J&J Technologies CVS/ATB Occupant Simulation model

John was a brilliant man and a treasured friend. My father Raymond R. McHenry had the pleasure of working with John and his sister Camille while at Calspan in the 60’s and 70’s. Over the years my father has told me many stories of the pleasure he had of working with both of them and their shared brilliance. One of John’s many scientific legacies is the CVS (Crash Victim Simulator), also known as the ATB (Articulated Total Body) computer program. This computer model, which was originally developed on mainframe computers and later on PCs by John, has been used in research and development and has provided insight which has led to the reduction of injuries in automobile collisions and saved many lives. I have had the pleasure of working with John on consulting projects these past 20 years and have had the pleasure of meeting and dining with John and Lois over the years. The world has lost an incredible mind with the passing of John Fleck. Scientific progress is built upon the shoulders of giants, and John was unquestionably a giant among men.

The following is the Obituary by his daughter Carol:

John Then Fleck – Husband, Father, Grandfather and Friend

John T. Fleck, age 81, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 in his home in Orchard Park, NY. John was born November 10, 1924 in Lackawanna, NY.

He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Lois J. (Schlehr). John was the caring father of their six children, Louise (Francis) D’Addario of Seattle, WA, John (Deborah) of Colden, NY, Sharon (Walter) Rudnicki of Orchard Park, NY, Robert (Norma) of Spencerport, NY, Richard of Orchard Park, NY, and Carol (John) Baccoli of Hamburg, NY. Together, he and Lois have 7 grandchildren and a great grandchild expected in March 2007. He is also survived by his sister, Camille Fiore Bainbridge of San Carlos, CA. His dear brother, David, passed away three months ago.

The son of the late Sylvester and Clara (Then) Fleck, John spent much of his youth growing up on Indian Church Road. John served as a Seaman First Class in the United States Navy from 1942-1946. He received a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Yale University in 1949 after which he began his career in the Physics Department of Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory (Calspan). He served as the Department Head and managed the operation and programming of the IBM 704/7044/360/165. In 1968 he assumed co-leadership of the Computer Mathematics Department. Shortly thereafter he was appointed Senior Staff Scientist, one of the highest technical posts at CAL. Most notable in his career has been the development of the algorithms used in the CVS (Crash Victim Simulator) program. In 1978 he co-founded J&J Technologies, Inc. in Orchard Park, NY and continued to do work directly related to the CVS/ATB/CAL3D Model. As a result of his many significant contributions, many of which are used by the Department of Transportation as well as the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association, Dr. Fleck was presented with the First Fellow of the Articulated Total Body (ATB) Users Group Award in 1998.

He was also a member of Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. He was a life member of the Albright Knox Art Gallery and the American Legion.

John enjoyed swimming and tennis in his youth. Over the years he enjoyed golfing with his family as well as with the Hamburg Men’s Golf Association. His interests included crossword and jigsaw puzzles, cryptoquips, sudoku, playing cards, car rides and travel.

Please also see the following from the Buffalo News:

http://www.legacy.com/BuffaloNews/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=19617981

ATB Computer Program