Richard W. Newell, co-founder and former president of O&N Aircraft Modifications on the Seamans Airport in Factoryville, Pennsylvania, died Jan. 17.
A native of Caldwell, Texas, Newell had a long career in the aircraft modification business, working for Riley Aircraft, and later RAM Aircraft, in Waco, Texas. In 1982 he relocated to Pennsylvania, where he was part of the Javelin P210 certification team at Air America. In 1986, he and Myron Olson formed O&N Aircraft Modifications.
While there, Newell developed more than 25 Supplemental Type Certificates for products such as auxiliary fuel tanks for Cessna aircraft, a Mooney bladder replacement system, and a Rolls-Royce turbine conversion of the Cessna pressurized 210.
He retired from the business in 2004, relocating to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.