October 5, 1995

Mr. David M. North
Editor-in-Chief
AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY
1200 G Street - Suite 922
WASHINGTON, DC 20005

Dear Mr. North,

Firstly, I would like to offer my heartiest congratulations and good luck to you in your elevation to Editor-in-Chief. However, with all respect, recent history does not support your claim in the "People and Ideas" column (AWST 10/2/95) that AWST is "an independent observer of the aerospace community."

On August 15, 1995, I sent you documented details on the Burnelli Lifting Body design, including an impressive photographic comparison of this years's biggest aviation story, i.e. that the recently announced McDonnell Douglas Megaplane and the Aerospatiale Flying Wing (AWST 8/7/95) were simply carbon copies of the 1951 Burnelli design right down to the patent, covering the engine installation.

In the meantime, I received a copy of Aeroports Magazine (June 95) which shows the Airbus Industrie copy of the 1951 Burnelli design. All three major manufacturers made similar, impressive claims for the advantages of their Burnelli-type designs. The same advantages were announced by Vincent Burnelli 45 years ago. Surely this blockbuster story deserves a prominent article in AWST to show the magazine's independence and integrity.

It is very likely that the major manufacturers are today working on variations of the Burnelli GB-888, shown in the enclosed color illustration and line drawings, Mr. Burnelli laid down this design in 1962 to supersede the 1951 design, shown in the photographic comparison with the Douglas Megaplane. I hope it will not be necessary for me to remind you of this letter when the variations of the GB-888 appear in press reports.

With best regards.

Enclosures
CHG/av