Lee Ulrich Eyerly (February 22, 1892 – March 23, 1963) was an American civil aviation pioneer and amusement ride manufacturer. Eyerly helped found Salem Oregon's McNary Field, built the Flying E Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona and invented several amusement park rides including the Loop-O-Plane, the Roll-O-Plane the Fly-O-Plane the Rock-O-Plane, and the Octopus.

Early life

Eyerly was born February 22, 1892 in Canton. In 1909, his family moved to the Judith Basin area of Montana to take advantage of the Homestead Act and Eyerly worked as a cowboy. The airport would eventually evolve into Salem's municipal McNary Field. the Roll-O-Plane, the Fly-O-Plane and the Rock-O-Plane (1948). His most popular design was the Octopus, of which almost 400 were sold, and resulted in later variations: the Spider and the Monster. Two of his kiddie carousel rides were the Midge-O-Racer and Bulgy the Whale.

Personal life

Eyerly married Meta H. Wieglenda (1893-1989) on June 22, 1913 in Hobson, Montana. The couple raised two sons and two daughters.

Eyerly twice crashed in an airplane. In 1929, he crashed nose down into the ground while performing in a stunt contest during an air derby in Eugene, Oregon. The second time he was forced to ditch his plane in the San Francisco Bay when the engine quit on a foggy night. He and his three passengers were picked up by a ferry boat.

References

  • Lee Eyerly biography from Lagoon History Project