Aerospace industry

“ The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is working with industry to develop technologies that will make conventional aircraft safer, more affordable, and more environmentally friendly. Government and industry researchers are also working in partnership to transform the concept of affordable commercial supersonic flight into a reality early in the next century. These technological advancements in aviation and aerospace will continue to contribute to our success and prosperity. ”

“ The flight spanned 120 feet and lasted just 12 seconds, yet it ushered in a new era of unimaginable advances in aviation and aerospace technology. Today, air travel is vital to our country, helping bring people together and sustain our security. In addition, the aviation industry strengthens our economy by supporting millions of jobs. ”

“ The potential government-guaranteed market for fuel in low-Earth orbit would create a stimulus to the commercial launch industry. In the design of the new launcher, in-space stages and in-space refueling, the Committee cautions against the tradition of designing for ultimate performance, at the cost of reliability, operational efficiency and life-cycle cost. ”

“ One important responsibility of NASA given little attention now in the organization, is that of providing for basic research and advanced development in the field of aeronautics. There is a general belief in the aviation industry that the national preoccupation with space developments has all but halted any advance in the theory and technology of aerodynamic flight. There is ample evidence to support the contention that the Russians and possibly the British, are surpassing us in this field and consequently in the development of supersonic commercial aircraft. ”

“ America leads the world in aeronautics technology, and that leadership is directly reflected in the success of our aircraft industry. The legacy of the Wright brothers is clear: in the past year, the U.S. aeronautics industry sold more than $100 billion in products and employed more than a million people in high-quality jobs. Aircraft are the Nation's top manufactured export, with more than $40 billion in sales in 181 countries around the world. ”

“ Until aeroplanes have been made and accepted as practical, no court will force a manufacturer to turn out a machine guaranteed to fly. So purchasers can well remember that if their machines refuse to fly they have no redress against the maker, for he can always say, 'The industry is still in its experimental stage.' In contracting for an engine no builder will guarantee that the particular engine will successfully operate the aeroplane. ”

“ The Soviet Union recognizes that science and technology are major factors in that competition. The nation that is strong in science and technology has the foundation to be strong in all other areas and will be perceived as a world leader.
Aeronautics and space can be major factors in our technological strength. They demand the very best in engineering, because the consequences of mistakes are great: the crash of an aircraft, or the complete failure of a spaceship.
A viable aviation industry and a strong space program are important visible elements in our international competition. ”

“ Of course, the aeronautics industry has benefited tremendously. Engines, automatic pilots, radar systems, flight equipment, capable of meeting the high standards required by space vehicles represent a great improvement over our already excellent aircraft. ”

“ In the early years of the war, France supplied aircraft and engines to her allies. French as forerunner of the quest for technology can be credited to the open-source ambience, which prevailed in the aeronautical community before the Great War. The increase in aircraft production is naturally due to the shadow of the war to come.
In 1911, the tradition of military air shows was started, and not only was this idea taken up by other nations, but it proved a great stimulus for the Aviation industry. ”

“ Several transportation companies are already organized for that purpose.
All the above types of aircraft are so designed that pontoons or flying-boats can be substituted for wheels and landing-gear, and so that most aircraft manufacturers [195] can make both. Of course, in most cases the boats and the motors are made by different manufacturers. Several companies, however, construct aeroplanes complete with motors.
Naturally no manufacturing industry can exist without a potential market. ”

“ A vigorous space program has provided many technological challenges to our nation. Efforts such as Apollo, Voyager, and the Space Shuttle have involved challenges and risks far more significant than those of short-term technological needs.
Meeting these challenges has resulted in a "technological push" to American industry, fostering significant innovation in [4] a wide range of high technology fields such as electronics, computers, science, aviation, communications and biomedicine. The return on the space investment is higher productivity, and greater competitiveness in the world market. ”

“ The only result can be, from all the interest and importance attached to aviation, that after the war is over, large commercial uses will develop which will offer employment to those who go into the work at this time for military reasons. No one can predict exactly what turn the situation will take, but there is every indication that aviation has graduated from the primary class of experimental work and is to be considered now as an industry along with the automobile business, motor-boat business, etc. ”

“ Common manufacturing techniques and existing commercial, off-the-shelf hardware are being adapted to aerospace applications. For example, some small U.S. businesses that traditionally make components for medical and automotive industries are modifying their hardware and manufacturing methods for use in space transportation. ”

“ Some of the best engineering41 talent of the world was diverted from many and various fields to the one task of supplying the demands of the military aeronauts for more speed, more power, more reliable motors, better materials and appliances. Thus the war not only perfected aeronautics—especially aviation—as an art, but practically created it as an industry. At the close of hostilities the world found itself in possession of a vast fleet of aircraft, a multitude of aircraft factories, and a great army of trained aeronauts. ”

“ A large commercial air fleet will provide, not only a reserve of men and machines, but it will keep in existence an aircraft industry, with its designing and constructional staffs, capable of quick and wide expansion in emergency; and such an industry will not be employed on the design of contrivances for use in a possible war, but on meeting the practical requirements of everyday air transport and navigation. ”

“ Foster technology development and demonstration to support future decisions on the development of next generation reusable space transportation systems that greatly reduce the cost of access to space; Encourage the cost-effective use of commercially provided U.S. products and services, to the fullest extent feasible, that meet mission requirements; and Foster the international competitiveness of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry, actively considering commercial needs and factoring them into decisions on improvements in launch facilities and launch vehicles. ”

“ As a result, a recent report stated that there were 248 factories in the United States making planes, with over 150,000 men working on aircraft. In a single year this giant industry has sprung up, and the [231] mechanical genius of America has been focussed upon this latest problem: the heavier-than-air machine.
It is inconceivable that our country, which can boast the invention of the airplane, should in peace times allow this great industry to wane. For a long time we slept while France was forging ahead in the design and construction of machines. ”

“ The creation of a central or universal office for the design of the various jigs used in the manufacture of aircraft, with power to decide the process of manufacture, although a somewhat far-reaching reform, would certainly eliminate a number of useless experiments made by the individual constructors, and would also greatly improve the interchangeability of the various components. In addition, fresh firms to the aviation industry would be at once acquainted with the general methods of manufacture, which should be of considerable assistance in expediting initial output. ”

“ Built on the foundation of this research and technology base, the U.S. aviation industry employs about 1,000,000 Americans, ranks second largest among U.S. manufacturing employers, contributes more than any other manufacturing industry to the U.S. balance of trade, and has replaced agriculture as first in net trade contribution. ”

“ In plane-to-plane combat our military pilots showed a courage and initiative unequaled by ally or foe.
With our entry into the war, our infant aviation industry also picked up speed. With typical American energy it built up an enviable production record before the end of the war. As America had no combat airplane designs at the start of the war, our industry turned out planes and engines of foreign design. Aircraft factories built English DH-4 observation planes, Handley-Page bombers, and SE-5 fighter planes. ”

“ In brief, space exploration is becoming almost an industry in itself, and there are those who believe it destined to become the largest industrial spur in the Nation before too many years have gone by.
One expert, an experienced hand not only in astronautics but in the business world as well, describes the outlook in this fashion: "A great industrial change is taking place in the United States. The aircraft industry, which long considered missiles as a small department, now finds itself becoming a part of the large missile and space [Pg 19] flight industry. It is an elemental evolution. ”

“ This would become the keynote of the aircraft manufacturing industry’s struggle for survival, but first we must establish a wholly new definition of air power. Instead of its being synonymous with air force, the term must incorporate such other elements as aircraft production, airline transport, private flying, finance, public support, in fact everything that helps make a nation strong in the air. ”

“ An industrial change is upon us comparable to the advent of mercantilism." [29] He has predicted that within a decade or so the astronautics industry will be larger than the automotive industry of the entire world. ”

“ Fred went on to develop the vast difference between the volume-producing industries, where low first cost was the incentive, and the aircraft industry, where low operating cost was the real criterion. The airline operator could afford to pay a high price for high quality aircraft, provided he reduced his operating costs enough to absorb the first cost in a reasonable time. The whole character of the two types of industry differed, and neither could expect to do the other’s job. Technological development was the key to the economic security of an enterprise like aviation. ”

“ On July 2, 1996, NASA competitively selected Lockheed Martin for a government-industry partnership to design, build and fly the experimental X-33 rocket plane. The X-33 vehicle will demonstrate advanced technologies to dramatically increase launch vehicle safety, reliability and lower the cost of putting a pound of payload into space from $10,000 to $1,000. ”

“ The flying machine is no longer the delusion of the “crank,” because it has developed a great industry. A now antiquated statement put the capitalization of aeroplane manufactories in France at a million dollars, and the development expenditure to date at six millions. There are dozens of builders, in New York City alone, of monoplanes, biplanes, gliders, and models. A permanent exhibition of air craft is just being inaugurated. We have now even an aeronautic “trust,” since the million-dollar capitalization of the Maxim, Blériot, Grahame-White firm. ”

“ Because the whole industry is so new it probably has more difficulties proportionately than many others. Growing pains are inevitable. Aviation is only now emerging into the status of an industry. Hitherto it has been largely a jumble of gallant individual efforts. Even today, there are more independent producers of airplanes than there are automobile manufacturers. The survival of the fittest, with accompanying combinations, will come just as they have come in the motor industry. ”

“ We have already seen that there were some eight private firms manufacturing aircraft in a small way and there was practically speaking no engine industry at all. For the Royal Flying Corps, the War Office had relied largely on the Royal Aircraft Factory, and, although the methods of control adopted had many advantages, there was in them a tendency to retard private enterprise and development. The Admiralty, on the other hand, had assisted by dealing almost entirely with firms for Royal Naval Air Service supply. ”

“ Continued leadership in aviation is increasingly important in today's global economy, not only to maintain America's competitive position in that economy, but also to facilitate the flow of international commerce. As the Federal Aviation Administration works to maintain and improve the world's safest and most efficient air transportation system, Americans must continue the research and development of even faster, safer, quieter, and more efficient aircraft. ”

“ Such an industry must, of course, keep in the forefront of world technological progress and [Pg 283] be capable of rapid expansion in times of emergency. As the keystone of air commerce and air forces, the public interest seemed to require at least a minimum industry. The report, when finally issued, clearly indicated the vital need for a long-term, continuing program that would correlate all needs, public and private, and it specified the size of a minimum program in pounds of air frames to be built each year. ”

“ In the author's opinion it is vitally necessary, both with a view to ensuring speedy victory and to our future as a nation, that our manufacturing resources in the production of aircraft should be developed to the utmost; aeroplanes and still more aeroplanes will be needed, aeroplanes in the maximum possible quantities of every useful type, whether reconnaissance, bmb-dropping, or fighting machines; our total present capacity for production is petty in comparison with what we have evidence the future will demand. ”