December 30, 1957

December 30, 1957

View Full Issue Table of Contents
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Scientists Explain U.s. Technical Lag

SAFETY

Bearing Failure Preceded Propeller Loss

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Napier Pushes Convair-eland Campaign

View Full Issue
More Features
7273
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Scientists Explain U.s. Technical Lag

Washington—Senate Preparedness Subcommittee recently asked a number of U.S. scientists and members of the aviation industry to comment on the state of U. S. defense and scientific effort and the reasons for the lag behind the Soviet Union (AW Dec. 23, p. 20).
9091
SAFETY

Bearing Failure Preceded Propeller Loss

American Airlines Flight 87 of March 5, 1957, a Douglas DC-7, N 316AA, lost the nose section and propeller of its No. 1 powerplant while in flight near Memphis, Tenn., on March 5, 1957, about 1127A Parts struck and pierced the pressurized fuselage causing explosive decompression.
6465
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Napier Pushes Convair-eland Campaign

Los Angeles—D. Napier & Son Ltd. of England is pushing its international sales program for re-engining Convair 340 and 440 aircraft with Napier Eland turboprops. A Convair 340 powered by Napier Elands is currently undergoing tests in Santa Monica, Calif., for Civil Aeronautics Administration certification.
5657
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Douglas Proposes TV Cockpit for A4d

El Segundo, Calif.—Douglas Aircraft’s El Segundo Division is proposing an operational cockpit for its A4D attack plane built around cathode ray tube presentation of contact analog information. Scheduled for introduction in 1960-61, if proposal is accepted by Navy, new cockpit presentation would use conventional shaped cathode ray tubes for vertical situation (attitude) and horizontal situation (navigation and related functions) displays.

By Richard Sweeney8 min

3839
AVIONICS

Thor Guidance Goes on Production Line

Milwaukee—Thor intermediate range ballistic missile inertial guidance system, first to successfully fly an American IRBM, is now in quantity production here at AC Spark Plug, in the nation’s largest inertial guidance manufacturing facility.

By Philip J. Klass8 min

4445
MISSILE ENGINEERING

Studies Probe Man’s Function in Space

Los Angeles—In an effort to thoroughly research man’s problems of existence and function in flight beyond the atmosphere before manned space flight is attempted, human factors groups of Southern California contractors already have a variety of efforts under way.

By Richard Sweeney7 min

2223
BUSINESS FLYING

Light Twin Heads Mooney Growth Plans

Kerrville, Texas—Mooney Aircraft Co. is expanding its line of aircraft and adopting new sales techniques in a drive to increase its share of the increasingly competitive market for light business aircraft. Mooney completed its first $1 million sales year in the fiscal period ending October 31, and the company turned a $94,000 profit on that record volume.

By Craig Lewis7 min

3031
AIR TRANSPORT

Caa Expands Aeronautical Center as Air Navigation Program Grows

Oklahoma City—Aeronautical Center is being expanded here to give Civil Aeronautics Administration the work force it will need to handle its burgeoning air navigation facilities program. In a $13 million expansion program, the CAA Center is getting the facilities it must have to train the air traffic controllers, engineers, inspectors and other personnel who will be a key factor in the establishment, maintenance and operation of the $810 million worth of air navigation facilities CAA plans to build in the next six years.

By Craig Lewis7 min

2829
AIR TRANSPORT

Late-year Traffic Trend Decline Indicates Profit Drop for 1958

Washington—Sudden late-year slowdown in normal airline traffic trends points to an even deeper profit depression for 1958 than that experienced during 1957 when earnings fell to their lowest level in seven years. Domestic trunkline carriers this year earned an estimated $25.4 million as compared with a $57 million net profit reported in 1956.

By L. L. Doty6 min

102103

Letters

The article “Blue Angels Do Serious Job for Navy” in the Nov. 18 issue of AVIATION WEEK (p. 71), by Erwin J. Bulban, was one of the finest jobs of aviation reporting that I have read in a long time. Mr. Bulban managed to get the “feel” of precision flying into his article in a manner which almost places the reader in the cockpit of an F11F.
December 231957 January 61958