Jan 18 1972
From The Space Library
January 18-20: Opening hearings on aeronautical research and development, Chairman Ken Heckler (D-W. Va.) of House Committee on Science and Astronautics' Subcommittee on Advanced Research and Technology announced Subcommittee name had been changed to Sub-committee on Aeronautics and Space Technology. Change followed receipt of Jan. 14 letter from Dr. James C. Fletcher, NASA Administra- tor, announcing change in NASA office name from OART to OAST. On first day of hearings Dr. Fletcher testified on "steady increase" in NASA funding for aeronautics: Funding had grown from $42 million in FY 1966 to $110 million in FY 1972, "a doubling in terms of constant dollars. When you add the funding for salaries and other in-house costs related to supporting the aeronautics programs, the total . . . has grown from 1.6% of the total NASA budget in fiscal year 1966 to 7.1% in fiscal year 1972." Number of NASA personnel members working in aeronautics research and technology had grown from 2600 in 1966 to 5300. In-crease had occurred while NASA staff had been reduced from 34 000 to 27 500. Dr. Fletcher said joint Dept. of Transportation and NASA Study on Civil Aviation Research and Development (CARD) had "forced the establishment of new and more effective coordination mechanisms be- tween NASA and DOT." Mechanisms were being used "to develop a formal CARD Policy Implementation Plan to specify clear goals, responsibilities, planned achievement milestones, and projected resource requirements for DOT and NASA jointly." CARD policy study had caused "better focus on the priority problem areas of aircraft noise ... and terminal congestion" and directed more specific attention to role R&D might play in developing better total operating system for low- density aviation market so that civil aviation might be used more economically as tool for regional development. Focus did not compromise "ability to continue a comprehensive research and technology program in all the aeronautical disciplines to provide a technology base for the future." Deputy Director Clarence A. Syvertson of Ames Research Center out- lined general recommendations of CARD study: scope of civil-aviation R&D programs should be expanded to emphasize nontechnological fac- tors; economists and social scientists should be assigned to NASA and DOT staffs. R&D staffs of Dept. of Defense, NASA, DOT, and Civil Aeronautics Board should be interchanged to provide broad systems back-ground for more effective Government action in civil aviation programs. CAB should explore policy of allowing intermodaI mergers of airlines for expanded use of air cargo to encourage innovative industry R&D in this area. Dept. of Commerce should refine and monitor measurable indicators of U.S. progress in civil aviation industry. National Aeronautics and Space Council should review and recommend national policies guiding civil aviation that embraced several agencies. George W. Cherry, Deputy Administrator for Programs in OAST, reported "considerable ongoing activity abroad in designing, building and selling new, small economical aircraft for the world's low-density short-haul market. This raises the questions: Where will replacement aircraft come from? Can the U.S. industry compete with the foreign manufacturers to fill the market?" Answers required "fundamental policy decisions by the United States with regard to the desirability of providing continuing or expanded public-need air service, and also .. . to whether Government support can or should be given to the manufacturer." U.S. needed to know more about market and economics of operating in low-density area to write specifications for aircraft and operating system. "If industry designs fall short of meeting the economic specifi- cations, there should be enough information available to determine if Government assistance ... could result in the operator providing viable service. If subsidy is necessary, subsidizing the nonrecurring costs of manufacture, rather than the recurring costs of operation, might make good sense." NASA Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and Space Technology Roy P. Jackson described QuESTOL project plans for two quiet, experimental, short takeoff and landing (STOL) transport research aircraft: "The experimental airplanes will function as a versatile facility for NASA flight research programs developed in cooperation with other Government agencies and interested industry groups, including the airlines. The information provided will reduce the technical risk associated with development, by industry, of both civil and military STOL transports" and "provide a comprehensive technical foundation on which Government regulatory agencies can establish realistic criteria for certification of commercial subsonic STOL transport aircraft and for en route and terminal area operations." (Transcript)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
