LETTER TO MAJOR LESLIE J. GREENWOOD FROM LYNN L.BOLLINGER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R000200140077-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 7, 2002
• Sequence Number: 77
• Publication Date: February 7, 1961
• Content Type: LETTER

Approv2
elease 2002/10/21: CIA-RDP80601676R000200140077-3
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emmander tflt,
A121476W,10.3
Room 4-274, Pentagon
Aashington 25, . C.
Attentions Major Ismlie J. "drummed
Lear Stri
7ebruary
Re: ag....jeaLFrespent for $TCA. Aircraft
?ecently, was had opportunity to disease briefly with members of the Transporta-
tion harm' eertain oharacteristiee of the Lelio 1....28A bearing on this airplane's
capabilities to fulfill on exiatinc$AC Naluirement. Out of that oonference, we
ascertained that two essential facts had not been eemmunicated adequately to
USA? Headquarters.
is U:,41.7 headquarters evidently bad noinforma-
ion later than :c mitten Report, which -- while not published until
smeary 190 -e was in fact based on 1956 eommerciaqt versions. The particular
'aircraft used, though procured in January 1959, were 1958 production items in
standard civilian eonfigeratica without that heavrduty equipment, night lighting
and-cther details even then being incorporated in those L-28* 's being used in
actual field service. The ArC Report goes into great detail on inadequaeies,
many of which reflect only the dee/04n of the AM Procureeent tflc. to omit
on the Aarc evaluation sirplanws much of the equipment generally included for
other militery operations.
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In addition, sines, 1958, substantial nodificetions and improvements have been
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developed at government expense to bereave the -2 'a effectiveneee on nilitary-
tYpevienione. Among the substantial modifications now available for military
*Prlioatiam, for example, Is a fear-inch wider. cabin with extra doors permitting
the level lceding of two litters and with sleeting capacity for six. ,:iso avail-
able is an internal opening door and Other modifications to facilitate low
altitude precision parachute drop*. ?The L.2aA is new operated at a 392C gross
load, rroviding a total uswifUl load of 190C lbs.
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\'s (The office which he. been using J-280a on sensitive operations is, we understand,
/ now prirperinii docu on mentation end reports its performance, service history and
' geverement-financed development. These data are being transmitted to :ieretral a.
A. honesty, Lireetor or Operational lequirements. Although the full information
desired may net automatieally be incorporated in the first reports delivered to
General holloway's office, these mommunications will establish a ohennel for suily
additional imformatlen desired.
.,43 uneerstand that the existence of these improved capabilities of the L,-2,:- was
known and taken into account at ,:;.AG's esaceluarter%5 when that office established
4equireeents consistent with the best capabilltles inewn to be available.
'STATINTL
On file USARrferliglwf -RDP80601676R000200140077-3
instructions apply.
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Atemajugameits_oethamageszassinigiftg, the resent confereness at USAF Beath.
starters indioated that. certain of the oseentials needed to service satisfactorily
the SAC missile bases have been lett sight of in the debates as to whether 'ST!'
la rosily necessary for MC' s purposes. There has been a great preoccupation with
WSW length as though that were the sole determinant of the need for e air-
Ana* .ftwarver, STOL capabilities involve sonsiderably acre than mere ability to
laratibed take-gaff short over barrier,.
If short-field landing and take-off abilittwere the onAy essential characteristic
differentiating * tree STCL airplane, then, with moderate additions to runway length,
lower-cost naked-wing conventional airplanes night often fulfill the funstion with
greater net economy. The report that General Rolloweyes office is resolving,
"Aamever, together with a more careful check on the moults of the field tests br.
SAC personnel at Warren Air ForgeBase will reveal conclusively that considerably
nor* then the runway length factor is Involved.
The extensive flight teats at Warren Air Fore. DAN by SAC pilots in an L-28A
demonstrated that certain other characterieties of this STOL airplane were equally
as important as its short-field ability in meeting SAC', mission reliability
requirements. In order for the L-28A to be able to operate en short one-way
stripe it has been necessary to develop certain oentrel-and-stability as well as
greemd handling obaracteristics which also enable this airplane to continue operation
under turbulence and crosswind conditions which ground other light airplanes, regard
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lose of the serisay length.
Than, on a member of occasions, while4AC pilots were performing transition training
flights with the L-28A on the one-way strip which is several thousand feet long at
Warren Air terse Bess, wind conditions greamded all other light aircraft, including
the L.20's which were them performing nissile base supply work. We were advised
that the L-28 was several tines pulled off its test program in order to substitute
on missile base missions when the other aircraft were grounded.
Thus, the recent dissuasion. as to whether or not a small increase in runwgy length
night eliminate SAC's *old for TOL aircraft is Overlooking one of the woot essential
factors in their Requirement. As you know, STOL aircraft are new being used exten-
sively by the Russian, German and trials military and are under presurement by the
British and Swedish. STOL operations in every part of the globe (including those
by U. S. military officers now being sumnariaed for General Bollasey4s office) have
demonstrated the inpertanee of two design features not incorporated im older-style
conventional airplanes. These ares .
Irirst is the necessity for some fora of boundary-layer control. The
devioe which the L-284 uses was also copied fru' the British by the
Euesians -- namely, the Bandley4sige loading-edge slat. The Germans
enploy the somewhat simpler, these less effective, fixed-slot in the
wing. In every ease, however, where efforts have been made to substi-
tute the yet &wiper umproteeted eonventional naked-wing on light
aircraft for restricted area operations, undue vulnerability to ter..
bulenoe has resulted. We therefore suggest that your office shock
back through the communications channel in General Solloway's office
to verify that this beendary-layer control characteristic has been
found essential to accomplish mission reliability under a wide range
of weather conditions on one0way strips, independent of length.
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. Attention: Major Leslie J. Greenwood Page Three
Ret Litc.hglimealtaza_mr_torat Febreary 7, 1961
budand ovally essential for any such fixed-wing airplame is some
sort ek-sapplement to the lateral control system so that an adequate
rat4416roll can be naintalaei. for maneuvering and to cornet for gust
upset:rat those lower speedallikere conventional ailerons beams
inadequate. Tom will find, heakfrom the Warren Air Force Ramp tests
and from the other O. S. serviesiiimperience referred to above, that
such a supplemental sedition to the conventional aileron aysten is
essential. (It is on this point of lateral control that the 1-28A ham
exoeeded the Eeropean STOL aircraft winning the 1960 B.A.T.A.C.
competition atilhorshae, England.)
Became. the USAF has to date procured an insufficient number and variety
of STOL aircraft to have established meaningful control-and-stability
standards, there is probably no substitute bat to require a history of
satisfactory service emporia:es with whatever control viten nay be
provided. Again, the records eVailable.on the L-28A will document its
abilities an that point.
We will appreciate year attention to the points submitted in this letter and your
cooperation in distribeting this information to such other officers at USAF
headquarters and in Air Materiel Command as may properly be concerned.
Sincerely yours
hILIO AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
Lynn L. Bollinger
LiBIRCG President
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