Keith Sherwin (1937 –7 April 2025) was an English academic and author of publications promoting
human-powered aircraft
A human-powered aircraft (HPA) is an aircraft belonging to the class of vehicles known as human-powered transport.
As its name suggests, HPAs have the pilot not only steer, but power the aircraft (usually propeller-driven) by means of a system ...
and engineering textbooks.
Early life and education
Sherwin was educated at the
Anthony Gell School in
Derbyshire
Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...
between 1948 and 1953.
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Higher education
In 1958 he gained a Higher National Certificate
A Higher National Certificate (HNC), part of the Higher Nationals suite of qualifications, is a higher education/ further education qualification in the United Kingdom.
Overview
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the HNC is a BTEC qualifica ...
at Derby Technical College. In 1961 he received a Bachelor of Science from University College, Swansea
Swansea University () is a public university, public research university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom.
It was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it chang ...
. In 1968 he gained a Ph.D. from Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry
Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...
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Career
In 1968, he was appointed to the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a Public university, public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University (United Kingdom), Victoria University, it received Ro ...
.[ In 1969, he implemented a design project for mechanical engineering undergraduates in the second year of a three-year degree course, to design and build a 'sporting' human-powered aircraft.][ A donation of the remains of the HMPAC ''Puffin II'' allowed the group to incorporate elements of that craft into their own design, which was called the ''Liverpuffin''. The aircraft was completed by December 1971, but during taxiing trials on 17 December, a gust of wind flipped the craft, causing significant damage. Repairs took two months, with trials re-commencing in March 1972. The craft only flew once, with Sherwin as a pilot, covering on 18 March 1972.][
During the 1970s, Sherwin authored several articles and books on the topic of human-powered flight, with the ''Liverpuffin'' being incorporated into his writings. His first book - ''Man-powered flight'' - was published in 1971 and canvassed technical and engineering issues which HPAs had to contend with. New editions of it appeared in 1975 and in 2007. His second book - ''To fly like a bird'' - appeared in 1975 and was non-technical in nature, with it surveying recent HPA projects and analysing their success or otherwise.
In the 1980s, Sherwin took up a position with the Nanyang Technological Institute and while there implemented an undergraduate programme for human-powered aircraft, resulting in the building and flying of the ''Aslam'' human-powered aircraft.][
In 2007, Sherwin published his third HPA book - ''Pedal Powered Planes'' - with it incorporating details of significant HPAs which dated from the late 1970s on through to the 1990s.
]
Death
It was reported that Keith Sherwin died on Monday, 7 April 2025, at the age of 87–88.[https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1968neyxWA/]
Books
Human-powered aircraft
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Engineering textbooks
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Articles
Human-powered aircraft
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References
External links
Facebook post re the death of Keith Sherwin
1937 births
2025 deaths
20th-century English non-fiction writers
English aerospace engineers
Alumni of Coventry University
Alumni of Swansea University
Alumni of the University of Derby
Academics of the University of Liverpool
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