OTHER NEWS - Jan. 30, 1993

McDonnell to Modify C-17: McDonnell Douglas will redesign the flaps on its C-17 cargo jet to correct heat and noise-related cracking. The company is substituting a titanium flap for the aluminum flap, which will add about 500 pounds to the aircraft’s weight, an Air Force spokesman said. But eventually the firm will redesign the flap with weight-saving composites, he added. The cost of the problem should be covered under a $269-million reserve that McDonnell set aside last October to correct flaws in the aircraft. The flaps are a critical part of the C-17’s ability to land and take off on short runways.