Roy V. Harris, Jr.
Roy V. Harris Jr. (1935- ) is an internationally recognized authority in the field of supersonic aerodynamics. In his roles as a researcher and manager, he contributed pioneering computer-based tools for rapid analysis of advanced configurations, participated in many high priority U.S. civil and military programs, and has been a vital figure in support of NASA’s aeronautics programs.
A native of Augusta, Georgia, Harris graduated from the Academy of Richmond County High School. He had an intense interest in aircraft, and learned to fly airplanes while still in high school. While in college, he taught aerobatics in an old biplane during the summer months, and also flew crop dusting jobs for applications to cotton and peach trees. He earned a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1958, was married a week later, and joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics two weeks after his marriage.
Harris began his 40-year career as an aerospace technologist at the NACA Langley Aeronautical Laboratory. In his early career, he conducted research in supersonic aerodynamics, and in 1964, he published the first computer code for calculating the supersonic wave drag of complete aircraft configurations. This code enabled, for the first time, accurate analysis and design of supersonic aircraft and is still in use today. He also produced the first computer-generated drawings of complex three-dimensional aircraft. He is co-holder of a patent on the Langley-designed SCAT-15F supersonic transport configuration. In 1973, Harris became head of Langley’s Advanced Configurations Branch and initiated a cooperative program with General Dynamics (now Lockheed-Martin) to leverage the demonstrated expertise of his organization on wing design methods for efficient supersonic performance. General Dynamics sent a team to work with his staff’s methods to create an advanced version of the F-16 fighter type known as the F-16XL, which had significantly increased supersonic persistence and range compared to the standard fighter version. He also worked with the Navy on developing a scramjet propulsion system for missiles. In 1974, Harris became Chief of the High-Speed Aerodynamics Division where he led research on advances in turbulent flow drag reduction and supersonic cruise aerodynamics. In 1985, he became Director for Aeronautics overseeing all of Langley’s aeronautical research activities, including NASA’s Advanced Aircraft Program, Advanced Subsonic Transport Technology Program, High-Speed Research Program, and the National Aero-Space Plane Program. In managing these activities, he was responsible for a $70 million research program involving about 800 people.
Harris concluded his time at Langley as Assistant Director for Research and Engineering, Office of the Director, and was also appointed by NASA Headquarters as Group Director for Wind Tunnels and Aerothermodynamics Facilities, with management responsibilities for all of NASA’s major wind tunnels. He retired in 1998 to become a consultant to industry and government. He published over forty technical reports.
Throughout Harris’ career he was called upon to serve on numerous national teams including the U.S. Air Force F-111 Evaluation Team, the Federal Aviation Administration National Supersonic Transport Evaluation Team, and the NASA Langley Fighter Attack Experimental (LFAX) Study Team. He was co-chairman of the Subpanel on Highly Maneuvering Fighter Aircraft Technology for the 1972 Joint Department of Defense/NASA Aeronautical Research & Development Study. He also provided development support for the F-16 and F-18 fighter aircraft and, during the Cold War, provided technical support to the U.S. intelligence community by managing wind-tunnel evaluations of the performance capabilities of new Soviet aircraft. In 1976, he was a member of the team that received a NASA Group Achievement Award for contributions in support of the U.S. Air Force Lightweight Fighter program, resulting in the F-16 and YF- 17 fighter aircraft. He initiated the NASA Advanced Aircraft research program that made major contributions to a new generation of military aircraft, and was chairman of the U.S. Navy Blue Ribbon Panel that identified a solution to an unacceptable transonic “wing drop” problem encountered during pre-production flights of the F/A-18 E/F.
After retiring, Harris worked as an aerospace consultant and has devoted much of his time to the volunteer position of Chief Technical Advisor to the NASA Aeronautics Support Team (NAST). NAST was formed in 1999 to improve national awareness of NASA’s aeronautics research program.
Harris has served the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) in a multitude of roles over the course of his 58-year membership. From 1971 to 1973, he was a member of the Aircraft Design Technical Committee, chairing the committee from 1974 to 1975. From 1976 to 1978, he served as a Technical Specialty Group Coordinator for Aircraft Systems, and then as a member of the Technical Activities Committee itself from 1976 to 1979. He served as General Chair of the International Atlantic Aeronautical Conference in 1979, and as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Astronautics and Aeronautics magazine from 1979 to 1981. In 1980, he became a technical director, a post he held until 1983 when he became a member of the Institute Development Committee. He was AIAA’s representative to the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences from 1984 to 1998; and served as Vice President of Technical Activities from 1985 to 1988. From 1990 to 1993, Harris served as a member of the AIAA Board of Directors as a Director–At-Large. In 1995, he served on the International Activities Committee and from 1994 to 1996, on the Honors and Awards Committee. In recognition of his career of service to the AIAA, in 2015 he was presented the AIAA Distinguished Service Award for “lifetime contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, the aerospace profession, and AIAA.”
Harris’ awards include: AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award (1968), NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership (1982), Virginia Peninsula Engineer of the Year Award (1983), the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive (1985), and the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive (1991). He is a Fellow of the AIAA, and received the AIAA Wright Brothers Lectureship in Aeronautics (1989). He has been inducted into the Georgia Tech Academy of Distinguished Alumni, received the AIAA Reed Aeronautics Award (1998), the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1998), and the ICAS Maurice Roy Medal “for outstanding contributions to international collaboration.”
Roy Harris and his wife, Mary Sue, live in Williamsburg, Virginia and have two daughters.