John Netherwood, the founder of RotorWay International, died on November 26, 1998 in England.
John built his own Exec helicopter in the 1980s. Later, upon hearing of RotorWay Aircraft's financial distress, he bought the assets of the company from the banks in 1990, forming a new company called RotorWay International. Soon after, John and the new company introduced the Exec 90, a vastly improved version of the original Exec. In 1994, the fuel-injected Exec 162F was introduced, which earned even higher acclaim and greater success than the Exec 90.
Employees of RotorWay International were rewarded for a job well done when John told them, "First, the company is being sold. Second, you are buying it." An ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) was implemented, and ownership of the company was turned over to the employees.
RotorWay International owes much of its success to John's leadership and vision. He will be greatly missed by those who knew him.