May 23, 1983

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Aerospace Calendar

May 27-June 5—35th Paris air show, Le Bourget, France. May 31-June 3—IEEE Microwave and Millimeter Wave Monolithic Circuits Symposium (May 31-June 1) and IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (June 1-3), Sheraton Boston Hotel, Boston, Mass. Contact: Harlan Howe, Jr., (617) 272-3700.

Editorial

More on Incentives

The issue of aerospace wage and salary levels, particularly for engineers and scientists, continues to bubble and boil. A typical reaction is represented in the letter that follows: Your Apr. 4 issue offered two dichotomous views of the national concern for professional compensation.

By William H. Gregory

Who’s Where

General Dynamics Corp. has appointed the following as staff vice presidents at corporate headquarters, St. Louis, Mo.: Fred J. Bettinger—public affairs; John G. Lemon—internal audit; William M. McCurdy—pricing and contracts analysis; Douglas C. McPherson— corporate taxes and insurance; Charles D. Walbrandt—employee benefit trust-investments.

Industry Observer

Dassault-Breguet has modified its Alpha Jet trainer/light attack aircraft to carry Matra Magic 550 air-to-air missiles on the two outboard stores hardpoints. This will be available on the New Generation Alpha Jet version, which now is being marketed with the Magic 550 for antihelicopter attack, air protection and low-altitude air cover missions.

Washington Roundup

Soviet Union has completed field tests with its new SA-12 surface-to-air missile and is deploying the weapon in the USSR and eastern Europe. With a slant range of 300 naut. mi., the missile has a radar based on phased-array and microcircuit technology, which U. S. officials believe is in the same category as the Army/Raytheon Patriot missile system.

By Washington staff

F-18 Contractors Tighten Quality Control

Washington—McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Corp. are tightening quality control inspections of F/A-18s ready for delivery, following concerns raised by both the Canadian Forces and the U. S. Navy over lax procedures, primarily in the aircraft’s fuel system.

Space Technology

Orbiter Enterprise Starts European Tour

Los Angeles—Space shuttle orbiter Enterprise was displayed at Peterson AFB, Colo., and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on its NASA/Boeing 747 carrier aircraft during the initial legs of its trip to Europe, where it will be displayed at the Paris air show.

Management

House Panel Sets Eased Trade Control

Washington—The House Foreign Affairs Committee, considering a bill to renew the export law on militarily sensitive trade, has relaxed controls on trade with the West. It agreed to remove the requirement on U. S. companies to get a validated export license on exports of goods jointly controlled for military security reasons by the U. S. and its allies.

By Paul Mann

E-2C Purchase

Washington—Singapore Air Force will buy four Grumman E-2C early warning and reconnaissance aircraft for $601 million, Congress was notified last week by the U. S. Defense Dept. The aircraft will be used to monitor air and sea traffic approaching the Strait of Malacca, which carries considerable westto-east oil tanker traffic from the Middle East.

May 161983

May 301983

May 23, 1983

May 23, 1983

Aerospace Calendar