May 18, 1981

May 18, 1981

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Aviation Week Pilot Report

Sr-71 Impressive in High-speed Regime

By Robert R. Ropelewski24 min

Viewpoints

One Seat Fighter Vs. Two

Management

Overrun Besets Relay Satellite

By Craig Covault10 min

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More Features
4647
Aviation Week Pilot Report

Sr-71 Impressive in High-speed Regime

Beale AFB, Calif.—Continued improvements to aircraft systems as well as reconnaissance and electronic warfare subsystems in the U. S. Air Force/Lockheed SR-71 are keeping that aircraft a viable and survivable strategic reconnaissance platform after more than 16 years in service.

By Robert R. Ropelewski24 min

1213
Viewpoints

One Seat Fighter Vs. Two

(Hal Vincent of Norfolk, Va., is a pilot with over 7,000 hr., most of it in fighters.) I am an older pilot with thousands of hours in both single and two-seat fighters going back to the F-86, F-8U, through most of the Century series, and all of the new fighters to include the F-111, F-4, F-14, F-15, F-16, F-17 and F-18, to list only a few.
1819
Management

Overrun Besets Relay Satellite

NASA Inspector General’s report finds cost rise may reach $1 billion, urges contract liquidation or major restructure

By Craig Covault10 min

104105
Aeronautical Engineering

Sr-71 Imposes Burden on Maintenance Units

Beale AFB, Calif.—Extreme operating environment and the unique structure, propulsion and subsystems of the U. S. Air Force/Lockheed SR-71 strategic reconnaissance aircraft impose a heavy maintenance burden on the units responsible for keeping SR-71s flying.
110111
Aeronautical Engineering

F/a-18 Problems Narrow to Cost Rise

Washington—U. S. Navy and McDonnell Douglas are overcoming the early technical and performance difficulties encountered in the service’s F/A-18 aircraft. Recent evaluations of the aircraft by test and operational units are validating the Navy’s high expectations for its newest fighter/attack aircraft (AW&ST Aug. 11, 1980, p. 42).

By David M. North9 min

132133
Management

New Blade Containment Saves Weight

Washington—National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Lewis Research Center has developed a fan blade containment system for turbofan engines that would use Kevlar instead of steel to protect civil transport passengers, crewmembers and airframes from failed-blade fragments.

By Jay C. Lowndes8 min

124125
Space Technology

Infrared Telescope Readied for Launch

Moffett Field, Calif.—U. S.-built space telescope that is intended to produce the first all-sky survey of infrared sources was shipped May 13 from Boulder, Colo., to Amsterdam, for installation on a Dutchbuilt spacecraft in preparation for an August, 1982, launch from Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

By Benjamin M. Elson6 min

138139
Avionics

Programmable Acoustic System Tested

St. Louis—Microprocessor-based acoustic analysis system, developed by Emerson Electric Co. here, is being readied for an extended operational and technical evaluation by the Canadian Armed Forces on board an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter.

By Kenneth J. Stein6 min

2829
Air Transport

Pilots Lead Off Crew-size Hearing Witnesses

ALPA cites increased traffic, changing operational procedures, certification in backing three in cockpit

By David M. North6 min

4243
Air Transport

Orlando Seeks to Become Europe-florida Gateway

Orlando, Fla.—The renewed drive by Air Berlin to recover from setbacks on its Europe-Florida route last winter is viewed here optimistically as hope that central Florida airports can compete successfully with Miami in the international air travel market.

By Laurence Doty5 min

May 111981 May 251981