The Avro Family

Charles Grinyer - Gas Turbine Divistion of A.V. Roe Canada, worked on the PS-13 (Iroquois) engine

GRINYER, Charles Albert - Engineer Who Led Arrow Engine Team Dies At 98. Charles Albert Grinyer who led the design team on the Iroquois Engine, designed for the Avro Arrow Supersonic Interceptor, was born on March 8, 1903 in Sydenham, Kent, England. Before coming to Canada he worked for the Bristol Aircraft Co. and was largely responsible for the development of the Thesus Turbo Prop and other engines. He came to Canada in April 1952 and joined A.V. Roe Canada Ltd., Orenda Engines Division. He was in charge of the development of the Orenda series of engines which powered the Avro CF-100 the Canadair F 86 Sabre fighters and later the Iroquois engine which was planned to power the Arrow.The Iroquois engine represented a quantum leap not only in the design and materials selected for the construction but also in the power/weight ratio and in the thrust produced. After subsequent tests the engine achieved results considered to be the highest dry thrust achieved by Turbo jets in North America. Unfortunately the Canadian Government cancelled the Arrow and the Iroquois on February 20, 1959. After resigning from Orenda Engines he joined Atomic Energy of Canada and in 1962 he was made an executive director. During this time he led technical exchange missions to Great Britain, Russia and Italy.Charles Grinyer died in his sleep, in his 99th year, at Shelburne Hospital on March 10, 2001. -Source: The Toronto Star