Russian aviation-its present problems and development trends-was the subject of discussion at a conference of eminent scientists and designers who met at the Department of the Energetics of Machine Engineering, Mechanics and Management Processes of the Russian Academy of Sciences late in 2006, with Acad. Vladimir Fortov in the chair. The agenda was substantive to the conferees most of whom are involved with the aerospace industry. The meeting brought together the flower of the industry: Acads. Nikolai Anfimov (Central Research Institute of Machine Engineering), Georgi Biushgens (N.E. Zhukovsky TSAGI Aerodynamics Research Center), Anatoly Koroteyev (M.V. Keldysh Research Center), Viktor Legostayev (S.R Korolev "Energiya" Aerospace Corporation), Alexander Matveyenko (Moscow Aviation Institute), Heinrich Novozhilov (S.V. Ilyushin Aviation Company), Gai Severin ("Zvezda" R&D Enterprise), Marat Tishchenko (M.L. Mill Moscow Helicopter Company), Yevgeni Fedosov (State Research Center of Aviation Systems), Arkady Shipunov (Design Office of Instrument-Making, Tula), and many other worthy people. The main speaker was Mikhail Pogosyan, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Director General of the Sukhoi Design Office Company. The keynote of his report dealt with the cooperative effort in tackling certain outstanding problems in the aerospace industry. As he pointed out, the research collective he is heading and research centers of the Russian Academy of Sciences were all set to go ahead with their cooperation up until 2010 under the terms of a new agreement. This joint endeavor would promote the development of a new generation of military and civil aircraft* and stimulate aerospace hardware exports. RAS research centers could cooperate in designing up-to-date onboard equipment as well as new technologies in the field of composites with the aim of reducing the weight and cost of structural elements and increasing the service life of aircraft. Cutting losses in propulsion units and sound pressure on them is another important target area, Dr. Pogosyan said in his report.

A communication made by Acad. Yevgeni Fedosov on modern automated systems of civil and combat aircraft control drew much interest. As a priority line the speaker named a high-automation system of 21st-century air traffic control based on high-tech know-how, after-sale aircraft maintenance, safety, and adequate servicing of passengers and cargoes. This job involves an air company's operational control over air traffic, early warning systems for low flight and ground approach danger, and other essential things.

Acad. Fedosov pointed to up-to-date communications, reconnaissance and monitoring as key components of an integrated combat aircraft system of a new generation, along with full-scale software control networks, "electronic" models of flight areas, high-precision navigation and mapping (GLONAS and GPS sys-

* See: Ye. Sokolov, "Microaircraft", Science in Russia, No. 3, 2006; G. Malyshev, "Aircraft Launching Space Vehicles", Science in Russia, No. 6, 2002. - Ed.

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terns including), computer-aided planning, preparation and execution of operations.

Vladimir Dmitriev, RAS corresponding member and deputy head of the Military-Industrial Complex in the Government of the Russian Federation, briefed the conference on the work of the TSAGI research center named after Nikolai Zhukovsky; for many years he had been heading this celebrated center. The main achievements of fundamental research carried out there have been incorporated in the federal goal-oriented program providing for the development of Russia's civil aviation between 2002 and 2010 and up until 2015. The program outlines pathways of upgraded aircraft engineering through improved propulsion units and by making use of aeroelasticity, and new materials and technologies.* All this should boost the competitiveness of home-made airships, and the combat efficiency of military craft.

Taking the floor in the discussion were Gai Severin, Designer General of the Kamov R&D Helicopter Complex; RAS Corresponding Member Sergei Mikheyev; Acads. Vladimir Fortov, Dmitry Klimov (RAS Institute of Mechanics Problems), Oleg Favorsky, Boris Chertok (S.R. Korolyov "Energia" Aerospace Center), among others. All speakers voiced their hope that the domestic aircraft industry would be making further strides with the active involvement of RAS research scientists and experts.

Grigoriev Yu., Artamasov V., Russian Academy of Sciences and Problems of Aviation, Vestnik aviatsii i kosmonavtiki (Bulletin of Aviation and Cosmonautics), No. 2, 2007

Illustrations supplied from the archives of the "Science in Russia " magazine

Prepared by Yaroslav SIBIRTSEV

* See: Ye. Kablov, A. Petrakov, "Highly Durable Steels for Flying Machines", Science in Russia, No. 6, 2001; G. Morozov, "Hard Tests for Safe Flights", Science in Russia, No. 4, 2002; "Structural Materials: Yesterday and Today", Science in Russia, No. 3, 2001. - Ed.