The White Falcon - 29.10.1971, Blaðsíða 3

fir
•f
■
‘I’ll get high
with help from
my computers’
Here comes Hal, the computer
in the motion picture "2001, A
Space Odyssey" right out of the
future...or at least a computer
similar to Hal, which operates
the Navy's P3-C Orion, now offi-
cially the fastest, quickest-
climbing, highest-flying and lon-
gest-ranged heavyweight turboprop
in the world.
"The big difference between
the P3-C and the A's and B's,"
says Lt. J.T. McCollister, VP—49,
"is that the A's and B's are op-
erated almost all manually while
the P3-C's are all operated from
a centralized computer, something
like Hal, in the motion picture."
VP-49 received the Navy Unit Com-
mendation last May for being the
first to put the P3-C into an op-
ational status and also for
er work done with it last year.
The fact that the Orion is op-
erated by computers takes a lot
of the calculating work off the
pilot's responsibility. This
leaves him with his primary du-
ties. This also may have had much
bearing on the Orion's accom-
plished history:
Early this year, Cdr. Donald
Lilienthal of the Naval Air Sys-
tems Command laid claim to eight
world records with the P3-C Orion.
Flying a standard, production
model Orion, the commander shat-
tered records, before held by the
Russians, in eight categories in-
cluding: Four never before at-
tempted rate-of-climbs; Pushing
the speed record from the Rus-
sian's 452 to 501 m.p.h.; Better-
ing Russian marks in peak and
level flight altitude and break-
ing the distance record of 4,761
miles by malting the great circle
route from Atsugi, Japan to Pat-
uxent River, Md. for a distance
of 6,857 miles. For his accom-
plishments in these and other
categories, Cdr. Lilienthal was
awarded the Distinguished Flying
Cross.
The P3-C Orion may have moved
us closer toward the premonition
that in man's future he may have
more time to spend figuring out
^.s own problems. Can't you just
the computers saying, "We’ll
ive the flying to you, but you
'eave the calculating to us,"?
WHITE FALCON
more
^^?eav<
These men have been honored by Commander Iceland Defense Force as
the Men of the Quarter. They are (from 1) Marine PFC Kevin Sheehan,
OT3 Clifton Corkem and Air Force Sgt. Myron D. Barley.
ComlceDeFor selects
Men of Quarter
Iceland Defense Force has recognized its outstanding Sailor, Air-
man and Marine for July through September 1971.
Rear Adm. John K. Beling, ComIDF, commended and rewarded these
outstanding servicemen in presentation ceremonies last week. The re-
cipients of these selective hon-
ors were 0T3 Clifton C. Corkem,
Air Force Sgt. Myron D. Barley
and Marine PFC Kevin Sheehan.
Theletters cited these men for
outstanding performance as citi-
zens of the Keflavik community.
In addition, the admiral com-
mended the men for excellent per-
formance of military duties by
saying, "this award will provide
added incentive to your continu-
ing performance of those accomp-
lishments which are above and be-
yond the call of your service re-
sponsibilities."
Corkem, a graduate of Texas
A&M University resides with his
wife in Keflavik.
Sgt. Barley is stationed at
H-3, and has been in the Air
Force for three years.
PFC Sheehan entered the Marine
Corps in Oct. 1970 and came to
Iceland from duty with the Second
Marine Division at Camp Lejeune,
N.C.
In addition to the honors be-
stowed upon these men, they also
were awarded a priority 3 flight
to and from continental Europe,
and entitled to arrange a tour
through the Recreation Department
for a total not to exceed $50.
Next WSIP session
set for next week
Keflavik's version of Town-
send's Prep School,locally called
the Wives Service Information
Program, will hold its next ses-
sion Nov. 1 through 3.
It will be held in the chapel
annex from 1 to 4 each afternoon
and free nursery service will be
available.
The course is set to cover the
questions young Navy wives may
have about their husband's careers
and present them with facts and
information on benefits that are
due them as wives of Navymen.
For further information and
registration call Ext. 6289.
3