Grover Loening

Grover Cleveland Loening (September 12, 1888 – February 29, 1976) was a American aircraft manufacturer.

Loening was born in Bremen, Germany, while his American-born father was stationed there as U.S. Consul. He graduated from Columbia University in New York City, where he was awarded the first-ever degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Following graduation, he joined the Queen Aeroplane Company in New York, managed the Wright Brothers factory in Dayton, Ohio for Orville Wright, published a book, "Military Airplanes", and became Vice President of the Sturdevant Aeroplane Company. In 1917 he formed the Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation; after it merged with Keystone Aircraft in 1928, he formed the Grover Loening Aircraft Company, which he eventually closed in 1933. During World War II he was chief consultant to the War Production Board.

Asked how to say his name, he told "The Literary Digest": "The correct American pronunciation, used by me and universally in aviation, is one that ignores the "e" or the umlaut suggestion; viz., the "low" is pronounced as "low" to rhyme with "doe", and accenting the first syllable—"lo'ning"." (Charles Earle Funk, "What's the Name, Please?", Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.)