The tech heads with the Air Force Research Laboratory, headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, are busy developing a new integrated oxygen sensor—one that helps reduce the risk of explosions caused by fuel tank fires. A process called “fuel tank inerting”—essentially keeping the oxygen level low enough so the contents could not burn even if there is a spark. There’s still a ways to go—like developing a sensor to directly monitor the oxygen content in the tank—but this could prevent accidents like the 1996 TWA Flight 800 explosion over the Atlantic Ocean, says AFRL officials.
The Smithsonian’s announcement that an F-117A Nighthawk, tail number 85-0818, is headed to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, or NASM, is welcome news. The acquisition of this Nighthawk fills a long-standing historical gap—indeed, need—in the collections of what is generally considered the world’s premier air and space…
