Bill and Maurine Durand: The Durand’s have three boys in Omaha area. Bill is a semi-retired as a structural engineer. Bill and Maurine have been most active in chapter activities since 1965. Bill served three years as the chapter president after the chapter was reorganized. He has also provided the chapter with facilities for our annual fly-in and printing our newsletter since 1965. Maurine serves as the official hostess and is responsible for editing, typing and printing of our chapter newsletter over the years.
Bill at the age of 17 started a model airplane business which helped him through an aeronautical engineering degree at Colo. Univ. Bill has designed five aircraft and is currently building his fifth. The first was a single seat glider in 1934. The second was a two set, cabin, high wing, with a 45 hp engine in 1938. His third was a class project at the Univ. of Omaha, a shoulder wing, single seat, 40 hp in 1942. His fourth was a two seat, 65 hp, low wing pusher, called the “XD-65” built in 1948.
Bill dropped out of aviation from 1948-65, while he taught at Omaha Univ. from 1948-59 and worked in his structural engineering business since 1958.
When the chapter was re-organized in 1965, Bill became re-associated with aviation and started his fifth design, the “Durand Mark V”, as two seat, all metal, 150 hp, negative stagger biplane, which is now under construction.
Bill was recognized for his work in EAA with and award from EAA International for “Outstanding Service to EAA.”
