Akerman John (1897, Latvia — 1972) — pilot, engineer, professor. Emigrated from Latvia to Russia, where he learned to fly. He then moved to France, served in the French Air Force, and from 1918 — in the USA. He received an engineering degree from the University of Michigan. He worked for the Ford company (until 1927) and at the Hamilton plant. In 1928, he began working for the Mohawk airline and redesigned the engineering of its aircraft. From 1930 to 1958 — dean of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Author of many books and articles on meteorology. He was a consultant for Boeing, and participated in the creation of the wing of the B-29 aircraft.
He participated in the creation of the Aeronautical Research Centre of the University of Minnesota, and headed it until 1962.