The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, July 10, 1979-Page 7
DECISION COULD COME TODA Y
FAA may allow DC-10s to resume flying
From The Associated Press pulleys, and mechanical drive system. and flaps on the rear of wings provide the large number of executives aboard
The Federal Aviation Administration " That a stall warning system would extra lift or drag on a plane during the ill-fated, Los Angeles-bound flight.
(FAA), nearing a decision on whether be required that senses the position of takeoffs or landings. CHICAGO ATTORNEY John Ken-
to end its grounding of DC-10 jetliners, slats and flaps on both wings. Most The FAA said the intent of its instruc- ell who won a record 5 Jmillion
instructed the airlines yesterday to planes, including the American Airlines tions yesterday was to give airlines a jdeny in 1977 ord h fmiliof
take steps to prepare the planes for a DC-10 that crashed in Chicago May 25 head start on new maintenance judgment in 1977 for the family of
resumption of commercial flights. with a loss of 273 lives, already have procedures that will be required once Illinois investment brokeriHenry Hud-
One development that might delay such a system, the FAA said, and the planes are given clearance to son - the highest American jury ver-
announcement of the decision was rewiring will be required on the few resume flying. dict for a single death in a plane crash
discovery of a crack inside the pylon, or planes that have sensing systems for Industry experts list several reasons says that factor alone will drive the
engine mounting assembly, of a United only one wing, why precedents set in previous crash cost of settlements sky-high.
Airlines DC-10 at Newark, N.J. SLATS ON the front edge of wings settlements won't apply.Foremost is 'In other crashes, the average set-
AN FAA spokesperson said initial tlement runs around $300,000 a case,"
reports indicated the crack was in a said Kennelly, who has filed lawsuits on
"non-critical area." The plane was behalf of the families of at least 20 vic-
flown to San Francisco early yesterday tims of the May 25 crash.
for further inspection by FAA, United, "I think that is far too low in this in-
and McDonnell Douglas officials. stance. I've already been retained in
The cost of the American Airlines DC- several cases which, on a conservative
to crash on May 25 could reach $500 basis, I think are worth over $2 million
million - more than twice as much as each."
any previous air disaster.
"Mention any figure you like, and no OTHER FACTORS that experts say
one can say that it is a nonsense will contribute significantly to high in-
figure," said spokesman David Larner surance costs are inflation, the DC-10's
for Lloyd's of London, which under- highly-publicized structural failure
writes much of American's insurance. when the engine and support pylon fell
"I HAVE seen figures ranging from off, insurance policies which cor-
$100 million to $500 million, but at this b porations carry on their executives up
state no one has any real idea, and will to 10 times the employee's salary, the
not until the court awards have been fact that the crash was a domestic
made. But it is going to be an expensive flight, and the product liability ex-
accident." posure of the manufacturer, McDonnell
FAA officials said the crack Douglas Corp.
discovery had not changed their predic-Du Another major cost in the crash is the
tion that FAA Administrator Langhor- financial loss - as much as $50 million
ne Bond's expected decision to lift the - to eight domestic airlines who have
grounding order could come this week been unable to fly their 138 DC-10s since
-possibly today. they were ordered grounded June 6 by
In anticipation of restoration of the the Federal Aviation Administration.
DC-10's so-called type certificate, or AP Photo Donald Franz, an insurance stock
government authority to fly, the FAA THE FEDERAL Aviation Administration (FAA) yesterday ordered airlines to analyst with Smith, Barney, Harris,
advised airlines: prepare grounded DC-10s for commercial flight, even though a crack was found Upham & Company Inc., said much of
" To perform a special, visual inspec- in a United Airlines DC-10 in New Jersey. FAA officials still expect that a decision this loss would be borne by insurance
tion of leading edge wing slat cables, to resume flying could come today, however. companies.
Vance urges Senate not to rewrite SALT H
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of position to any Senate-imposed changes Vance said the Senate ought to insist hearings on the treaty, which would
State Cyrus Vance urged the Senate which would require renegotiation with on amendments, reservations, or un- limit the strategic missiles and bom-
yesterday to resist the temptation to the Soviet Union. derstandings only if convinced of "a hers deployed by the United States and
rewrite the SALT II treaty, saying the "Even if it were possible to reopen clear and urgent need." the Soviet Union through 1985. The
United States cannot expect to gain an the negotiations, certainly they would VANCE AND Secretary of Defense Senate Armed Services and Intelligen-
advantage over the Russians through be reopened by both sides. This could Harold Brown were the first witnesses ce committees also will hold hearings.
amendments. lead to the reopening of points that are as the committee began a month of
But Vance, at the start of Senate now resolved in a manner favorable to
hearings on the new arms control our interests," he said. 4 show s open in 3 days
agreement with the Soviet Union, But Vance was pressed by Sen. Jacob
acknowledged that President Carter Javits (R-N.Y.), who said Carter had TICKET OFFICE NOW OPEN:
would be bound to try to reopen "in effect joined the other side" by not Subscriptions still available
negotiations if the Senate insists on challenging Soviet leaders' claims that
amending the pact. the treaty cannot be changed.
"We cannot realistically expect to JAVITS ASKED Vance if it is "the
shift the bargain more in our favor now duty of the president as he sees it to
through a process of amendment and take what the Congress does and try to
reservation," Vance told the Senate get it done that way?""s
Foreign Relations Committee. "What the Congress does, the
VANCE'S statement indicated no sof- president will have to accept. There's "
tenin in the administration's op- no question about it," Vance replied.
IN CONCERT
Jay FergusonMuch
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