October 13, 1958

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SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Giannini Plasmadyne Studies Plasma Jet Applications

Santa Ana, Calif.-Frontiers of hightemperature physics are being advanced here by Giannini Plasmadyne Corp.'s science specialists accumulating basic and applied research data in plasma jet phenomena to unravel critical problems associated with space technology.

By Irving Stone14 min

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

707 Imposes No Undue Stress on Pilot

Seattle—Highest speed attained in AVIATION WEEK’S flight evaluation of the Boeing 707 jet transport (see AW Oct. 6, p. 70 for Part I) was Mach .92. This was accomplished without the aid of Mach trim or yaw damper. Force reversal starting at approximately Mach .

By Richard Sweeney14 min

AVIONICS

Takeoff Monitor Computes Runway Roll

Hawthorne, Calif.-Takeoff monitor, designed to provide bighly accurate information to a pilot as to where his aircraft will leave the ground on takeoff and whether he should abort, has been proposed by Servomechanisms, Inc. Monitor displays the takeoff situation in the form, of a graphic vertical scale that presents a picture of the end of the runway with markers showing the point at which the wheels will leave the ground and the point at which the aircraft would stop if full brakes were apNeed for such a device has been demonstrated by the increasing number of takeoff accidents with the advent of jet aircraft.

By James A. Fusca8 min

AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING

Two Engine Concept Key to F4h-1 Design

St. Louis, Mo.—McDonnell F4H-1 has been designed around a two-man, twin engine concept to operate as a Mach 2 Navy all-weather fighter which also can be used in an attack role. The new McDonnell carrier fighter is in the midst of competitive flight testing at Edwards AFB in a program that will determine whether the F4H-1 or the one-man, single engine Chance Vought F8U-3 will provide the Navy with its next fighter generation (AW June 9, p. 43).

By Craig Lewis8 min

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BUSINESS FLYING

Cessna Returns to Two-place Market

Wichita, Kans.—Cessna is back in the two-place market after an eight-year absence, and its new, light all-metal Model 150 has the potential of a good student trainer and an easy-to-handle business airplane. Power for the side-by-side airplane is supplied by a four-cylinder Continental 0200-A engine rated at 100 hp.

By Robert I. Stanfield7 min

SPACE TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear Rocket Facility Near Completion

Jackass Flats, Nev.—Installations to house and operate the first experimental reactors in nuclear rocket Project Rover and nuclear ramjet Project Pluto are nearing completion here in the “401 area” of the Atomic Energy Commission’s Nevada test site.

By Russell Hawkes6 min

AIR TRANSPORT

U. S. Demonstrates Dme-t Advantages

Indianapolis—Usefulness of distance measuring equipment-Tacan (DME-T) in combination with VOR to provide more precise navigation and more effective traffic control was demonstrated here in the air and on the ground for representatives of 30 member nations of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

By Philip J. Klass5 min

MANAGEMENT

Washington Roundup

National Aeronautics and Space Administration may assume technical cognizance over part or all of the space activities of Army’s Ballistic Missile Agency in Huntsville, Ala. NASÀ is currently evaluating the work of the agency, which could find itself with time on its hands if the Jupiter IRBM program is canceled or sharply curtailed.

By Washington staff4 min

October 61958

October 201958

October 13, 1958

October 13, 1958