| Notes |
- Preston attended public schools in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from
Amherst College in 1913 and attended the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn
during the years 1914 and 1915. See the National Cyclopaedia of Biography for
a complete history of Preston Rogers Bassett.
Preston was childhood friends with Elmer Sperry and was chief engineer
of Sperry, and later President and Chairman.
The Washington Post, DC, 4 May 1992
Preston R. Bassett
Preston Rogers Bassett, 100, an inventor and retired president of the Sperry
Gyroscope co. who served on the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
from 1954 to 1958, died of cardiac arrest April 30 at his home in Ridgefield,
Conn. Mr. Bassett, who joined Sperry in 1914 as a research engineer, became
its president in 1945 and held that post until retiring in 1956. Over t
years, he developed blind-flying instruments and early airfield beacon and
floodlight systems. He also helped develop an early and successful
soundproofing system for commercial aircraft.
The New York Times, New York, 3 May 1992
Preston R. Bassett, Flight Expert, 100 Was Head of Sperry
Preston Rogers Bassett, a former president of Sperry Gyroscope and the chief
engineer in the development of the first automatic pilot and other flig
instruments, died on Thursday at his home in Ridgefield, Conn. He was 1
years old. He died of cardiac arrest, a son, Preston R. Bassett Jr. of
Wyckoff, N.J. said.
Mr. Bassett joined Sperry in 1914 as a research engineer and remained with the
company for 42 years, serving as president from 1945 until his retirement in
1956.
During World War I, Mr. Bassett, an inventor and engineer, developed the high-
intensity anti-aircraft searchlight, which became an important wartime
instrument. He also directed the development of the Sperry Gyropilot flight
director for automatic flying, as well as blind-flying instruments, the gyro-
horizon and the directional gyro, which became standard equipment on transport
and military planes. Interested in the entire field of air transportation, Mr.
Bassett helped the Air Mail Service establish the first night airfield with
beacons and floodlights. Also concerned for passenger comfort, he developed
the first successful system for soundproofing aircraft.
Mr. Bassett was appointed by President Eisenhower to the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics and served on this civilian panel from 1954 to 1958.
Mr. Bassett was born in Buffalo, graduated from Amherst College and did
postgraduate engineering studies at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, receiving
honorary doctorates from Amherst in 1953 and Adelphia in 1954. A charter
member of the Early American Industries Association, Mr. Bassett donated a
good part of his collection of early Americana to the Smithsonian Institution
and the Keeler Tavern Museum in Ridgefield, Conn.
Besides his son Preston Jr., he is survived by two other sons, Allen M. of
Paris and William A. of Ithaca, N.Y.; a daughter, Margaret B. Stern of New
York City; 12 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1892 - Deceased