August 14, 1978

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Aviation Week Pilot Report

Citation 2 Offers Better Performance, More Space

Wichita—Cessna Aircraft’s new turbofan-powered Citation 2 offers increased performance, range and cabin space over earlier Citation models, while still retaining the cockpit and engineering simplicity and low operating cost of the earlier Citations.

By David M. North15 min

Space Technology

Shuttle Creates New Astronaut Training Challenges

Washington—Increased complexity of the space shuttle and more difficult launch, abort and reentry profiles present significant astronaut training challenges not encountered during projects Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Skylab. Astronauts and shuttle training supervisors at the Johnson Space Center believe a whole new stable of training devices there will make shuttle pilot training much more efficient than on previous missions, even though some activities such as reentries and launch aborts will require 50-100% more emphasis than similar operations did on the Apollo program.

By Craig Covault12 min

Avionics

Bomb/nav Changes Key to B-52 Update

Wichita, Kan. —Full-scale development of the first significant modification of the USAF/Boeing B-52 bombing and navigation system since the strategic bomber went into production is due to get under way here this month with a view toward establishing an initial operational capability for the new system in December, 1982.

By Benjamin M. Elson10 min

Space Technology

New Payload Could Boost Shuttle Cost

Washington—Decision by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and U. S. Air Force to add more solid-rocket boosters to the space shuttle to allow launch and retrieval of a new advanced strategic reconnaissance spacecraft by the mid-1980s could cost $100-400 million and significantly affect the Vandenberg AFB, Calif., shuttle launch facilities.

Editorial

Kahn Crosses the Bar

Once, at Cornell University, I, along with an unfortunately small number of others, attended a lecture by a prominent civil rights leader, who, incensed by the size of the audience, spent most of his time excoriating the few poor people who had come to hear him because of the transgression of the many who had not.

Air Transport

American, Twa Press Simplified Fares

American Airlines has taken the lead, followed closely by Trans World Airlines, in simplifying the deluge of discount fares and, the carriers hope, segregating the burgeoning pleasure travelers from the largely forgotten businessman.

By David R. Griffiths5 min

August 71978

August 211978

August 14, 1978

August 14, 1978