European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 19, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes wednesday March 19, 1986 Lockheed offers $318 toilet part to of for $1 Washington a Lockheed corp., criticized for allegedly charging the government More than three times the actual value of a toilet part for air planes has now offered to sell the air Force the part for $1 apiece a $317 reduction from the company s initial offer. An air Force spokesman said monday the Pentagon was weighing the offer for the toilet splash pans and is expected to respond shortly. In an earlier dispute Over costs of air plane toilet parts Lockheed was widely criticized in february 1985 for overcharging the Navy by $85 for $554 toilet covers for p-3 Orion submarine Hunters. The company offered last month to give the air Force splash pans which sit below toilets and prevent moisture from corroding adjacent parts of the aircraft for its aging Fleet of c-5 transports for free company spokesman Everett Hayes said. Air Force officials responded that they could not take something for nothing and Lockheed upped its bid to the Token Price of $1 apiece said Hayes speaking by Tele phone from Lockheed Georgia co. Offices in Marietta a. The company builds the c-5. The air Force has contracted to receive 31 splash pans next month to renovate toilets on the c-5s, the first of which entered service in 1969. The general accounting office con Gress investigative Arm has criticized Lockheed for allegedly charging the government $317.97 each for 67 of the pans on a previous order. The Gao said the splash pans should have Cost $98 apiece. Robert b. Ormsby president of the Lockheed aeronautical systems group said the company Only charged the government $286.75 rather than the $317.97 reported by the congressional study. We have reviewed each element of our Selling Price and it is our conclusion that the Price to the government is reasonable Ormsby wrote in a feb. 3 letter to Maurice n. Shriber Deputy assistant Secretary of defense for Logis tics and Materiel management. Ormsby offered to give the next Batch of splash pans to the air Force at no charge. In february 1985, Lockheed reimbursed the Pentagon $4,606.74 for overcharging the Navy on toilet covers for the p3 Orion. Ormsby in his letter to Shriber said Lockheed officials regret the confusion and misunderstanding surrounding spare parts procurement and further regret that the department of defense and specifically the air Force have been placed in an untenable  "1 have therefore directed that the appropriate procurement officials be contacted and informed that the Lockheed Georgia co. Will provide the 31 splash pan assemblies to the government at no charge Ormsby said. Fly it it is a states with top �fc�?t5t4 ,4,0 v 4, & & 4. Average percent increase 1980-84 Hli to Georgia 2.4 Chicago Tribune graphics strongest year in decade predicted for nation s housing Industry Washington a construction of new Homes fell 3.5 percent in february but even with the slight decline housing activity remained at a Strong Pace the government reported tuesday. The Commerce department said new Homes and apart ments were constructed at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.99 million units last month. This level of building activity was the second highest monthly total in the past two years exceeded Only by the 2.06-million-unit Pace set in january. At the White House spokesman Larry Speakes noted that the starts were Down from the extraordinarily High rate set in january. Nevertheless he said the figures reflected a 22 percent gain Over the february 1985 level. With interest rates at their lowest Levels in More than seven years the housing sector should expect its strongest year in a decade Speakes said. He said the Ripple effect will further help an already Bright employment  the housing Industry has been enjoying a Boom in re cent months spurred by the lowest mortgage rates in this decade. A Survey by the Federal Home loan mortgage corp. Found that the nationwide average for fixed rate mortgages dipped to 10.01 percent last week and Many parts of the country Are reporting rates below 10 percent something that has not happened since 1978. Declining interest rates sent sales of new Homes to their highest level in two years in january and has spurred a Sharp pickup in construction activity As Well. Analysts had expected a slight drop in housing activity in february Given the exceptionally High january level. But they noted that the february level is still 21.6 percent higher than a year ago. The weakness last month came in a big plunge in activity in the South where housing starts fell 20.8 percent. Every other part of the country posted increases with the Northeast setting a record for monthly activity. Housing activity Rose 18.1 percent in the Northeast to an annual rate of 418,000 units the strongest Pace since the Commerce department began keeping records in 1959. Housing starts jumped 10.7 percent in the Midwest to an annual rate of 352,000 units the strongest Pace since september 1979. Housing construction was up 5 percent in the West. Overall construction of single family Homes fell 11 per cent last month to an annual rate of 1.2 million units while construction of multifamily units Rose by 11.2 percent after falling 10.8 percent in january. Probes describe . Air traffic system As a time bomb7 Washington up House investigators say the nation s air traffic system described As a time bomb ticking away is overworked and Many control lers Are ready to retire leaving the towers filled with inexperienced workers. Herbert Mcclure an associate director of the general accounting office told a House Public works and transportation sub committee monday that there Are not enough replacements for those air traffic controllers ready to retire. For example Mcclure said 60 percent of the controllers in Cleveland and 50 percent in Chicago soon could take advantage of retirement. Tio wide would be strained if these and other experienced workers elsewhere in the system decide to take advantage of retire ment he said because of a workforce that already is stretched too thin. The Federal aviation administration does not have As Many qualified controllers As needed Mcclure said. The Gao an investigative Arm of con Gress completed a study this month that recommended rapidly growing air traffic be restricted such As limiting takeoffs and landings at congested airports. According to the air transport association airline passenger traffic was up 11.3 percent in february compared to the same month in 1985, and has been rising for 24 consecutive months. House committee members said they were seriously concerned about the safety of flying. I came to the conclusion that the system is not Safe said rep. Guy Molinari r . We re dealing with a system that is not  rep. James Oberstar d-minn., commit tee chairman said the Faa must improve. The system is like a time bomb ticking away Oberstar said. Air traffic is at re Cord Levels but the system designed to Han dle it remains overworked at critical times in Peak periods. The combination of both and the added element of inclement weather is a Clear recipe for  rep. Nancy Johnson r-conn., added this system is nearing a break  Faa chief Donald Engen maintains the system is Safe and says the Agency is hiring an additional 1,000 controllers in the next two years. In his testimony before the committee Engen said some restrictions on air traffic flow Are needed and in fact the Agency already is holding planes on the ground at Busy airports. But i am not prepared to artificially constrain aircraft operation if that is what the Gao is seeking Engen said. The system is operating at a High level of safely today and we will continue to manage it in a Way that the High safety level is preserved in the future.". Percent i t the e an wean a Way that the High safety level is preserve the system with 14,000 controllers a Mont or is a Clear recipe for  in the  panel approves nomination of Turnage to head a Washington a retired army maj. Gen. Ances that the a administrator bipartisan opposition to Reagan s proposed cuts in  i Brj in Suiwu a Iuar a Ihl Purll . M k in Nna Kico in. Pranc corp up was in  w the sen. Aren Necter. A Paw Ashington a retired army maj.  k. Turnage won unanimous Senate committee endorsement As veterans administration chief tuesday after he said he had explicit Assurance from president Reagan that he would be heard on questions about spend ing for veterans benefits. The veterans affairs committee approved the Nomi nation of Turnage who has headed the selective service system since 1981, to succeed former a administrator Harry n. Walters. Confirmation by the full Senate is expected but the committee said it would not Send the nomination to the floor until Turnage responds in writing to detailed questions about the a s budget and other matters. Sen. Alan Cranston d-calif., said he had told Turnage he would oppose the nomination unless there were Assur Ance would be heard and his views considered in the administration s internal deliberations on the budget. Cranston said he believed the White House had excluded Walters from serious budget deliberations. Turnage said he discussed that Issue with both Reagan and budget director James Miller. I received their explicit Assur Ance that. I would have Access to them and would have every oppor Turnage Unity in the budget process. To express the views of the a and be fully involved turn age said. Bipartisan opposition t i vet Erans services was voiced with sen. Arlen Specter r-pa., saying there is a level of indignation and anger among veterans. Turnage said he was t familiar enough with details of the administration s proposed a budget to comment fully on it. But he said All of us must realistically face the fact there Are going to have to be cutbacks in All government  Cranston said the administration s proposals would re Duce by 60,000 the number of patients treated in the a s 172 hospitals annually reduce by 1.1 million those treated on an outpatient basis and reduce the 220,000 health care jobs by nearly 9,000. I believe that Quality care can still be afforded the Veteran with the reduction in staffing Turnage said