Richard Riley wrote:
On Thu, 04 Oct 2007 04:52:18 GMT, Darrel Toepfer
wrote:


Ron Wanttaja wrote in
m:


On Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:35:43 -0700, Richard Riley
wrote:


"Research is continuing to look at fatigue, as well as analysis of
damage caused by corrosion, hail storms and other weather phenomena,
including trucks that collide with aircraft while they’re on the
ground."

That's really bad weather.

When they say, "It's raining cats and dogs," one generally ISN'T
thinking CATerpillars and DOGdges. :-)

Can "transparent aluminum" be far behind?


You're behind the times. Transparent aluminum is commercially
available, I have a sample on my desk. It's expensive - $10/sq. in -
but more bulletproof than armored glass and half the weight. Google
aluminum oxynitride or ALON.

Star Trek 4 came out in 1986. The first patent for aluminum
oxynitride as transparent aluminum - from Raytheon, patent 4720362 -
was filed in 1985 and granted in 1988.

Damit Scotty!

You know the Prime Directive specifically prohibits passing advanced
technology to primitive cultures!!