Harry Robertson, 87, passed away on October 9, 2021. He was well-known nationally as a pioneer of aviation fuel system safety, with his name in the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Robertson came from a long line of entrepreneurs, engineers and aviators. He was a descendant of William and Frank Robertson, who ran Robertson Aviation Corporation, a post-World War I aviation service that employed Charles Lindbergh as its chief pilot for contract air mail service. The company also had passenger air service, gave flying lessons and performed exhibition flights, and resold surplus military aircraft. Beginning from his experiences in his youth and interest in aviation, Robertson translated his curiosity with aircraft into a career as a pilot for the U.S. Air Force, Arizona Army Guard and Air National Guard. However, he will forever be remembered as the "Father of Crashworthy Fuel Systems."



Robertson spent nearly 65 years in a career devoted to aviation safety, specifically the engineering and design of the country's first crashworthy fuel system, the "Robbie Tank," a self-sealing fuel system that would eventually lead to saving over 8,000 lives in just the first 20 years of its existence by nearly eliminating post-crash fires in military helicopters. Robertson's work has reduced the military helicopter death rate by fire from 42 percent in 1970 to less than 1 percent today. The inventor, engineer and aviator holds numerous patents on items he invented for aviation safety.



Robertson founded Robertson Fuel Systems in Tempe, Arizona, which continues to improve on the original "Robbie Tank" of the 1970s with the addition of a magneto-activated resistive fuel quantity transmitter that protects the tank from damage in an accident. Many EMS providers, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department and Oklahoma City Police Department, have incorporated the new crash-resistant fuel tanks into their helicopters. "There's no reason for someone to survive a crash - and then die in a fire," was a quote that Robertson repeated to any who would listen. Robertson also wrote The U.S. Army's Crash Survival Design guide, and taught aviation safety and engineering as a professor at ASU, where he co-founded the Crash Survival Investigators School. Robertson later worked with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students in Prescott.



He founded the Robertson Safety Institute (RSI), a center for research and development in safety education. RSI continues today by giving industry leaders the ability to stay on the cutting edge of research and practice in aviation and industry safety. Three buildings on the Prescott campus are named after him - the David L. and S. Harry Robertson Flight Simulation Center and the Robertson Aviation Safety Center I and II. The safety center complex includes an aircraft accident investigation laboratory with recreated accident scenarios and equipment for disassembling, inspecting, and evaluating aircraft components. The Robertson Aircraft Crash Investigation Laboratory, located at ERAU's Prescott Campus, offers students the opportunity to conduct simulated hands-on field investigations of selected actual aircraft accident scenarios. Robertson gave gifts to support scholarships, athletics and research at Embry-Riddle. His generosity helped the university to build the STEM Education Center in Prescott, the Henderson Welcome Center and expand the library, archives and ROTC facilities, according to the university.



Robertson is survived by his wife Linda and her two sons, his daughter, his two brothers and a niece. A memorial service for Robertson will be held Nov. 27 at 10 a.m. at Messenger Indian School Mortuary. (Source: ASU Foundation)