[Audio recording of excerpts from Institute of Aeronautical Sciences panel and Easter party with Lear associates]

Audio recording containing excerpts from an Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) panel on aircraft developments and an Easter party with Lear family and friends, circa 1950s.

Typed label on reel: "Panel discussion: WPL and Gus Raspit [sic]."

Inscription on back of box: "Date: June 6. Title: Lears [illegible]. [crossed out: 'Farewell party for Bill, [illegible] for Moya']. John and Dad - Gus [Moore?]."

This audio recording contains segments from two separate recording sessions: an Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) panel on aircraft developments, circa 1957, and an Easter party with Lear family and friends, circa 1950s. In the first segment (Side A), William P. Lear moderates a discussion between panelists G. Edward Rice, National Business Aviation Association representative; August “Gus” Raspet, Head of Aerophysics, Mississippi State College; Major General John Walker Sessums, U.S. Air Force; John T. Calhoun, Beech Aircraft Corporation design engineer; Ralph M. Harmon, Cessna Aircraft Company, chief engineer of business transport aircraft; and Winfield H. Arata, Fairchild Aircraft Division chief operations engineer. Discussion topics focus on the current developments and specifications of jet aircraft and trends in the business aircraft industry. Films for the Fairchild Aircraft Company and Aerojet General Corporation are also shown.

The second segment (Side B) contains a recording of an Easter party hosted by the Lear family for family, friends, and associates, circa 1950s. Numerous speakers are heard, including William Lear, Moya Lear, and Shanda Lear. Several sing-a-longs also take place. This section has not been transcribed, as much of the conversation is overlapping and only audible in short chunks when people are close to the microphone.