July 4, 1960

July 4, 1960

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SAFETY

Fast Landing Led to Constellation Crash

AVIONICS

Perceptron Shows Its Ability to Learn

By Philip J. Klass11 min

MANAGEMENT

President Blamed for Loss of U-2 Program

By Katherine Johnsen9 min

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9495
SAFETY

Fast Landing Led to Constellation Crash

Capital Airlines Flight 983 of May 12, 1959, a Constellation Model L-049, N 2735A, following a landing at 1529 EST, on a wet runway, was intentionally ground looped and during the maneuver skidded and slid down a steep embankment beyond the boundary of the airport at Charleston, W. Va. One of the 38 passengers and one of the six crew members died in the fire which followed; one passenger was seriously burned and all others on board the aircraft escapted with little or no injury.
7273
AVIONICS

Perceptron Shows Its Ability to Learn

Buffalo, N. Y.—Mark I Perceptron, a machine which can be taught to discriminate between different shaped objects and to identify them without prior knowledge of their form, in much the same way that a child learns, was demonstrated here recently by Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory.

By Philip J. Klass11 min

3031
MANAGEMENT

President Blamed for Loss of U-2 Program

By Katherine Johnsen9 min

4647
AIR TRANSPORT

Cargo Airlines List Salaries with Cab

Washington—Following is a list of all-cargo and Alaska airline officers’ and directors’ salaries, bonuses, indirect compensations, expenses and stock holdings for the year ending Dec. 31, 1959, as reported to the Civil Aeronautics Board:
5657
Space Technology

System Controls Capsule Environment

Los Angeles, Calif.—Environmental control system for Project Mercury space capsules weighing 85 lb. will provide a temperature-pressure-humidity controlled atmosphere for orbital flight. System redundancy, plus manually-operated override controls, ensures the maximum in occupant safety.

By William S. Reed8 min

6465
MISSILE ENGINEERING

Laboratory to Investigate Sonic Fatigue

Los Angeles—Phenomena of sonic fatigue and its destructive effects on missile and aircraft structures will be explored in a new test facility to be built at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. This will be the largest and most thoroughly instrumented sonic test facility in the United States.

By William S. Reed7 min

2627
Space Technology

Courier Ia Launch Set for July 15

Able Star is expected to boost delayed repeater communications satellite into 650 naut. mi. orbit.
8283
AVIONICS

Ibm Thin Film Program Shows Results

Kingston, N. Y.—First results of a research and development program aimed at providing a broad range of thin film circuit functions for future military electronic systems were demonstrated here recently in the laboratories of the Federal Systems Division of International Business Machines Corp.

By Barry Miller6 min

8889
BUSINESS FLYING

Lasa 60 Handles Well in All Regimes

Los Angeles—Straightforward handling in all flight regimes characterizes the Lockheed-Azcarate Model 60 light utility plane, paralleling the aircraft’s uncomplicated design and workhorse mission. Main points of the plane’s qualities demonstrated during an AVIATION WEEK flight evaluation included:

By Richard Sweeney6 min

102103

Letters

In regard to the special report entitled “Ground, Air Planning Accelerate RF101C Scramble Rate” (AW June 13, p. 54), it was very encouraging to read of the operational proficiency of our USAFE. In consideration of the very excellent photograph of the hydroelectric installation taken by Capt.
June 271960 July 111960