February 18, 1980

February 18, 1980

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Safety

Ntsb Weighs Factors in Dc-10 Crash

Technical Survey: Joining Technology For the 1980's

Mechanical Fasteners Dominating Aerospace

By Jerry Mayfield14 min

Joining Technology

Evolutionary Welding Gains Expected

By Bruce A. Smith10 min

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8081
Safety

Ntsb Weighs Factors in Dc-10 Crash

Wind Tunnel and Simulator Tests. The wind tunnel at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Langley Research Center was used to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of a DC-10 wing with the left engine and pylon missing, left wing leading edge damaged, and the left wing’s outboard leading edge slats retracted.
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Technical Survey: Joining Technology For the 1980's

Mechanical Fasteners Dominating Aerospace

Mechanical fasteners will continue to serve as the dominant means of joining component parts of airframe and engine assemblies in the years to come despite increasing competition from new, more exotic joining methods being developed by industry and government, according to a survey of U. S. aerospace companies and fastener manufacturers by AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY.

By Jerry Mayfield14 min

5253
Joining Technology

Evolutionary Welding Gains Expected

Welding technology is expected to continue to play an important role in the aerospace industry through an evolutionary process largely the result of changing design requirements and management efforts to increase efficiency, flexibility and production cost-effectiveness.

By Bruce A. Smith10 min

2627
Air Transport

U.s. Liberal Approaches Widely Challenged

Fading of restrictive regulation in international markets seen transforming industry with both good and bad effects

By James Ott8 min

1819
Business Flying

Helicopter Sales Surge Expected

New medium-lift concepts, further refinement of existing aircraft are highlights of industry showcase in Las Vegas

By Robert R. Ropelewski8 min

3031
Air Transport

Fuel Pivotal in Trunks' Earnings Slump

Fuel cost increase of more than $1.5 billion in 1979, despite only a marginal increase in fuel consumption, was the major factor causing earnings of eight trunk airlines to fall from $642.1 million in 1978 to $281.5 million in 1979. George James of the Air Transport Assn, said the total fuel bill for all trunks, regionals, cargo and other carriers was $2.3 billion higher in 1979 than in 1978, a total of $6.5 billion.

By Michael Feazel7 min

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Joining Technology

Aluminum Bonding in Technology Stage

6869
Avionics

Visual Landing Aid Under Development

Los Angeles—DeVore Aviation Corp. is preparing to initiate production of a new visual landing aid that utilizes a pulsating light source to provide visual glideslope positioning data during the final approach to a runway. The system—called PLASI, for pulse light approach slope indicator—will be marketed by DeVore as a lower-cost alternative to VASI optical landing aids (AW&ST Dec. 17, 1979, p. 69).

By Jeffrey M. Lenorovitz6 min

7677
Business Flying

Bell Seeks Civil Tilt-rotor Application

Ft. Worth—Effort to develop civil applications of its advanced tilt-rotor vertical/short takeoff and landing technology is under way by Bell Helicopter Textron. Company management has given its engineering and marketing groups the go-ahead to explore civil customer interest and obtain input on desired characteristics of such a vehicle for use in offshore oil/gas development airlift support and for commuter airline operations.

By Erwin J. Bulban5 min

5859
Joining Technology

European Firms Study New Methods

Major European aerospace manufacturers are taking a cautious approach to developing and implementing new joining techniques, generally preferring to stay with well-known methods and concentrating on cost reduction in the end product.
February 111980 February 251980