Icing, as a potential threat to aircraft, ebbs and flows through history like the ocean tides that flood certain sections of the coast. In an effort to guard aircraft and coastlines from the most probable and predictable onslaughts of nature, engineers have carefully devised cost-effective defenses.

The Official Airline Guide is one of the most effective ways to justify the acquisition of a corporate shuttle aircraft. Run your fingers down the pages, and you'll find a list of dozens of smaller cities that have little airline service. The air fares to many of those cities, which have not benefited from the competitive effects of airline deregulation, have skyrocketed.

NASA's Ames Research Center has long pioneered aviation human factors research, and the scientists who first addressed the man-machine interface in automated cockpits there in the early 1980s now hold key positions at major airlines and at aircraft manufacturers.

JAPAN'S AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS will begin offering concepts of their proposed YS-X regional jet transport to airlines early next year. The Japan Aircraft Development Corp. (JADC), which is cooperating with Boeing on the 80-100-seat ``JB Small'' or ``New Small Aircraft'' program, is still trying to determine which of two configurations to propose. The first has a new fuselage and modified Boeing 737 wing.

A next-generation CNA Manufacturing Systems' modular pogo fixture in this combined artist's rendition/photo holds a typical aircraft skin panel in preparation for routing work.

REP. WILLIAM F. CLINGER (R.-PA.) IS EXPECTED to replace Rep. James L. Oberstar (D.-Minn.) as chairman of the House aviation subcommittee.