With deep regrets we have to announce that Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Richard Eppler, former director of the „Institute A for Mechanics“ (now: Institute for Nonlinear Mechanics) at the University of Stuttgart, died on the 25th of November 2021 at the age of 97.
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Richard Eppler was born in Ulm in 1924 and he studied Mathematics in Tuebingen and Stuttgart. He habilitated in Aerodynamics in Stuttgart as well as in Theoretical Fluid Mechanics in Munich. Aviation was Prof. Eppler’s passion and he provided meaningful contributions to the German gliding and motor flight construction sector. In particular, he is famous for the design of several airfoil profiles, such as „Eppler 66“. During his employment at Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH in Munich he designed the worldwide first fibre composite airplane „fs 24 Phönix“ as well as its successor model „Phoebus“ with Hermann Nägele and Rudi Lindner.
Prof. Eppler has left a lasting scientific legacy. He will be missed and he will remain unforgotten.
Director INM Prof. Dr. Remco Leine