Engines (IAE), passed away peacefully on October 24 at the age of 88.Rosati was the visionary behind the successful IAE consortium, bringing together Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, MTU Aero Engines, Japanese Aero Engine Consortium and Fiat. He founded the company and served as president in 1983 until 1986. He later served a second term as president from 1993 through 1995.
His leadership led to the launch of the V2500 program. To date, the V2500 is available across three platforms: the Boeing MD-90, the Airbus A320 family and the Embraer KC-390. The V2500 holds 50 percent of the Airbus A320 family market share. The V2500 program has successfully delivered 5,000 engines and has accumulated over 100 million flying hours. In IAE’s initial years, Rosati stated, “Someone predicted that the IAE consortium would become a case study at the Harvard Business School. I predict it will be a case study in success.”
IAE President Jon Beatty said, “Bob’s vision and inspiration defined IAE from the beginning and continues to be felt today. To us Bob Rosati is known as IAE’s father – in the aviation industry he is known as a legendary figure for what he accomplished.”
Rosati’s career began in the military when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was deployed in both World War II and the Korean War. During his military efforts he flew exclusively on Pratt & Whitney (P&W) powered aircraft and was determined to begin his civilian career with the company. He joined P&W as a test engineer trainee in 1953. Starting with the J57, he worked on nearly the entirety of P&W’s engine programs as he took on increasingly difficult roles of responsibility until his retirement in 2004.
Today, Rosati is viewed as an industry icon for his significant contributions to the modern jet engine industry. He served as a member to many associations, was awarded Legends in Aerospace and Aviation by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and was honorably elected to the U.S. Navy Enlisted Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor in Charleston, SC in 2003.
IAE is a multinational aero engine consortium whose shareholders are comprised of Pratt & Whitney (NYSE: UTX), Pratt & Whitney Aero International Engines GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines and MTU Aero Engines. To date, more than 5,000 engines have been delivered and nearly 2,000 more engines are on order with close to 200 customers around the world.
Source and Picture: International Aero Engines
