LOS ANGELES -- Paul Kollsman, whose invention of the altimeter in the 1920s helped revolutionize aviation, has died following a brief illness. He was 82.
Kollsman, a native of Germany, held hundreds of patents, but the altimeter was considered his outstanding contribution to aviation science. The device converts barometric pressure to feet, allowing pilots to fly blind.
He made a test flight with his altimeter with Jimmy Doolittle, who went on to become a World War II hero, at Mitchel Field on Long Island on Sept. 24, 1929. The two re-enacted their flight in 1979 near Boonton, N.J.
Kollsman came to the United States in 1923 hoping to sell a new type of automobile engine after German manufacturers had rejected it. He eventually formed Kollsman Instrument Co. to market his altimeters.
Kollsman, who is survived by his wife, Eva, died Sunday in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
His family said his remains will be cremated and there will be no funeral.
