April 24, 1961

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MANAGEMENT

U.S. Firms Reappraising Foreign Licensing

Geneva—Is U. S. aerospace industry's increasing plunge into the European market a strong long-term investment or is the drive for short-term profits simply creating a stiff, possibly unbeatable competitor who must be reckoned with tomorrow?

By Cecil Brownlow15 min

118

SAFETY

Caravelle Crash Cause Remains Uncertain

This is the conclusion of a two-part report on the crash of a Scandinavian Airlines System Caravelle jet transport at Esenboga Airport, Ankara, Turkev, on Jan. 19, 1960. The first installment, which appeared in AVIATION WEEK,April 17,p. 141,related how the Caravelle, en route from Copenhagen to Cairo, had taken off from Istanbul and proceeded to the next intermediate stop which was Ankara.

AVIONICS

Perceptron Tested for Photo Analysis

Washington—Recent tests indicate that self-learning machines of the Perceptron type (AW July 4, p. 72) can be trained to recognize targets of interest in aerial reconnaissance photographs, easing a serious bottleneck to the effective use of meteorological and reconnaissance satellites.

By Philip J. Klass7 min

112

FINANCIAL

Department of Defense Releases Top Military R&D Contractors

Washington — Following continues the listing of top contractors listed according to net value of military prime contract awards for experimental, developmental, test and research activities. First portion of Department of Defense 1960 research and development awards appeared in the Apr. 10 issue of AVIATION WEEK, p. 99.

AIR TRANSPORT

Icelandic Pegs Future on Piston Planes

New York—Although Icelandic Airlines has become an anachronism on the competitive North Atlantic jet routes, the airline expects to continue flying piston planes—and making money—for some time to come. The Icelandic carrier this summer will be the only transatlantic scheduled passenger airline not operating jets.

By Glenn Garrison5 min

MANAGEMENT

Bell Attempting to Consolidate Unions

Bell Aerosystems Co. is attempting to reduce the effective number of unions it deals with at its Buffalo, N. Y., facilities from nine to three as part of a program begun since Textron, Inc., acquired Bell defense companies nine months ago. The Textron formula for its holdingcompany type of management of Bell docs not include anything radically new to the defense business, but it has produced some specific shortand longrange goals, tight cost and personnel control being one.

By William H. Gregory5 min

AIR TRANSPORT

Campaign to Lower Jet Minimums Based on Automatic Flight Systems

Washington—Pan American World Airways and American Airlines have asked the Federal Aviation Agency to lower turbojet transport minimums from 300 ft. and ¾ mi. to 200 ft. and ½ mi., based on the use of automatic approach couplers and flight directors and a maintenance-pilot training program aimed at assuring reliable operation of the avionics equipment.

By Philip J. Klass5 min

April 171961

May 11961

April 24, 1961

April 24, 1961