The Sad State of Aeronautics Funding

Going global – Playing with the big boys in aviation means playing with Airbus, Opinion, Daily Press

“Subsidization could work both ways. An Airbus contract would help support researchers and facilities that would be available for other, homeland-focused work. It might help stop the loss of jobs at NASA Langley, which totaled 600 last year. Europe’s investment in aeronautics research would, in effect, help fill the gap left by the United States’ abandonment of it as a priority.”

Editor’s note: As I have said before, on one hand, I think it is great that companies such as Airbus are committed to supporting such research and that their interest goes beyond political boundaries. However, on the other hand, I think the need to seek such foreign support is a sad indicator of the state of aeronautical research – both government and private sector – here in the U.S.