Juan de la Cierva
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Juan de la Cierva was a Spanish aeronautical engineer and pilot. His most famous accomplishment was the invention of the autogyro in 1923. The autogyro is a highly maneuverable aircraft with an unpowered rotor. It was a predecessor to the modern helicopter. During the Spanish Civil War, he supported Francisco Franco's side. He died in a fixed-wing plane accident.
