April 2, 1979

April 2, 1979

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Aviation Week Pilot Report

Bell Presses Model 222 Certification

By Robert R. Ropelewski13 min

Management

Beam Weapons Effort to Grow

By Clarence A. Robinson12 min

Space Technology

Problems Delay Shuttle Crew Training

By Craig Covault9 min

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4445
Aviation Week Pilot Report

Bell Presses Model 222 Certification

Los Angeles—Federal Aviation Administration is expected to issue a type inspection authority for the Bell Helicopter Textron Model 222 corporate/utility helicopter this week, opening the door for final certification flight testing of the 222 by FAA test pilots and an anticipated type certification of the aircraft in mid-May.

By Robert R. Ropelewski13 min

1213
Management

Beam Weapons Effort to Grow

Defense Dept, to seek added funding for technology work in Fiscal 1981; solicits cooperation of Energy Dept.

By Clarence A. Robinson12 min

5859
Space Technology

Problems Delay Shuttle Crew Training

Houston—Training of the primary and backup astronaut crews for the first space shuttle mission has fallen as much as two months behind schedule at the Johnson Space Center here because of a combination of simulator facility and software problems.

By Craig Covault9 min

3435
NATO Readiness

Combat Capability of Usafe Growing

Ramstein AB, Germany—U. S. Air Forces in Europe are demonstrating first results of a sweeping tactical aircraft combat readiness improvement program that, despite some funding shortfalls, is planned to redress recent Warsaw Pact air gains by sustaining U. S. qualitative edge in aircraft and equipment into the 1980s.

By Eugene Kozicharow7 min

6263
Space Technology

Europeans Assess New Lunar Programs

Houston—European space scientists are assessing experiment packages leading to renewed unmanned lunar exploration from orbit and on the surface over the next decade. These projects to the moon are considered precursors of further planetary exploration spacecraft, including polar orbiters of Mars and Mercury.

By Erwin J. Bulban7 min

3637
NATO Readiness

A-10 Crews Sharpen Air Support Skills

RAF Bentwaters, England—Combat crews of the USAF 81st Tactical Fighter Wing have begun training missions with Fairchild A-10 aircraft in support of British and West German troops in North Germany as the first step in developing the capability to provide close air support along the entire East-West border from the Baltic to the Alps.

By David A. Brown7 min

2021
Air Transport

Deregulation Sparks Criticism

Loss of service to small and medium-sized cities draws anguished cries, but congressional amendment unlikely

By Michael Feazel6 min

7071
Avionics

Ibm Cutting Microcircuit Device Sizes

New York—IBM researchers are confident that logic-function microcircuits with minimum device dimensions of 0.5 micron—the mid-1985 goal set by the Pentagoncan be achieved with satisfactory production yields and that eventually 0.25-micron dimensions will be feasible.

By Philip J. Klass6 min

6667
Missile Engineering

Dispenser Modified for Air-launched Cruise Missile

Seattle—Internal rotary launcher used to dispense USAF/Boeing AGM-69A shortrange attack missiles (SRAM) from B-52 bomb bays has been redesigned to carry and launch a mix of AGM-69A and AGM-86B air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM). The AGM-86B is in full-scale development here, and the first flight-test missile is undergoing systems tests following its recent rollout (AW&ST Mar. 26, p. 23).

By Benjamin M. Elson6 min

5051
Aeronautical Engineering

Rolls Eyes Greater Gem Helicopter Role

Leavesden, England—Rolls-Royce, Ltd., is seeking a larger share of the world helicopter market with advanced versions of the existing RS.360 GEM engine designed for the commercial and military markets. Three new versions of the GEM have been defined and one, GEM-70, with cooled turbine blades, began running as a demonstrator at the Rolls-Royce small engine factory here last year.
March 261979 April 91979