Aerospace: Planes for Rough Weather

Since it took to the skies in January, Boeing's 747 has had the multibillion-dollar superjet market all to itself. Last week in California, two hungry competitors served notice that Jumbo's period of splendid isolation is coming to an end.

Lockheed showed off its first giant L-1011 "airbus," which gleamed under the hangar lights like a winged dolphin. While company officials sat proudly by, Governor Ronald Reagan called the new plane "one of the most sophisticated commercial jetliners ever produced." Several days later, in a neat bit of oneupmanship, McDonnell Douglas brought in...

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