September 9, 1985

View Full Issue Table of Contents

BUSINESS FLYING

Customs Strengthens Drug Interdiction Role with High-performance Aircraft

Washington—U. S. Customs Service is expanding its airborne surveillance and enforcement capabilities in its fight against drug smugglers by operating a fleet of modified Lockheed-California P-3As and replacing older aircraft with newer, high-performance aircraft and helicopters.

By David M. North10 min

Space Technology

Astronauts Repair, Deploy Leasat During Two Space Shuttle Evas

Johnson Space Center—The Hughes Leasat F3 communications spacecraft was responding to ground command last week after shuttle Mission 51-1 astronauts overcame difficulty in manually controlling the satellite to achieve both an orbital repair and manual deployment of the $85million Navy vehicle.

By Craig Covault9 min

SAFETY

Japanese Investigators Release Voice Recorder Text of 747 Crash

Tokyo—Japan's Aircraft Accident Investigation Committee has released the text of the cockpit voice recorder installed in the Japan Air Lines Boeing 747 that crashed on Aug. 12 in a mountainous area about 60 mi. northwest of Tokyo (AW&ST Aug. 26 p. 28).

AVIONICS

Further Avionics System Tests Set for Usaf Night Hawk Helicopter

Owego, N. Y.—Full-scale development model of USAF's HH-60A Night Hawk helicopter, fitted with a production configuration integrated avionics system designed to help search out and rescue downed Air Force flight crews, is expected to be ferried to Edwards AFB, Calif., later this month for further avionics and operational capability testing and evaluation.

By Kenneth J. Stein6 min

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Navy/grumman F-14 Upgrade Improves Range, Radar, Avionics

Bethpage, N. Y.—Range, speed and lethality of the Navy/Grumman Aerospace Corp. F-14 Tomcat will be increased as a result of reconfiguration that includes improved engines, a new radar and advanced avionics, according to Grumman officials. The performance improvements are the result of a full-scale development contract signed by Grumman and the Navy in June, 1984 (AW&ST Aug. 6, 1984, p. 18).

By Stanley W. Kandebo5 min

Air Transport

Andes Climbers Obtain Eastern 727 Photographs for Use in Crash Inquiry

Washington—A mountain-climbing team has reached the wreckage of an Eastern Airlines Boeing 727, which crashed into Mt. Illimani at 19,600 ft. in the Bolivian Andes last Jan. 1, and photographed the site for use in an investigation. Judith Kelly, wife of William Kelly, a U. S. Peace Corps official who died in the crash, financed the expedition and was one of the ascent team of three, including a guide and a porter.

By James Ott5 min

September 21985

September 161985

September 9, 1985

September 9, 1985

Marconi Installs Vertical Aperture Radar at Heathrow