Biographical Sketches

LOUIS WILLIAM GREVE

Born: November 2, 1882    In: Cleveland, OH
Died: February 2, 1942    

In 1900 Louis William Greve, prolific inventor, aviation pioneer, industrialist, and civic leader, began as an office boy in his father’s company, Cleveland Pneumatic Tool, and learned the pneumatic device field from bottom to top, succeeding his father as president.

He submitted the first of his 46 patents in 1903. His first patent was awarded in 1904 for an impact tool design now widely known as the jack hammer. Other personal patents included shock absorbers for early automobiles (air springs) and for aircraft, one of which was manufactured as the Aerol Strut, the first oleo-pneumatic shock absorbing strut for aircraft. In 1927, Greve sat on a plank attached to the bracing struts of a taxiing plane to take motion pictures of the action of the first experimental set of Aerol Struts, which made take-offs and landings by military airplanes smoother and safer on the limited, unsteady deck space of carrier and became standardized for all sectors of aviation.

In 1929, Greve was named president of the National Air Races and vice president of the Cleveland National Air Race & Show Corporation, two non-profit organizations set up to conduct the business details of the field events and exposition. He had played a major role in securing the two consecutive five-year contracts for the races through the National Aeronautics Association, and would hold the title of president of both Cleveland National Air Race organizations from 1930 through 1939. Other aviation titles included president of the Cleveland Chapter of the National Aeronautics Association and chairman and president of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce Committee on Aviation.

A firm believer that increased participation by women in aeronautics was vital to aviation’s progress and public acceptance, he established the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool’s Aerol Trophy Race for women pilots in 1929, from Santa Monica to Cleveland. In 1930 the derby began at Long Beach and ended at Chicago. Today it is popularly known as the Women’s Air Derby, and the victor is still awarded the Aerol Trophy. At the 1931 races it was established as a perpetual classic free-for-all closed-course race for women.

In 1934, he also sponsored the $25,000 Louis W Greve Trophy Race, a high-speed closed-course event open to both men and women. In it planes were required to have a 550 cubic-inch or less engine displacement, a restriction implemented to encourage greater speed and efficiency in the lower-power airplane groups.

On Greve’s death, Maj. John Berry, with whom he worked closely in conducting the NARs said, "He was one of the most vital factors in the development of aviation. Cleveland and aviation owe a great deal to Mr Lou Greve." (Betsy Kidd)

Denotes an individual known to have soloed an aircraft prior to December 16, 1917, whether they were members of the "Early Birds of Aviation" Organization or not.