European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday april 18, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 5 army lifts Apache gunship grounding order by Norman Black a military writer Washington the army on wednesday lifted a grounding order affect ing its Fleet of new Apache helicopter gunships saying it had traced a problem with the flight control Assembly to two Spe Cial bolts. The 76 apaches in the army inventory were grounded March 12 after an army test Pilot experienced control problems Fol lowing Takeoff. The Pilot managed to set the Craft Down without further incident but the army decided to ground the entire Fleet for safety inspections. The resulting investigation traced the problem to the snapping of one of the two bolts that help hold the flight control As Sembly together army officials said wednesday. Mechanics have now been informed that the apaches can be returned to flight status once the two bolts on each helicopter Are replaced the officials said. That replace ment program will require about four hours per helicopter. It. Col. David Burpee an army spokes Man said the army would Bear the Cost of replacing the bolts each of which costs about $46. The spokesman explained that Mcdonnell Douglas helicopter had built the bolts to army  our specifications directed that the bolts be made of extra hardened steel so that they could survive a strike by Small arms fire Burpee said. We have now determined however that the extra hardness can make the Bolt too Brittle after it has been subjected to a lot of use. So we re changing the specifications he said. We expect the new bolts to Cost about the same As the old  the army said each of the bolts used in the control Assembly is about four inches Long. Deliveries of the Apache to Field units Are expected to resume within the month the army added. The ah-64 Apache is replacing the cobra helicopter gunship As the army s Pri Mary attack helicopter. Designed to Stop enemy tanks the Apache is also a twin engine copter and is loaded with hellfire and Hydra 7 missiles and a 30mm Cannon. Each Apache costs about $11.5 million and the army Hopes to acquire 675 of them. Wednesday s order ends the second grounding of the Apache Fleet this year. The helicopters were grounded from Jan. 30 until feb. 20 because of the discovery of cracks in some Rotor Blades. That order was lifted after investigators determined the cracks had been caused by an improperly designed maintenance tool. The most recent grounding of the apaches began the same Day the army was forced to order an end to flights by its new uh-60 Blackhawk transport helicopter. The Blackhawk directive was prompted by the crash of one of the helicopters March 11 at fort Rucker Ala., during a routine training flight. Three soldiers died in the crash which occurred about two Miles Southwest of Elba Ala. The army said wednesday that Accident is still being investigated and the roughly 700 Blackhawk now in the inventory re main grounded. We f Worth s Home searched on Day Walker was arrested san Francisco a Fri agents trailed and arrested confessed spy master John Walker on the same Day they gathered evidence to accuse Jerry Whitworth of Selling out his country for $332,000, agents testified wednesday in Whitworth s espionage trial. One Fri espionage expert described some of the events of May 20, 1985, when Walker was trailed for some 60 Miles outside Washington. On the same Day Whitworth s Home was searched in Davis Calif., and two miniature cameras were found in a desk another Fri agent testified. Whitworth 46, who retired in 1983 after a 23-year Navy career is charged with Selling code and communications secrets to a soviet controlled spy ring led by Walker from 1974 to 1983. The trial is in its fourth week. Walker who pleaded guilty is scheduled to be the Star prosecution witness against Whitworth his longtime Friend and former Navy colleague. The government claims Whitworth was Walker s sole source of Supply from the time Walker left the Navy in1976. Fri documents and spying expert Gerald Richards testified he was told the night of May 19, 1985, that there was going to be a meet Between an agent and a soviet handler at a drop site in the Washington area. Richards said he went without sleep for the next 48 hours while he trailed Walker nabbed him and later searched his Home in Norfolk a. Richards said instructions found on Walker were very very Complex procedures very explicit on How to avoid surveillance while going to a drop site. Fri agent Roland Ariola testified that he searched Whitworth s Home the same Day and found the cameras. Walker is scheduled to take the stand april 28 after a one week recess called while the judge attends a Confer ence. The prosecution is looking to bolster Walker s testimony by presenting a series of documents about sensitive Navy communications systems found at Walker s Home but allegedly based on information from Whitworth. Capt. David Ricketts testified monday that information about a satellite communication system described in one set of documents might be enough to let the soviets win naval War. Gas draws crowd in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh a hundreds of motorists lined up for More than a mile outside a gasoline station wednes Day to fill their tanks for 5.4 cents a gallon. When you re not working a Buck goes a Long Way. For a Dollar i can ride around All week said Ron Dreshman 30, As he relaxed in his car. Dreshman took his place in line around 6 30 . Four hours later he was still a few blocks from his destination a Texaco station participating in a promotion by Pitts Burgh radio station wove. We could t resist the Price said Joan Aland 21, who is unemployed. This thing takes so much Gas she said patting the dash of her 1976 Chrysler Cordoba. Advertisements for the promotion had said the station Sands of time operated by Guttman Oil co. Of nearby Belle Vernon would begin the 12-hour Sale at 7 . The line of cars began forming at 11 30 . Tuesday. By noon wednes Day the line reached More than a mile through the City Oakland neighbourhood. The customers Are so great. They be been waiting so Long and they re still smiling said Pierre Lucas 29, Sale manager for Guttman Oil. Wove a Rock music station on april 4 offered $1,000 and concert tickets to any retailer who would offer the lowest Price. Guttman Oil won with its Nickel gasoline and ordered 16,000 Gallons to accommodate the anticipated crowd. Some motorists listened to the radio or watched tiny portable televisions while they waited. Others Drivers mingled outside in a cold drizzle and nibbled on hot dogs and chips from a stand near the Gas pumps. Stepping out a photo Ain t Noo body Gonna step on the toes of the Guy who wears these shoes. The giant athletic shoes suspended from the Side of a Boston Lionel tuesday Are a promotion for the manufacturer of the shoes. In the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. April 18, 1946 the question of recognition of the regime of Gen. Francisco Franco in spam is expected to provoke heated discussion at the . Security Council meeting inner York later today. 30 years ago foday. April 18, 1956 the Lockheed f-104a Star fighter described As a missile with a Man in it has flown More than 1,000 Mph in Palmdale Calif. The exact Speed of the plane remained a secret but Gen. Nathan Twining air Force chief of staff has called the new Craft the fastest and highest flying fighter anywhere in the  20 years ago foday. April 18, 1966 North vietnamese gunners brought Down three . Jet attackers during heavy air strikes around communist Supply centers at Dong Hai and Vinh. 10 years ago foday. April 18,1976 in Beirut Lebanon s Christian president Suleiman Franjieh bowed to moslem leftist pressure and agreed to step Down. Bill hiking Speed limit to 70 sent to Nebraska governor Lincoln neb. A the legis lature passed a Bill wednesday to raise the Speed limit on interstate highways in Nebraska from 55 Mph to 70 Mph next year despite arguments that the move could Cost the state Federal Highway funds. Supporters of the Bill passed on a 25-22 vote and sent to gov. Bob Kerrey argued that few people comply with the nationwide 55 Mph Speed limit. They also claimed that the higher Speed limit would t endanger lives because the interstate system was de signed for speeds in excess of 55 Mph. Kerrey has not decided whether to sign the Bill said his chief of staff Don Nelson. Residents of several Western states argue that the Speed limit originally imposed to save Energy in response to the Arab Oil embargo is inappropriate on Long stretches of open Highway in the West. The National research Council has Esti mated the 55 Mph limit saved Between 3,000 and 4,000 lives during its first few years. Under the Nebraska Bill the Speed Limi on East West 1-80, the Only interstate within Nebraska would increase to 70 Mph begin Ning sept. 15, 1987. In the meantime sen. J. James Exon d-neb., has said he would push for legislation allowing the Speed Limpf on the National interstate system to in crease to 70 Mph. If we put this Bill in place now it will help the Effort at the Federal level and will not Hurt the state at All said state sen. Ernest Chambers of Omaha a co sponsor of the Bill