HIGHER AND FASTER

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of human sustained flight, Aviation Week & Space Technology asked some of its editors to provide snap histories of the subject areas they have covered for many years. To provide insights on what might be in store 25 or so years from now, during the Next Century of Flight, we turned to experts in specific fields.

Who better to write about space launchers than Senior Editor Craig Covault, who has covered space issues for more than 30 years. Senior Space Technology Editor Frank Morring, Jr., who has almost as many years in the field as Covault, writes about spacecraft. Assistant Managing Editor Stanley W. Kandebo is an expert on engines, so he provides us with the history of propulsion starting with the Wright brothers. Senior Engineering Editor Michael A. Dornheim, an aeronautical engineer by training, knows both aircraft design and materials so was tapped to write on both subjects. While the field of unmanned aerial vehicles might seem comparatively new, Senior Military Editor David A. Fulghum tells us about the long heritage of UAVs. And while Senior Contributing Editor Philip J. Klass may dispute whether he coined the word "avionics," we do know he was there at its inception.

Picking the writers to probe the future was more challenging, considering the large number of people available with knowledge of the subjects. Apollo 17 astronaut and former U.S. Sen. Harrison (Jack) Schmitt was an easy choice, and we think you will find his views on the future of space very thought-provoking. The same can be said for Vaughn Cordle's look at what the airlines will look like in 25 years. He is a well-known financial analyst and airline captain. Bruce Holmes of the NASA Langley Research Center brings his expertise to a look at avionics and the traffic system of the future.

Because of the current evolution in military operations, two separate opinions were requested, and they complement each other. One essay is from George K. Muellner, a former combat pilot and U.S. Air Force lieutenant general who is now senior vice president/general manager of Air Force Systems for Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems unit. The other article is by Owen Cote, associate director of the Security Studies Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.