JUNE 2012 VOL. XLI, No. 1

Published by and for the AIAA Long Island Section,

P.O. Box 491, Bethpage, NY 11714 EVENTS CALENDAR OFFICERS: Chairman: Dave Paris (516) 458-8593 [email protected] Note from the Chairman Vice-Chair: Greg Homatas (212) 268-8595 [email protected] July 8, field trip to Floyd Bennett Field, details on Secretary: Ed Deutsch (516) 781-2262 [email protected] page 2. Treasurer: W. Glenn Mackey (631) 368-0433 [email protected] COUNCIL MEMBERS: August 19, Air Force Week Event, co-sponsored with Anthony Agnone, Nick DiZinno, Muhammad Hayan, Frank Hayes, Jason Herman, Peter Kontogiannis, John Leylegian, AFA, “SR-71 Blackbird – An Engineering Emil Schoonejans, Jason Tyll, and Gerry Yurchison Marvel,”AIAA DL Col. Richard Graham, at the Intrepid ADVISORS: Sea, Air and Space Museum. See page 3.

Dan Katzenstein FLIER EDITORS: Dave Paris, [email protected] September date TBD, Clint Plummer, “Offshore Wind W. Glenn Mackey, [email protected] Power,” probably at the Bethpage Library. Details in FLIER PUBLISHER: the next FLIER. John Leylegian, (718) 862-7279, [email protected] NEW SECTION WEBSITE: October 4, 5, Aviation Career Fair, at Republic Airport. https://info.aiaa.org/Regions/NE/Long_Island/default.aspx Webmaster: Gerry Yurchison Details in next FLIER.

October 25, Mike Machat, “Republic Aviation Company Note from the Chairman th and Aircraft,” at the 56 Fighter Group Restaurant. See Aerospace continues to be exciting to those of us who spent page 4 and more details in the next FLIER our careers in that field, and, we hope, to young people and the general population. Our recent section meetings have We are planning additional events for October through highlighted recent space activities. Short summaries of the next June and would appreciate your suggestions. May and June meetings appear on page 5. We, however, try to mix up the subjects for our meetings. Historical aviation presentations always generate interest. Local aviation workers and retirees will want to attend our October meeting about the history of Republic Aviation.

This summer, we will see the Space Shuttle Enterprise exhibit open on the Intrepid, the Curiosity Mars Explorer land, and the Voyager 1 transmit data from outside the solar system. Commercial missions to the Space Station will continue and the Chinese will continue to man and build their space station.

Our efforts to encourage students to consider an engineering career will continue with our booth at the Aviation Career Fair in October. Please bring your high and middle school students.

All members are always welcome at Council meetings. Please contact me if you are interested in attending.

Dave Paris, 516-458-8593 [email protected] FLIER 1 JUNE 2012

AIAA/ASME SECTION MEETING

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Field Trip to Floyd Bennett Field Ryan Visitor Center and Historic Aircraft Restoration Project

Location: William Fitts Ryan Visitor Center RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Floyd Bennett Field RSVP BY July 7, 2012 Gateway National Recreation Area to: Greg Homatas at Brooklyn, New York 11234 [email protected] or (718) 812-2727 Time: 11:00 am

Cost: Free of Charge

This summer field trip will feature a guided walking tour of the Ryan Center and the Historic Aircraft Restoration Facility by a National Park Service representative from the Gateway National Recreation Area.

Following a three year restoration, the Gateway National Recreation Area’s William Fitts Ryan Visitor Center has recently re-opened for visitors with a 1930’s period restoration heralding the golden age of aviation including a full scale replica of Wiley Post’s Lockheed Vega, the Winnie Mae. In 1931, Floyd Bennett Field opened as New York City’s first municipal airport and the Ryan Center has been restored to reflect that period and features many exhibits.

Following our visit to the Ryan Center, we will visit the Historic Aircraft Restoration Facility (HARP). This facility is dedicated to preserving the aviation history of Floyd Bennett Field. Since 1995, volunteers have worked tirelessly to restore vintage aircraft to near museum quality condition. HARP is located in Hanger B, which is on the east side of Floyd Bennett Field and was constructed by the US Navy during World War II. It originally served as the base for VRF-4, one of the squadrons of the Naval Air Ferry Command which was headquartered at Naval Air Station, New York. Aircraft on display include a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina patrol bomber, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport, a Grumman G-21 Goose utility amphibian and a Grumman HU-16 Albatross flying boat.

Participants are advised to dress comfortably, wear comfortable walking shoes, bring a sunhat and sunscreen. Don’t forget to bring your cameras. The tour is not expected to exceed two hours.

Driving Directions: Take the Belt Parkway to Exit 11S onto Flatbush Avenue south. Two ways to get to the Ryan Center: 1) turn left into the park about 0.8 miles south of Belt Pkwy at first traffic light; 2) turn left into the park at the 4th traffic light about 1.4 miles south of Belt Pkwy just before the Marine Parkway Bridge toll plaza. For either path, follow signs to the Ryan Visitor Center. You will drive on the main runway and will see the Control Tower on the Center.

Mass Transit: Take the # 2 train to Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn College. Transfer to the Rockaway Park Bound Q 35 Bus. Ask the bus driver to let you off at the park entrance, across from a marina. Cross Flatbush Ave. The Center is in front of you. FLIER 2 JUNE 2012

JOINT AIAA/AFA/ASME/IIE/IEEE(AESS) SECTION MEETING

Sunday, August 19, 2012 During Air Force Week

“SR-71 Blackbird – An Engineering Marvel”

Speaker: Col. Richard Graham, USAF, retired

Location: Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th Street RSVP BY August 17, 2012 Manhattan, NY 10036 to: David Paris at [email protected] Time: 11:00 AM Presentation, in the Auditorium or 516-458-8593 Noon Q&A, at the SR-71 on the Flight Deck Ask for discount code when making reservation Cost: Admission to $24 - Adults $20 - seniors and college students the Intrepid: $17 - ages 7-17 $12 - ages 3-6 $19 - Veterans Free - active & retired US military (20% Discount for AIAA/AFA/ASME/IIE/IEEE(AESS) members) (There is an extra fee for entry to the Enterprise Pavillion)

The world’s fastest and highest flying aircraft was conceived as early as 1958 by the renowned Lockheed Skunk Works aircraft engineer, Kelly Johnson. The gigantic leap in technology he and his engineers had to overcome was phenomenal. Built in total secrecy, the first Blackbird flew on April 26, 1962. Its only purpose was to gather highly classified intelligence on hostile countries around the world. Flying at Mach 3+ speeds and cruising at over 85,000 feet, the SR-71 could survey over 100,000 square miles every hour. When cruising at over 2,100 mph, with skin friction temperatures reaching o 600 F, the SR-71 performed at its very best.

From 1967 to 1990, the SR-71 served seven U.S. Presidents, the CIA, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon and other government agencies. It provided them with the necessary intelligence to make crucial political and military decisions during the Cold War era. This presentation includes a video on the SR-71, and another honoring the legendary Kelly Johnson.

A veteran of 15 years of assignments within the SR-71 community, Col. Graham is uniquely qualified to tell the Blackbird story. In 1964, Col. Graham graduated both from the University of Akron and from USAF pilot training. His 25 year Air Force career included assignments as T-37 instructor pilot and flight examiner, F-4 pilot, and with the SR-71 program as instructor pilot, Squadron Commander, and Vice Wing Commander. He also served at the Air War College and the Pentagon. Upon retirement from the Air Force, he joined American Airlines, where he was a MD-80 Captain amassing over 7,500 flight hours.

Directions: Take the subway to Times Square and walk west to 12th Avenue or take the M-42 Bus west to the Hudson River (12th Ave.) and walk four blocks north to the Intrepid. Details at: http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/Plan-Your-Visit/Getting-Here.aspx FLIER 3 JUNE 2012

AIR FORCE WEEK August 17 - 21, 2012 in New York

Air Force Week offers a rare opportunity for civilians to get up-close and personal with their Air Force. From earth-shaking flyovers to meeting your Airmen, Air Force Week has something for everybody. Aircraft displays, interactive booths, military working dogs, the Air Force Academy Falcon and Air Force Bands will be at hot spots all over the city. Honor your own hometown heroes and the many accomplishments and sacrifices they have made all over the world, contributing to our national defense. There are more than 32,000 New York natives serving in the Air Force with 1,300 of them serving around the world today in contingency operations.

There will be events at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Wall Street, Times Square, Lincoln Center, Columbia University, VA Hospitals, and other locations around the city.

JOINT AIAA/ASME/IIE/IEEE(AESS) SECTION MEETING

Thursday, October 25, 2012

“REPUBLIC – THE COMPANY AND ITS AIRCRAFT”

Speaker: Mike Machat, noted aviation artist, author, and historian

Location: 56th Fighter Group Restaurant, Farmingdale

Details will appear in the next FLIER.

SECTION ELECTION RESULTS

We congratulate the members elected to the Council in June and thank them for their service to AIAA.

Chairman: David Paris Vice-chairman: Greg Homatas Secretary: Edward Deutsch Council Members: Nick DiZinno Peter Kontiogiannas Muhammad Hyan Emil Schoonejans Frank Hayes Dr. Jason Tyll FLIER 4 JUNE 2012

REPORT on May Section Meeting At the May 30 Section meeting, Section Chairman Dave Paris gave a talk on the “Commercial Use of Space.” The local chapters of the ASME, IIE and IEEE(AESS) joined us for this meeting. The Talk occurred while the SpaceX Dragon capsule was docked with the International Space Station (ISS) and one day before it successfully returned to a landing in the Pacific Ocean. Dave discussed this milestone for commercial supply of the ISS and the projects of other companies such as Orbital Science who are competing to win NASA contracts to perform the low Earth orbit missions previously done by NASA. He talked about these companies’ plans for transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit and beyond. Until these operations are routine, the United States will depend on Russian rockets and crew transport modules to bring astronauts to the Space Station and return them to Earth. The paradigm shift at NASA to support commercial operations has made these companies viable. Dave talked about the 30 year accomplishment history of the Space Shuttle until its retirement last year. He outlined NASA’s current plans, and briefly reviewed the space programs of other nations. He talked about the companies who build rockets and spacecraft and the companies who operate satellite systems and gave examples of the customers for these services. He described the current state of Space Tourism (still only $200,000 for a suborbital flight with Virgin Galactic) and concluded with a review of current proposals for mining the Asteroids, and the impact of the UN Outer Space Treaty on these plans.

REPORT on June Section Meeting

On June 14, AIAA Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Randii Wessen of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) gave his presentation, “The Future of U.S. Robotic Planetary Exploration” at our annual meeting, held at the 56th Fighter Group Restaurant in East Farmingdale. The local chapters of the ASME, IIE and IEEE(AESS) joined us for this meeting. Dr. Wessen started with a review of JPL history and early space projects. He showed amazing Earth observation animations showing ozone, earthquakes, CO2 and other features observable from orbit. He drew on his 28 years of space exploration experience to explain missions to Mars, Saturn and its moons, Mercury, Pluto, Jupiter and its moons. He talked about the search for Earth-like planets and the search for life in the cosmos, and showed remarkable pictures taken by Hubble and other space telescopes. He noted that future robotic spacecraft will have a wide range of capabilities, diverse mission objectives, and be launched almost one per year. Among the many types of missions, some will be the landers and sample return missions. These bold endeavors will require advanced mission concepts, new operational approaches, as well as technologies that have yet to be developed. Dr. Wessen described the division of the US robotic planetary exploration program into four themes: Earth; Mars; Solar System; Universe. He touched on each of these areas, the major missions currently in operation, and those being planned. This was a fascinating presentation; sorry if you missed it. FLIER 5 JUNE 2012

1 Davis Ave. Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 572-4111

Visit the Cradle with your children and grandchildren, explore their world-class exhibits, talk to their knowledgeable docents, join in their events, and watch a first run movie in their wide screen domed theatre. The Cradle always has great events planned, especially for students.

LEGENDS OF AIR & SPACE LECTURE SERIES

REFLECTIONS ON 9/11 AND THE FUTURE OF AVIATION

Major Heather “Lucky” Penney tells her story as a 9/11 First Responder and as an F-16 Pilot in Iraq

Wednesday, July 11th, 7:00 PM

This lecture is FREE, but space is limited.

Call 516-572-4066 to reserve your seat.

Major Heather Penney grew up in an aviation community of air racers and fighter pilots, and dreamed of one day joining that elite brotherhood herself – but girls couldn’t be fighter pilots. When congressional legislation opened combat aviation to women, she immediately applied to the 121st Fighter squadron, and became the first woman in the D.C. Air national guard to fly the F-16. When two airliners were flown into the World trade center twin towers, Lieutenant Penney was in a briefing room. After the Pentagon was hit, she was scrambled as part of a two-ship team to intercept another hijacked airliner and protect Washington DC. Taking off in unarmed jets, Penney and her flight lead would have had no choice but to ram their aircraft into what we now know was Flight 93.

Penney spent the next nine months flying a combat air patrol over our capitol’s skies, and deployed as a scud-hunter in western Iraq during the opening phases of operation Iraqi Freedom. After two combat tours in Iraq, her last flight in the F-16 Viper was in February 2009. She continues to serve as a traditional Air Guardsman as a mission-ready aircraft commander in the C-38 Gulfstream 100. Major Penney works at Lockheed Martin as director, U.S. Air Force Air Superiority Systems, and has two young daughters. She has raced in the jet class at the Reno Air Races, co-pilots the Collings Foundation B-17 as a volunteer, and has more than 2,000 hours in military jets, antique and vintage taildraggers.

More info at: http://www.cradleofaviation.org/ FLIER 6 JUNE 2012