■ygg i ill! COMMITTEl ON SCIENCI AND TECHNOLOGY 



nil. SHOTGUN M \RR1 u,l 



Wydler, the most outspoken advocate of quick rulemaking action 

 by FAA and continued funding of NASA technology, clarified the 

 issue when he pointed out that NASA's investment would be thrown 

 down a rat hole unless FAA put it into effect through its noise reduction 

 rules. Dr. Fletcher, in a 1978 letter to Teague, recalled that "com- 

 mittee members sometimes (were) attempting to drive a wedge be- 

 tween FAA and NASA." Actually, the subcommittee was trying to 

 bring the two agencies together and the shotgun marriage did not 

 quite work out. As Wydler predicted, NASA produced the technology 

 I A \ did not applv it, and the results were inconclusive. Dr. Fletcher 

 commented in L978: 



A side effect of all this, however, was th.it a good many of the new planes that 

 are now being produced in the United States (and unfortunacely France and England) 

 are using this new technology and ultimately all planes will he quieter. 



In February 1974, the subcommittee held oversight hearings on 

 the possible use of hydrogen as aviation fuel, and also inquired into 

 fuel conservation and current developments in supersonic technology. 

 Hechler authorized Goldwater to preside over held hearings on these 

 subjects in Los Angeles. The committee produced two reports on 

 these issues at the end of 1 9 _ 4 : "Aviation Fuel Conservation Research 

 and Development" and " Hydrogen as an Aviation Fuel." In a letter of 

 transmittal, Hechler noted: 



B) combining various technological advances, NASA suggested by the early 

 1980's fuel savings approaching 30 percent should be possible in advanced aircraft. 

 Longer range technology oilers the potential of a saving of 50 percent over today's 

 wide-body aircraft. 



HYDROGEN AS AVIATION FUEL 



'The promise is bright, but the problems are enormous" con- 

 cluded a subcommittee report on hydrogen as an aviation fuel. As a 

 direct result of the February hearings and oversight, the committee 

 recommended an increase from $755,000 to $1,410,000 to investi- 

 gate the problems and prospects of liquid hydrogen as an aviation 

 fuel. These additional funds were pointed toward such difficulties as 

 fuel tank insulation and the compatibility of materials with liquid 

 hydrogen. 



The subcommittee also added $1.6 million to the NASA request 

 for aviation safety research, pinpointing that these new funds should 

 he used in such areas as clear air, storm and wake vortex turbulence, 

 and tire technology. The longtime interest of the subcommittee in 

 general aviation stimulated the addition of $2 million, with emphasis 

 on making general aviation safer, more reliable, and more competitive 

 in world markets. 



