December 31, 1990

December 31, 1990

View Full Issue Table of Contents
EDITORIAL

Aviation Week’s Photography Issue

1980

1981

View Full Issue
More Features
89
EDITORIAL

Aviation Week’s Photography Issue

The international aviation and space industry is one of the most dynamic elements of the global business sector and, as such, it generates large numbers of dramatic photographic images every year. Mankind has not lost its fascination for flight, whether it be in the Earth’s atmosphere or beyond.
1213

1980

In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected President and signaled a buildup of the nation’s defenses. President Carter was weakened in the election by Iran’s seizure of hostages in the U. S. embassy in Tehran, and by failure in a U. S. attempt to rescue the hostages. Carter, who decided during his term against production of the B-1 bomber, was criticized for disclosure during the campaign of plans for an Advanced Technology—or “stealth”—Bomber.
1819

1981

In 1981 President Reagan decided to procure 100 B-1B bombers while developing the B-2. He shelved mobile basing for the MX ICBM and proposed that theater nuclear forces in Europe be eliminated. He suspended deliveries of F-15s and F-16s to Israel for two months following an Israeli air raid on an Iraqi nuclear reactor, and he approved the sale of E3A AWACS aircraft and F-15 upgrades to Saudi Arabia.
2223

1982

In 1982, the U. S. Defense Dept, deferred development of the McDonnell Douglas C-17 transport and bought Lockheed C-5Bs instead. The Air Force started the Great Engine War, funding development of the General Electric F110 as competition for Pratt & Whitney’s F100, and it established an Air Force Space Command.
3031

1983

All 269 persons on board a Korean Air Lines Boeing 747 were killed when the aircraft strayed across Soviet territory and was shot down by a Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 fighter. The Paris air show was highlighted by the appearance of the shuttle Columbia atop its Boeing 747 carrier aircraft.
3435

1984

President Reagan was re-elected to a second term. He endorsed development of a space station by NASA and formation of a unified space command by the Defense Dept. The Commerce Dept, named a RCA and Hughes Aircraft Co. partnership to operate the Landsat system.
3839

1985

The Arab terrorist hijacking of Trans World Airlines Flight 847 spurred a U. S. review of security at international airports. President Reagan called the U. S. “a nation being attacked by international terrorists.” Rep. Les Aspin (D.-Wis.) became chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, signaling expanded committee role in defense policy, closer scrutiny of budgets and more procurement reform.
4849

1986

The year was disastrous for space flight. The U. S. lost the shuttle orbiter Challenger. And within months, all major U. S. unmanned launchers—Titan, Delta, Atlas-Centaur—were lost at least once. The Soviets and Europeans suffered failures of their Proton and Ariane launch vehicles as well.
5455

1987

Hope was mixed with caution in 1987 as new products rolled out while preparations began for a business downturn. 1987 saw the presentation of the first Airbus A320 transport, Sweden’s JAS-39 Gripen fighter, and Douglas’ MD-80 testbed for the ultrahigh bypass ratio engine.
6667

1988

In 1988 Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty as U. S. defense spending declined. The demand for transport aircraft soared as Boeing received a single leasing company order worth $5-6 billion.
December 241990 January 71991