The Raspet flight lab receives a contract from Brico Limited to perform research on a desert utility observation aircraft. The lab made significant modifications to its Marvel aircraft and tested it the following year in Saudi Arabia.
The Marvel, the world’s first all composite aircraft equipped with a turboprop, flies its first flight. It was designed, developed and built at Raspet.
The Raspet Flight Research Laboratory opens at the Starkville airport.
Raspet flight lab hires a researcher to head its Ag Aviation Project. Dr. Michael Smith’s efforts increases pilot safety and improves dispersal rates.
The Experimental Aircraft Association begins annual presentations of its Dr. August Raspet Memorial Award to a person making “outstanding contribution to the advancement of light aircraft design.”
Mississippi’s state legislature funds an aerophysics research institute, the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, in memory of Dr. August “Gus” Raspet soon after he died following a plane crash.
Mississippi State acquires a second AG-14 aircraft and begins replacing everything but the cockpit module, engine and landing gear. Known as the Marvellette, the newly designed airplane was an interim step toward refinement of the Marvel design, a short take-off and landing aircraft.
Mississippi State researchers purchase an AG-14 pusher aircraft and begin redesigning and transforming it into a short take-off and landing aircraft under the MARVEL (Mississippi Aerophysics Research Vehicle with Extended Latitude) program.
Dr. Raspet makes a boundary layer suction discovery, providing the department national recognition for engineering research and sparking interest in its potential applications to short take-off and landing aircraft.
Dick Johnson, with assistance from Dr. Raspet, wins the national soaring championship and sets a new soaring distance record of 545 miles.