The International aerospace community is mourning the passing of flight simulation icon and aviation enthusiast Rudy Frasca. Frasca passed away on 11 May at the age of 89.

Born on April 19, 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, Frasca was one of six children of Anthony and Jenny Frasca. He and his wife Lucille married in 1955 and moved to Champaign, Illinois where Rudy started his business and where they raised their eight children together.

He founded Frasca International in 1958. The flight simulator manufacturer started his aviation career when he began taking flying lessons at the age of 14 and soloed shortly thereafter. In 1949, Rudy joined the Navy and was stationed at Glenview Naval Station, where he worked as a flight instructor teaching pilots on the early Link trainers.

After the Korean War, he left the Navy to attend the University of Illinois, where he did research in Aviation Psychology and honed his interest in the field of flight simulation. The more he worked with that early generation of pilot training devices, the more he realised that there had to be a better way. In 1958, putting together everything he had learned in the Navy and the University, Rudy built his first flight simulator at home in his garage and Frasca Aviation was founded. The name later changed to Frasca International to reflect the emerging character of the business.

Over the years, Rudy collected many unique and antique aircraft, including a P-40, a Spitfire, a Wildcat, an SNJ, a T-34, a Fiat and a Zero replica. He loved all airplanes but had a special place in his heart for his Piper Cub. His love of grassroots aviation and passion for flying fuelled the growth and success of his simulation company. In his flying days, Rudy was active in many aviation organisations, and has loaned several of his aircraft to the EAA museum so that the general public can enjoy them.

Rudy was a benefactor for many aviation organisations, and had a special place in his heart for collegiate aviation (NIFA, SAFECON and UAA). Numerous awards have been bestowed upon him for his personal efforts and the company's contributions to the simulation industry.