Durrell Unger “Dee” Howard, 88, a determined and talented pioneer in the post-World War II development of business aviation, died February 12 at San Antonio.
An Air Force mechanic during World War II, Howard became an airline mechanic after the war, then started his own company, Howard Aero, in San Antonio in 1947. At first, Howard Aero maintained Lockheed B-34/PV-1 Venturas but, as it learned more about the war surplus bombers, began converting them to fast, comfortable executive transports. Howard later was among the developers of thrust reversers for the early Learjets.
