Popular autopilot inventor turns 90
You've flown with Jim Younkin’s inventions
You may not know Jim Younkin’s name—but you know his inventions.
He invented the first practical autopilot for general aviation, the first horizontal situation indicator, and the innovative Century III autopilot. He’s also a founder of TruTrak—a company that began designing experimental-category avionics that’s now producing a growing range of FAA-certified, low-cost, digital autopilots.
Younkin celebrated his ninetieth birthday in April at his home in Springdale, Arkansas.
Younkin joined the U.S. Navy near the end of World War II and hoped to fly in the military, but the war ended before he finished flight training and he returned to civilian life. He got a degree in electrical engineering, learned to fly in a Piper J–3 Cub, and constantly found new ways to bring technology into the cockpits of general aviation aircraft.
He went to work for Edo-Aire Mitchell in the 1960s where he developed the Century III autopilot, a wildly successful product that was installed on airplanes ranging from piston singles to corporate jets.
“It was the best-selling autopilot of its time,” Younkin said. “And it helped create a new company—Century Flight Systems.”
Younkin joined the new firm as a partner and helped guide development of new products at its headquarter in Mineral Wells, Texas. He later became intrigued with the idea of replacing failure-prone aircraft vacuum systems used to power mechanical gyros with far more reliable, lightweight microprocessors—but FAA certification standards at the time didn’t allow such radical steps.
“I founded TruTrak because FAA certification rules at the time were so antiquated there was simply no way to make the kinds of improvements that technology had made possible,” he said. “I had to go another route.”
In addition to his pioneering work in avionics, Younkin is a craftsman and aircraft restorer who built and flew several Golden Age racers including replicas of Mr. Mulligan a record-setting Howard and a Travel Air Mystery Ship. The “Mullicoupe” is an airplane of his own design meant to combine the best attributes of Mr. Mulligan and a Monocoupe.
In addition to building and improving aircraft of his own, Younkin is well known in the aviation community for assisting others.
Younkin and his family have suffered more than their share of aviation tragedies. His son Bobby Younkin was one of the most renowned airshow pilots of his generation and performed jaw-dropping aerobatic routines in a Pitts and North American T–6 as well as decidedly non-aerobatic airplanes such as the Learjet 23 and Beech 18 (which Younkin’s grandson Matt Younkin continues). Younkin’s granddaughter, Amanda Franklin, performed as a wing-walker. Bobby Younkin died in an airshow accident in 2005, and Amanda perished in 2011 after being injured during a performance.
Younkin has been inducted into the EAA, Antique Aircraft Association, and Arkansas Aviation halls of fame. He said he’s confident that the aviation industry will continue to produce smaller, lighter, low-cost avionics products that improve safety.
“We’ve done some good work over the years,” he said. “But a lot more is possible.”
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