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Page 16/The Battalion/Friday, September 5, 1986
Collision warning technology
exists; use delayed by testing
WASHINGTON (AP) — The
technology that would warn pilots of
an impending aerial collision is
known, but efforts to install the de
vices into commercial jets have been
marked by years of contention and,
critics say, government footdrag-
gi n g-
The collision of an Aeromexico
DC-9 and a single-engine private
plane over a Los Angeles suburb this
week has directed attention to the
need for sophisticated airborne colli
sion avoidence systems for the in
dustry’s 3,000 commercial jetliners.
But it may well be another two
years before the devices are ready
for widespread use, although Fed
eral Aviation Administration offi
cials acknowledge that the technical
problems have been solved after 20
years of development.
The so-called “T-CAS,” or traffic
alert and collision avoidance system
uses radar and computers to track
nearby aircraft and provide both a
visual and verbal warning to the pi
lot of any plane that might pose a
threat. It also provides suggested
evasive maneuvers as the intruder
plane gets closer.
Small aircraft would not need the
sophistcated T-CAS, which has been
estimated to cost as much as
$100,000, as long as they have a
transponder that has altitude report
ing capability. About half of the
220,000 small private planes now
have such transponders, although
the single-engine Piper aircraft in
volve in this week’s California colli
sion apparently did not.
FAA Administrator Donald
Engen acknowledges the collision
avoidance technology has been pro
ven to be effective, but he says it still
needs to be tested in the real-world
environment — testing that is not
expected to be concluded until 1988.
A prototype T-CAS system has
been installed in a Piedmont Airlines
Boeing 727 and will be in use on pas
senger-carrying flights before the
end of the year, the agency said.
Those flights were to have started
early this year, but were pushed back
because of questions about pilot
training, aviation sources said.
Next year United Airlines and
Northwest Airlines also will test a
small number of I -CAS prototypes
in a year-long program.
The average an traveler may be
surprised that something as basic as
an alarm to warn pilots of a nearby
aircraft has not long been a part of
every commercial aircraft’s huj
ware. But its development hasIc
lengthy and dif ficult.
Aviation officials first begat '
ing about such a device in the
after the collision of two
over the Grand Canyon. The
research and development of tht
CAS system and its various
cessors goes back more than
years.
Engen savs the t-AA is mo^
ead as I st as pi issible tocertifjl
devices and that he is committedi
sophisticated radar and compt
tech nologs that could prevent n
aerial collisions.
the FAA
But ciitics have said the FAA I
not been forceful enough to|
the technology.
Chi Oi
Welcome
All Collegiate Women
Go Bananas With
Axa
A National Women’s Sorority
Sept. 9,10 7:00 pm (nice dress)
College Station Community Center
For more information call:
Marcie Mann 693-2527
Jill Smiens 260-0438
Sandra Smith 696-5826
Airline sparked fare wars,
collapsed because of them
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — World
Airways’ feisty founder saw his com
pany as a David that would slay air
line industry Goliaths with no-frills
flights. Instead, World collapsed un
der huge financial losses caused
largely by the fare wars it started.
On Thursday, a day after World
announced it will cease scheduled
passenger service Sept. 15, some of
its 1,500 laid-off employees were
calling for a return to fare regula
tion.
The company will focus on the
profitable charter service and main
tenance areas that have been the fi
nancial base of the company since
Ed Daly founded it in 1950 with
$50,000 in poker winnings.
The decision ends an era that be
gan in 1978, when Daly offered un
restricted coast-to-coast flights for
$99. That first shot in the ensuing
fare wars contributed to the govern
ment deregulation six years ago that
revolutionized air travel, but also led
to the collapse of Frontier Airlines
and layoffs at Eastern Airlines in the
past month.
Some newly laid-off World work
ers urge the government to resume
regulation of the airline industry.
Randy Fowler, a reservations
clerk from San Francisco, blamed
the World shakeup on “the craziness
of the industry since deregulation.”
pugnacious founder, who died in
1984 at age 61. In the early 1960s,
the airline set numerous records for
nonstop Hights and speed, using
Boeing 707s.
Until 1978, airline fares and
routes were strictly regulated by the
federal government in an environ
ment that was seen by critics as hos
tile to competition and protective of
the veteran airlines to the exclusion
of new competitors.
The estimated 50,000 people who
hold World tickets for Sept. 16 and
after are to be accommodated by
Pan American World Airways,
United Airlines and Presidential
Airlines.
United also plans to give job inter
views to the laid-off employees, who
represent 57 percent of World’s
work force of 2,600. Fowler said
World is planning job placement
seminars.
In many ways, World’s achieve
ments reflected the personality of its
The airline gained its most atten
tion through Daly’s rescue of refu
gees from Vietnam as the South
Vietnamese government fell in
1975. Daly personally supervised the
missions and more than once used
his fists or pistol butt to fend off mu
tinous soldiers who tried to push
their way aboard.
All the while, World was pushing
for government approval of more
id 1
passenger routes and lower fares.
With deregulation, World's grip
on its share of the low-fare market
began to slip. Stiff competition and
high fuel costs resulted in losses of
$58.2 million in 1982, $29.4 million
in 1983, $17.9 million in 1984 and
$9.5 million last year. 1 he company
restructured a $287 million debt in
1984.
New Houston
AIDS hospital
admits four
HOUSTON (AP) — The
opened AIDS hospital acimsl
four inpatients during tbit
two opening days, a hosi
spokeswoman said.
The first patient was admi
late Tuesday afternoon and»
in fair condition, said LynneV
ters, a spokeswoman for theta
tute of Immunological Duadtri
Walters declined to giveanvfe
ther information on the four
items except to say that all fot
are “fairly ill.”
Fhe 150-bed institute, [*1
merly Citizens General Hospsi
in north Houston, is the nance
first hospital totally devoted
the research and treatment oft
ciuired immune deficiency sn
drome. The institute opened
doors Tuesday.
Dr. Petei Mansell, the fadin
tiu-dii al dii c< tot, N.iid the hospe
initially will limit in-patient
missions to about 30 people.
Ini
Di
ni
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DilLird’s