_____ __ _plane Ready to launch Apollo 14 Sunday on JO-day lunar mission This Sunday afternoon Apollo 14 is craft Commander Alan Shepard Jr. and last year’s Apollo wasn’t perfect, Aquar for space pioneering, that lack has been scheduled to be launched from the Ken LM Pilot Ed Mitchell get a first-hand ius made up for the critical deficiency. made up for by the intensified deter nedy Space Center in Florida. chance to explore part of Fra Mauro More important, perhaps, was what mination of the spacecraft builders to create a “perfect” craft. Ten days later, on Tuesday, February and its rugged terrain . as Com happened during and after that Apollo 9, the three astronauts aboard the Com mand Module Pilot Stuart Roosa goes 13 flight: A somewhat blase public was That drive toward perfection has mand Module are scheduled to splash ‘round and ‘round the moon in a fairly jarred into realizing that space mis manifested itself at Grumman. As re down in the Pacific. tight orbit. sions are not easy, routine events to be ported January 15 by Chuck Kroupa, In between those dates there’ll be This will be the second shot at Fra taken for granted—and the men and Grumman’s director of Operations at the some “coasting” to and from the moon. Mauro. Last year’s try failed—though women who build the ships now see Cape, the only “problem” thus far is the But the heart of the mission will be the it proved the capability of LM Aquarius even more keenly the need for near per absence of any problem. Now, just prior two extended periods for Extra-Ve to serve as a “lifeboat” to bring its fection. If, as some contend, the so- to launch, Kroupa says, “Everything’s hicular Activity (EVA) when Space- three-man crew back home to earth. If called man-in-the-street has less ardour going quite well. It’s a real good bird, and we’re watching it like a hawk.” Grumman Vehicle Director Tom Car penter mirrors Kroupa’s confidence. This launch -has a rather narrow “window”—tliat is, a time frame with in which a launch from the Cape can result in an on-target landing point on the moon’s surface under proper light conditions for the crew. The window is there from 3:23 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. (1ST). If missed, the flight would be delayed until March. But no one is thinking c%QflLJ O__ about a March mission. (There’s a little bonus tucked into this Sunday’s manned mission: The big news (Continued on page 8) Fleet gets Grumman EA-68, Navy’s newest ECM aircraft There’s a big welcoming party planned NATC. Lt. Lee Tillotson, Navy project for today at the Naval Air Station at pilot on the EA-6B, flew the plane dur Whidhey Island in Washington State ing the trials. thai -oiIl draw some high Navy and And how did it go? Following a week Groan oiflcials. They’ll be at the of carrier trials, which included 22 cata West Coast training site for carrier air pult take-offs and 22 arrested landings crcvs to mark the introduction of the under various aircraft loadings and con Na ;‘s newest electronic warfare air figurations, Lt. Tillotson remarked: craft— le Grumman EA—GB—into Fleet “Well, you’ve done it again. You’ve service. got another good one!” The EA-6B, a derivative of the A-GA, There were no serious problems en has a four-man crew and carries ad countered during the tests—in fact, the vanced electronic equipment for auto arrested landings and catapult launches matically d e t e c t i n g and degrading indicate that the EA-6B will have better enemy radar systems. carrier performance than the A-GA due Early this month, the newest Intruder to better pilot visibility and an im was pronounced fit and ready for car proved wing design. rier duty following a week of intensive “It was a real charge to witness such sea trials aboard the U.S.S. Midway. The outstanding performances by the air Navy scheduled the trials to evaluate the craft, the Navy, and our own people,” Sea trials. Launching crew hurries to ready Grumman EA-6B for nose-tow general compatability of the EA-6B said Miller on his return to Bethpage. catapult from U.S.S. Midway during recent sea trials off West Coast. EA-6B. with the operating carrier environment, Navys newest electronic warfare aircraft, was rated ‘go’ for Fleet service. (Conthuced on page 2) to determine minimum requirements (Phofo by Fred Annette) necessary for safe catapult conditions, and to assess various other EA-6B fly ing characteristics to assure safe opera next generation in AEW defense tions from a carrier. Fly first E-2C, It was the final—and perhaps the most The Navy’s latest Airborne Eearly field. The Navy likes the 1-2 family to either automatically or voice command critical—series of tests the EA-6B had Warning aircraft, the E-2C Hawkeye, the extent of $152 million, the amount ed to target from the E-2 air-to-air to undergo before it went into Fleet completed its first flight the afternoon of the development contract awarded to data link. service. Because it was so important, of January 20—one month ahead of Grumman since June 1968. The E-2A “The Navy’s offensive and defensive Grumman sent a full team of engineers, schedule. Jim Philbin, Grumman assist made its maiden flight in 1960. weapons systems are designed to rely on flight test, production, and quality con ant chief test pilot, and Dick Van Allen, What is the Hawkeye’s main mission? the E-2 umbrella,” Guarino says. trol personnel to assist in the opera co-pilot, flew for two hours “with a Fleet or task force protection, says Tom A major improvement in the E-2C is tional support of the plane. Heading that high degree of confidence, before and Guarino, E-2 Program director. It can its ability to detect targets over land as crew were Bob Miller, Vice President during the flight,” to quote Philbin. (He detect and track both friend and enemy, well as over water. This proves to be opera and IA-GB Program director; Don King, may be a little prejudiced, having been and then it can direct the interception significant in Vietnam, where deputy director on the EA-6B; Ken closely associated with Grumman’s Air from its place in the sky. Normal mis tions close to land generated a require Moser, EA-6B flight test manager; and borne Early Warning aircraft for almost sion altitude is approximately 25,000 ment for target detection over land and 690 flight Lou Popovich, EA-6B vehicle project a decade.) feet and 200 nautical miles from the near land. Grumman expended engineer. The new Hawkeye is the third in the carrier, from where cruise missiles, sur test hours and developed the hardware to But Grumman was aboard only in a 1—2 family of carrier—based aircraft face vessels, and low flying aircraft can and detection techniques required detection capa support role. In charge of the trials designed and built by Grumman. E-2C be pinpointed if they should attempt to provide this overland was Lt. Cdr. Bob Johnson, who heads carries an entirely new avionics system slip below the carrier’s protective radar bility. 2) up the carrier suitability branch at incorporating the latest advances in the screen. Airborne interceptors can be (Continued on page Vol. 30, No. 2, Bethpage, N. Y., January 29, 1971 New pension ruling big assist to those seeking early retirement A new improvement in the Grumman told us you would really like to retire Each individual’s pension differs, de year. That adjustment in pension checks Pension Plan was announced last week early but couldn’t afford to. Now we pending on years of service, pay rate, became effective October 1, 1970, and by Clint Towl, Chairman of the Board, feel we have made early retirement and age at retirement, so these figures will be made annually in the future. following a meeting of the Grumman more attractive — and practical — for are merely a guide. Board of Directors. It affects those men those with a desire or need, because of This change is retroactive to Decem Ofher benefifs and women, ages 60 to 65, who may health or other personal reasons, to take ber 31, 1970. It favorably affects also A year ago, the Directors gave a vest choose to retire early. Their new pen advantage of it.” those who are between the ages of 50 ed right to a pension to anyone who sions will be substantially higher than and 60 with 20 years’ service. If they leaves Grumman’s employ, Bookief fo come for any rea before. decide to retire they will get higher pen son, after completing 10 years of serv “We have had this under study for a A booklet describing the new pen sions than before. ice with the Company. long time,” Clint Towl said. “At Pin sion plan will soon be distributed, and Clint Towl made the point that an Clint Towl’s answer to those who have Presentation meetings you have often the Statement of Benefits that is mailed employee who continues working until asked, “Why can’t I personally contrib to each employee each year will state 65 will of course build up a higher pen ute to the Pension Plan?” is, “the the personal pension figures for each in sion than one who retires early.