Airframe (Page 91)

"It’s not ours to release. We’d return it to the owners, after the investigation was completed. It would be up to the owners to decide what to do with it."

"After the investigation was completed …" Reardon was shaking his head. "Forgive me, but for a company you say is committed to flight safety, there seems to be a consistent pattern of cover-ups here."

"Cover-ups?"

"Ms. Singleton, if there was a problem with the airplane – a serious problem, an ongoing problem, a problem the company knew about – would you tell us?"

"But there is no problem."

"Isn’t there?’ Reardon was looking down now, at the papers in front of him. "If the N-22 is really as safe as you say, Ms. Singleton, then how do you explain this?"

And he handed her a sheet of paper.

She took it, glanced at the paper.

"Jesus Christ," she said.

Reardon had his media moment. He had gotten her unguarded, off-balance reaction. She knew it would look bad. She knew there was no way for her to recover from it, no matter what she said from this point on. But she was focused on the paper in front of her, stunned to see it now.

It was a Xerox of the cover sheet of a report done three years ago.

–

PRIVILEGED INFORMATION – FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

NORTON AIRCRAFT

INTERNAL REVIEW ACTION COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

UNSTABLE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF N-22 AIRCRAFT

And following was a list of the names of the committee members. Beginning with her name, since she had chaired the committee.

Casey knew that there was nothing improper about the study, nothing improper in its findings. But everything about it, even the name – "Unstable Flight Characteristics" –  appeared damning. It was going to be very difficult for her to explain.

He’s not interested in information.

And this was an internal company report, she thought. It should never have been released. It was three years old – not that many people would even remember it existed. How had Reardon gotten it?

She glanced at the top of the page, saw a fax number, and the name of the sending station: NORTON QA.

It had come from her own office.

How?

Who had done it?

Richman, she thought, grimly.

Richman had placed this report in the packet of press material on her desk. The material Casey had told Norma to fax to Newsline.

How had Richman known about it?

Marder.

Marder knew all about the study. Marder had been program manager on the N-22; he’d ordered it. And now Marder had arranged for the study to be released while she was on television, because –

"Ms. Singleton?" Reardon said.

She looked up. Back into the lights. "Yes." "Do you recognize this report?" "Yes, I do," she said.

"Is that your own name at the bottom?"

"Yes."

Reardon handed her three other sheets, the rest of the executive summary. "In fact, you were the chairman of a secret committee inside Norton that investigated ‘flight instabilities’ of the N-22. Isn’t that right?"

How was she going to do this? she thought.

He’s not interested in information.

"It wasn’t a secret," she said. ‘It’s the kind of study we frequently conduct on operational aspects of our aircraft, once they’re in service."

"By your own admission, it’s a study of flight instabilities."

"Look," she said, "this study is a good thing."

"A good thing?" Eyebrows up, astonished.

"Yes," she said. "After the first slats incident four years ago, there was a question about whether the aircraft had unstable handling characteristics, in certain configurations. We didn’t avoid that question. We didn’t ignore it. We addressed it head-on – by forming a committee, to test the aircraft in various conditions, and see if it were true. And we concluded – "

"Let me read," Reardon said, "from your own report. "The aircraft relies upon computers for basic stabilization.’"

"Yes," she said. "All modern aircraft use – "

‘"The aircraft has demonstrated marked sensitivity to manual handling during attitude change!’"

Casey was looking at the pages now. Following his quotes. "Yes, but if you’ll read the rest of the sentence, you will – "

Reardon cut in: " ‘Pilots have reported the aircraft cannot be controlled.’"

"But you’re taking all this out of context"

"Am I?" Eyebrows up. "These are all statements from your report. A secret Norton report."

"I thought you said you wanted to hear what I had to say." She was starting to get angry. She knew it showed, and didn’t care.

Reardon leaned back in his chair, spread his hands. The picture of reason. "By all means, Ms. Singleton."

"Then let me explain. This study was carried out to determine whether the N-22 had a stability problem. We concluded it did not, and – "

"So you say."

"I thought I was going to be allowed to explain."

"Of course."

"Then let me put your quotes in context," Casey said. "The report says the N-22 relies on computers. All modem aircraft rely on computers for stabilization in flight. The reason is not because they can’t be flown by pilots. They can. There’s no problem with that But the carriers now want extremely fuel-efficient aircraft. Maximum fuel efficiency comes from minimal drag, as the aircraft flies through the air."

Reardon was waving his hand, a dismissing gesture. "I’m sorry, but all this is beside – "

‘To minimize drag," Casey continued, "the aircraft has to hold a very precise altitude, or position in the air. The most efficient position is slightly nose up. The computers hold the aircraft in this position during ordinary flight. None of this is unusual."