May 24, 1965

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BUSINESS FLYING

Piper Cherokee Six Offers Ease of Handling, High Payload

New York—Piper Aircraft Corp.’s PA-3 2-260 Cherokee Six, a six-place derivative of the Cherokee series of aircraft, blends the familiar docile flight characteristics of its predecessors with high weight-carrying ability and exceptional interior roominess.

By David A. Brown9 min

THE WAR IN VIETNAM—SPECIAL REPORTS

Usaf, Vnaf Trying to Cut Ground Support Response Time

Tan Son Nhut, South Vietnam—U.S. Air Force is working with Vietnamese Air Force headquarters here in an effort to cut the response times to ground requests for immediate air support to a maximum of 30 min. At present, the aircraft often are too late to be of help to beleagured troops facing the Viet Cong on the ground.

By Cecil Brownlow8 min

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Tank Sealing Improved in Xb-70a No. 2

Palmdale, Calif.—No. 2 USAF XB70A, which North American Aviation’s Los Angeles Div. expects to fly for the first time in mid-July, is a much-improved aircraft compared with the No. 1 airplane now being flight tested at Edwards AFB. The improvements in the No. 2 aircraft were incorporated as a result of lessons learned in fabrication of the first aircraft and because the later delivery schedule allowed more time to incorporate desired but not mandatory design modification.

By C. M. Plattner8 min

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Carrier Tests Planned in Study of X-22a’s Asw Potential

Niagara Falls, N. Y.—Bell Aerosystems X-22A rotating-ducted-fan V/ STOL research vehicle, which wall be formally rolled out here this week, will undergo Navy carrier compatibility tests to help determine its capability as an advanced anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

AIR TRANSPORT

Report Criticizes Airport Planning By Faa

Washington—Stanford Research Institute has recommended that the Federal Aviation Agency pay greater attention to the national interest in establishing a nationwide airport plan, and has urged that planning begin now to incorporate the supersonic transport and other advanced aircraft into the airways and airport systems.

By Richard G. O’Lone6 min

AIR TRANSPORT

Cab Seen Delaying Inflight Movie Ruling

Washington—Civil Aeronautics Board heard a full day of arguments last week concerning a proposed worldwide ban on inflight movies, and left observers convinced it would call for longer, more detailed discussions before approving or rejecting the plan (AW&ST May 10, p. 40).

By James R. Ashlock5 min

MANAGEMENT

U.k., France Sign Aircraft, Engine Pact

London—British and French aerospace industries last week agreed to build a conventional-wing strike fighter/trainer and a variable-geometry fighter for the late 1970s after the two governments each committed $56 million to a design and production pool.

By Herbert J. Coleman5 min

EDITORIAL

The Gravest Decision

The detonation of China’s second atomic device is another reminder to the people of the United States and their President of the character of the nuclear threat that is developing in the Pacific Basin. It is the fashion now in official Washington to deprecate the Chinese progress toward developing nuclear weapons and to soothe the American people with the concept that any genuine nuclear capability in the Orient is too far away to merit any serious concern now.

By Robert Hotz4 min

May 171965

May 311965

May 24, 1965

May 24, 1965