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  <p>
   <img src="./pauls-page.com-ail-history_files/ail.gif" width="140" height="55" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0"></p>
  <ul>
   <p>
    <b><font size="5">AIL History</font></b><br>
    <i>As extracted from the 1991 issues of the AIL Record</i>.<br>
    Brought to you by your host and the generosity of John<br>
    Menechino.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1941 </b>The Columbia University Division of War<br>
    Research begins to organize its "airborne project"<br>
    under contract number OEMsr-20, which also<br>
    covered operations at the Underwater Sound<br>
    Laboratory at New London, Connecticut.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1942 </b>Airborne Instruments Laboratory begins production<br>
    of the "Mark IV-B2 MAD." The Magnetic Airborne Detector,<br>
    used to locate submerged submarines, helps turn the tide of<br>
    the Battle of the North Atlantic.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1942 </b>AIL begins work on the AN/ASQ-2, a system which<br>
    would automatically fire markers and retro-bombs for the<br>
    location and destruction of submerged submarines. This is<br>
    a refinement of the Magnetic Airborne Detector, AIL's first<br>
    product.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1942</b> Airborne Instruments Laboratory, still part of Columbia<br>
    University, moves to 150 <b>old </b>Country Road, Mineola.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1944 </b>The AIL Magnetic Attack Trainer 3 (MAT-3) is placed<br>
    in operation at key West, Florida. The MAT-3 was used by the<br>
    Airship (Blimp) Antisubmarine Training School.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1944</b> The first V-2 rocket is fired at Paris. AIL subsequently<br>
    develops a ground-based jammer (shipped in the fall of 1944)<br>
    and an airborne jammer (AN/ARQ-11), ten of which were<br>
    delivered in late 1944 and early 1945.</p>
   <p>
    &nbsp;<b>1945</b> The U.S. drops Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.<br>
    Japan surrenders on August 14th. AIL's research contracts with<br>
    the U.S. government are cancelled effective August 31st. Hector<br>
    Skifter scrambles to locate funding and keep AIL's scientists and<br>
    engineers together as an independent corporation.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1945 </b>AIL begins its life as a separate corporation. Development<br>
    contracts in the first year totaled approximately $1 million. American<br>
    Airlines provided working capital until joint ownership by the airlines<br>
    could be finalized.</p>
   <p>
    <b>1946</b> AlL's first Retirement Income Plan becomes<br>
    <i>ef</i>fective. 47 employees enrolled in the plan and<br>
    contributes a total of $413.10 per month. ALL, in<br>
    turn, contributes $466.89 per month. Within 10 years,<br>
    close to 500 employees contribute to<br>
    the plan.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1949 </b>The Berlin Airlift officially ends. The airlift provided<br>
    2,325,000 tons of food, fuel and supplies in the course of<br>
    194,489 flights. AIL air traffic control systems made the<br>
    airlift possible.</p>
   <p>
    &nbsp;<b>1954 </b>Laurence Rockefeller and the American Research and<br>
    Development Corporation each sell 5,000 shares of AIL<br>
    stock to the general public.</p>
   <p>
    <b>1955</b> AILer Fred Kaplar breaks his leg sliding into first<br>
    base in a softball game against Fairchild Camera &amp;<br>
    Instrument. The AIL team was so upset that they lost<br>
    the game 15 to 4.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1955 </b>The Airborne Recreation Association holds a<br>
    Beach Party at Jones Beach. The staff eats 50<br>
    pounds of hamburgers and hot dogs.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1955</b> AIL is featured on the Quentin Reynolds program,<br>
    "Operation Success," on Channel 4.</p>
   <p>
    <b><i>1956 </i></b>AIL adds a computer division through a new wholly-<br>
    owned subsidiary, Mountain Systems, of Thornwood,<br>
    New York.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1956 </b>AIL exhibits at the Mineola Fair and Industrial<br>
    Exhibition at Roosevelt Raceway.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1956</b> The AIL Record has a story about the AIL Astronomy<br>
    Club. Members of the club built an optical telescope (a ten inch<br>
    Newtonian Reflector), including grinding the mirror. The<br>
    telescope only costs $100 but required almost 400 hours of labor<br>
    by the club members.</p>
   <p>
    &nbsp;<br>
    <b>1957</b> AIL's Cytoanalyzer, a mass screening device for<br>
    PAP smears, is featured on Edward R.Murrow's "See<br>
    It Now" program on Channel 2.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1957</b> AIL begins an 8 week summer work experience program<br>
    for 21 juniors and seniors from Mineola and Westbury High<br>
    Schools. AIL's pro gram is a pioneering one in the defense<br>
    industry.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b><i>1957</i></b><i> </i>AIL begins its first training program for 
    new employees<br>
    in the electrical assembly department. The program compresses<br>
    the normal experience months of electrical assembly work into<br>
    40 hours of intensive training.</p>
   <p>
    &nbsp;<b>1957</b> AIL equipment permits Bell Telephone Researchers to simulate<br>
    voice transmission over great distances. This offered significant savings<br>
    over other types of testing.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1957</b> The first women begin work in the harness room of the Electrical<br>
    Assembly Department. There were 10 members in the first group of<br>
    "Wirewomen Trainees."</p>
   <p>
    <b>1957</b> As part of radar tests, AIL builds its largest model plane<br>
    ever: a 1/8th scale model of a Boeing B-47. The model's<br>
    wingspan was 14&amp;frac12; feet.</p>
   <p>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b><i>1958 </i></b>AIL ships a MICROTOL system to IBM's Endicott, New<br>
    York, manufacturing plant. The AIL equipment cuts IBM's<br>
    inspection time on cams from 12 hours to 12 minutes.</p>
   <p>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1958</b> AIL is acquired by Cutler-Hammer, a Milkwaukee<br>
    based company founded in 1892. At the time of the<br>
    acquisition, Laurence Rockefeller owns 20% of ALL.<br>
    (He had been an investor since 1950). The combined<br>
    sales of ALL and Cutler-Hammer in 1958 totals $81 million.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1958 </b>Idelwild Airport holds the official dedication of an<br>
    AIL ASDE (Airport Surface Detection Equipment) system<br>
    to control movement of planes and vehicles on the ground.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1958</b> AIL develops an EKG for measuring a pilot's action<br>
    during flight. Earlier EKG's required the patient to be at rest.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1958</b> AIL's AN/BDQ-l, a radiation monitoring system is aboard<br>
    the U.S. Navy Submarine "Skate" it sails under the Arctic 
    ice cap.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1958</b> The Engineering and Production Division moves into AIL's<br>
    enlarged facility at 971 Stewart Avenue which was formerly occupied<br>
    by the Castro Convertible Corporation.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1958 </b>At the annual Five Year Club dinner, the club's first<br>
    honorary membership is given to Philip Ryan, President<br>
    of Cutler-Hammer<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1959 </b>The beginning of the move to the new Melville<br>
    plant. The Research and Engineering Division, is<br>
    the first to move, reporting for work in Melville<br>
    on May 18, 1959.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1959</b> AIL is awarded the prime contract on the ADS-1<br>
    (later named the USD-7), the most sophisticated airborne<br>
    system of its type ever ordered. Among the subcontractors<br>
    to AIL were Sperry Gyroscope. Raytheon, and Sylvania<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1959</b> AIL receives an $8 million Air Force prime contract<br>
    for 29 Video Integrating Groups (VIG) to filter radar data<br>
    and eliminate interference. John Clarke and John Bischoff<br>
    head the project.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1959 </b><u>The FAA puts the new Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon</u>:<br>
    Although AIL developed the "defruiter" portion of the equipment,<br>
    AIL's main role was that of evaluator, critic, and synthesizer in assisting<br>
    the FAA in developing a safe and useable system.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1960 </b>AIL begins a training program for its secretarial staff.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1960 </b>Hector Skifter resumes his duties as President of<br>
    ALL after a 14 month leave of absence to serve<br>
    in Washington as Assistant Director for Defense<br>
    Research &amp; Engineering (Air Defense) in the<br>
    Department of Defense.<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1960</b> Mechanical sandwich dispensers are removed from the Melville<br>
    facility. They are replaced by an in-plant luncheon ordering service<br>
    operated by Barnes Commissary<br>
    <!-- $MVD$:spaceretainer() -->&nbsp;<br>
    <b>1960</b> Cutler-Hammer is rated the 13th best managed company<br>
    in America, according to the 171 company executives on the<br>
    <i>Dun's Review </i>President's panel. The top 20 included 18 industrial<br>
    giants (Fortune 110 or less) and 2 smaller companies: Cutler-<br>
    Hammer and Texas Instruments. The larger companies included<br>
    DuPont, General Electric, General Motors, IBM, 3M, AT&amp;T,<br>
    Kodak, Proctor &amp; Gamble, Esso, Ford, and Nabisco.</p>
   </ul>
  <p>
   <b>1961 </b>On June 24th, the ALL developed, "Topside Sounder",<br>
   satellite is launched. The satellite is designed to measure the<br>
   degree to which the ionosphere reflects radio waves. The<br>
   "Topside Sounder" reached a peak altitude of 633 miles.&nbsp;<br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <b>1961 </b>AIL's Apparatus Division begins selling a<br>
   Nuclear System for measuring the stock contents<br>
   of an operating blast furnace. Called "Stockray",<br>
   it used an arrangement of radioactive sources<br>
   and radiation detectors. AIL previously had<br>
   developed the monitoring devices for U.S<br>
   Nuclear submarines.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1961</b> AIL exhibits at WESCON (Western Electronic Show &amp;<br>
   Convention in San Francisco. AIL distributes 10,000 copies of<br>
   a 62 page book, "A Technical Review of Some Programs in A<br>
   popular article describes a radio system for In re-entry guidance<br>
   of a space vehicle ("Spacescan and the feasibility of a manned re-<br>
   entry vehicle ("Dyna-Soar") landing in a predetermined area.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1961 </b>AIL's third military marketing office is opened in<br>
   Dayton, Ohio, near Wright Patterson Air Force Base.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1961</b> The Duplicate Bridge Club holds its first meeting of the<br>
   1961-62 season.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1962</b> Larry Paine of the ALL Medical and Biological<br>
   Physics Department takes first place in the<br>
   economy run sponsored by the Volkswagen Club<br>
   of Long Island. Paine averages 51.8 miles per<br>
   gallon over a 100 mile course from Wantagh to<br>
   Patchogue and back again over regular roads in<br>
   Sunday afternoon traffic. During a late night<br>
   tune-up run on the Sunken Meadow Parkway,<br>
   Paine's 1960 V.W. averages 76 miles per gallon.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1962</b> Governor Nelson Rockefeller tours AIL's Deer<br>
   Park plant and meets numerous staff members.</p>
  <p>
   <b>1962</b> A survey reveals that the average age of AILstaff<br>
   members is only <i>35.31 </i>years.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1962</b> AIL installs the first Data-Phone in Suffolk It is used by<br>
   the Department of Aviation Systems Research in a project involving<br>
   a hyperbolic position determining system<br>
   <br>
   <b>1962 </b>The USD-7 system undergoes its first flight test in<br>
   Greenville, Texas. The USD-7 award of $38.9 million in<br>
   1959 was AIL's largest contract to date.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1963</b> The Department of Aviation Systems Research,<br>
   working under a 3 year contract with the<br>
   Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),<br>
   develops a mathematical model that forms the<br>
   basis for a computer program capable of predic-<br>
   ting the maximum practical operating capacity of<br>
   any airport.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1963</b> Walter E. Tolles agrees to teach a special course on<br>
   electronic methods in clinical medicine at the Downstate<br>
   Medical Center. Tolles joined AIL in 1942 and in 1955<br>
   established AIL's Department of Medical and Biological<br>
   Physics. He left ALL in 1968 to complete his doctorate<br>
   in biophysics.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1963</b> President John F. Kennedy appoints Dr. Eugene F. Fubini,<br>
   one of the original AILers, as Assistant Secretary of Defense<br>
   for Research and Engineering.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1963 </b>AIL uses a full-scale mockup of the Apollo spacecraft to test<br>
   the antennas it developed for the ground-based recovery teams. The<br>
   AIL antennas are to be used for homing signals and voice communications.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1963</b> Membership in the 5 year club passes the 1,000 mark. Club<br>
   membership doubled in just three years.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1963</b> Fortune magazine includes an article on "The 
   Transistorized M.D.<br>
   " which highlights AIL's efforts to scan and interpret electrocardiograms.</p>
  <p>
   <b>1964</b> The computer group of Aviation Systems Research<br>
   acquired an IBM 1620-11 computer, the first of its kind<br>
   installed on the East Coast. This state-of-the-art computer<br>
   has an internal memory of 60,000 characters and a disk<br>
   pack capable of holding 4 million characters. AIL's computer<br>
   group had been organized in <i>1958 </i>with a staff of <i>5 </i>people.<br>
   By 1964 there were 17 people in the group.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1964</b> On July 25th, Dr. Hector R. Skifter, AlL's founder and<br>
   first president, dies at the age of 63. In September 1945 Dr.<br>
   Skifter led the effort to organize AIL as a separate corporation,<br>
   almost overnight, following the dropping of atomic bombs on<br>
   Hiroshima and Nagasaki the rapid surrender of Japan.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1964</b> A traffic light is installed at the intersection of Commack<br>
   Road and Grand Boulevard1964 .<br>
   <br>
   <b>1964</b> ALL delivers a payload to NASA that will measure a<br>
   little-known span of the cosmic noise spectrum (radio<br>
   frequencies emitted by planets and stars).<br>
   <b>1965</b> Total coverage of AIL staff members in the Group Life<br>
   Insurance Plan tops $100. million<br>
   <br>
   <b>1965</b> A new ALL Waveguide Glide Slope Antenna has<br>
   its first operational installation at Nice Airport.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1965</b> The Department of Medical and Biological Physics 
   completes a<br>
   3 year development by delivering the initial components of an automated<br>
   clinical laboratory system to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda,<br>
   Maryland.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1965</b> The first Hector Skifter Memorial Scholarship is awarded 
   to Leonard<br>
   Meyer, son of John A. Meyer. He used the $500 grant toward his engineering<br>
   program at C.W. Post.1965 The first Hector Skifter Memorial 
   Scholarship is<br>
   awarded to Leonard Meyer, son of John A. Meyer. He used the $500 grant<br>
   toward his engineering program at C.W. Post.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1965</b> The first annual AIL Handicap Yacht Race is held off 
   Lloyd's Point,<br>
   Huntington. Twelve sailboats participate.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1965 </b>Effective October 1, the ALL Retirement Income Plan 
   undergoes its<br>
   first major revision since-its establishment in May 1946. The main 
   change is<br>
   that the basic plan is now non-contributory for employees.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1965</b> AIL honors its first twenty-year employees: Sidney 
   J.Brass; Cyril H. Eady;<br>
   Winfield E. Fromm; Lyman C. Ihrig; John Masek; James A McDonough;<br>
   Charles B. Miller; Donald M. Miller; George W. Morton; George F.Seitz;<br>
   Rodney F. Simons; and Walter E. Tolles.<br>
   <b>1966 </b>Effective June 1st, staff members with 20 or<br>
   more years of continuous service receive 20<br>
   days paid vacation. In the first year, 34<br>
   employees are eligible.</p>
  <p>
   <b>1966</b> AIL Ham Radio Club has 81 members and is issuing a<br>
   monthly newsletter.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1966</b> A front page story in <i>Electronic News </i>discusses the<br>
   AIL developed PPS-5 Portable Battlefield Radar.<br>
   One unit is being tested in Viet Nam.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1966 AIL </b>wins a production contract for the<br>
   <i>AN/PPS-5 </i>portable battlefield radar. The PPS-5<br>
   can detect personnel and vehicles at a distance of<br>
   6 miles. AIL began developing the PPS-5 in1960.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1966 </b>Manfred T. Hall becomes the first 20 year employee<br>
   to retire. He came to AIL in January, 1946 from Harvard<br>
   University<br>
   <br>
   <b>1966</b> Governor Nelson Rockefeller visits the ALL Deer Park<br>
   plant. "Rocky" shakes the hands of hundreds of ALL employees<br>
   during his whirlwind visit.<br>
   </p>
  <p>
   &nbsp;<b>1966</b> The AN/PPS-5 portable battlefield radar is being 
   tested in<br>
   Germany by NATO. While the PPS-5 was being transferred by<br>
   ship in the North Sea, the ship's radar went dead in a heavy fog.<br>
   The crew unpacked the AIL portable radar which worked perfectly<br>
   and saved the day.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1966</b>On October 29th, the Viet Nam war becomes a personal reality<br>
   at ALL. William G. Mansfield of Massapequa Park is killed in action,<br>
   the first AILer to give his life in Viet Nam. Mansfield, 21 years of age,<br>
   had worked at ALL as a trainee in the Machine and Sheet metal Shops<br>
   for the 11 months immediately prior to his induction into the armed services<br>
   <br>
   <b>1967</b> AIL takes possession of a 150,000 square foot<br>
   Research and Development Building in Farmingdale,<br>
   that formerly was part of Republic Aviation.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1967 </b>AIL's "Christmas in July Program" sends 51 needy<br>
   children to summer camp.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1967</b> The "Sound Off, Please" column in the AlL 
   Record contains<br>
   the following complaint: "Why is the company permitting the young<br>
   girls and women to prance about in these disgustingly short mini outfits?<br>
   I am not referring to the hemlines one or two inches above the knee,<br>
   but to the hemlines six to eight inches below the waist!... This mode<br>
   of dress definitely does not belong in a place of employment."<br>
   <br>
   <b>1967</b> AIL is awarded a $635,732 contract for the development of a<br>
   tactical aircraft scanning system called A-Scan. The system will transmit<br>
   azimuth and elevation guidance to approaching aircraft by means of angle-<br>
   coded scanning beams. Two people will be able to install an operating system<br>
   within ten minutes.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1968</b> AIL's Applied Electronics Division delivers a<br>
   10.6 micron infrared heterodyne receiver to NASA's<br>
   Goodard Space Flight Center. It will used for pioneering<br>
   research in laser communications in space. AIL began<br>
   work in infrared technology in 1964.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1968 </b>First contractual delivery of EA-6B equipment made<br>
   to Grumman.<br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <b>1968</b> Donald M. Miller is appointed Executive Vice President<br>
   of AIL's parent company, Cutler Hammer of Milwaukee.<br>
   John D. Dyer becomes the 3rd president of AIL and Winfield Fromm<br>
   becomes Executive Vice President.<br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <b>1968</b> NBC and ABC use the ALL Model 4041 Radio Broadcast<br>
   Microphone to cover the political conventions. This portable<br>
   system weighs just <b>3 1/4 </b>pounds and features a hand-held microphone<br>
   and a radio headset.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1968</b> "The Front Office" column appears in the AIL 
   Record for the<br>
   first time. It was written by President John Dyer.<br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <b>1969 </b>AIL establishes a maternity leave policy pro viding<br>
   for "reinstatement of employment for those women who<br>
   left ALL temporarily because of 'blessed events'."<br>
   <br>
   <b>1969 </b>The name of the company officially changes from "Airborne<br>
   Instruments Laboratory, Division of Cutler-Hammer" to "AIL, A<br>
   Division of Cutler-Hammer".<br>
   <br>
   <b>1969 </b>On July 20th, the world watches the first humans walk on the<br>
   moon. AIL-built receiving stations in the world-wide Apollo and TV<br>
   communications networks play a key role in making this possible.<br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <b>1969</b> AIL is awarded a $40.4 million contract for the AN/TPX-42<br>
   air traffic control system. It will provide 3-dimensional position<br>
   data correlated on the controller's display with aircraft identity<br>
   <br>
   <b>1970</b> AIL's Radar Engineering Department receives a<br>
   $1.4 million Coast Guard contract to develop a new airborne<br>
   radar to detect small boats in distress.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1970</b> AIL's new Quality Performance Program helps Electrical<br>
   Assembly Area 01 achieve zero defects in just 13 weeks.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1970</b> The EA-6B program team delivers its first production<br>
   On-Board System one month early.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1970</b> The Sheet Metal Shop achieves zero defects for a week.<br>
   This accomplishment was due to the combined efforts of 90<br>
   staff members on the day and night shifts.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1971</b> <i>Aviation Week and Space Technology </i>features a<br>
   24 page story about ALL's C-SCAN (Carrier System for controlled<br>
   Approach of Naval Air craft), an instrument landing system for 
   aircraft carriers.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1971 </b>On June 5th, 2,830 visitors attend "Saturday at ALL<br>
   '71," an open house for families and close friends of AIL<br>
   staff members. This is the second time in 25 years that ALL<br>
   held such an open house.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1971</b> The first Quality Improvement Awards for the Manufacturing<br>
   Division are presented to the Harness Area and the Paint and Finish<br>
   Area.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1971</b> The ALL Radio Astronomy Group listens to Apollo<br>
   15 on a homemade antenna. They picked up the 13 watt transmission<br>
   (1/4 of the output of a light bulb) at a distance of a quarter of a million<br>
   miles away. While NASA uses antennas with diameters of 85-210 feet,<br>
   the AILer's used Dick Knadle's homemade portable 12 foot parabolic antenna.<br>
   The AILer's used food cans to make the antenna feed horn. After measuring<br>
   the diameters of all the cans in a Farmingdale supermarket, they 
   settled on an<br>
   American paint can and a Scottish oatmeal can. In recognition of this first<br>
   reception of NASA signals by a non-commercial antenna, Knadle is invited<br>
   to visit the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1971</b> ALL conducts engineering feasibility tests on the 
   Sagtikos Parkway.<br>
   AIL was working on a new system of motorist communications featuring<br>
   repeaters on light poles.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1971</b> The Radiation Systems Division wins the competition for a U.S.<br>
   &nbsp;Coast Guard Marine Traffic Radar System for San Francisco Harbor.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1972</b> AILTECH, a new operating unit, is formed by combining<br>
   AIL's Microwave Instrument Division with the recently purchased<br>
   Instrumentation Division of Microdot, Inc. of Los Angeles.<br>
   AILTECH will produce and market sophisticated commercial<br>
   test equipment.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1972 </b>The AIL Radio Astronomy group "eavesdrops" on<br>
   the Apollo 16 moon landing mission. They taped over<br>
   15 hours of voice recordings of the mission.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1972</b> The Radiation Systems Division wins an important contract<br>
   in a new field for ALL: Radar detection and optical countermeasures<br>
   against anti-tank missiles.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1973</b> AIL's Executive Vice President, Winfield E. Fromm<br>
   becomes the 9th recipient of Dowling College's "Distinguished<br>
   Citizen Award". AIL's second president, Donald M. Miller, had<br>
   received the same prestigious award 6 years earlier, which is given<br>
   annually to a "Long Islander who has contributed to the growth,<br>
   prosperity, and vitality" of the region.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1973 </b>The AIL Vessel Traffic System in San Francisco Bay is<br>
   honored for one year free of accidents involving major vessels.<br>
   There were 25,708 vessel movements in the bay in 1972.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1973</b> 369 people attend the Five Year Club annual dinner.<br>
   &nbsp;A highlight was former president John Dyer playing some<br>
   of the recordings from his 1933-34 expedition to the Antarctic<br>
   with Admiral Richard E. Byrd.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1974 </b>Eleanor Lisberg of the Personnel Department becomes the<br>
   first woman to complete 25 years of service with AIL. She joined<br>
   the company in 1949 as a Typist in the Publications Department.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1974 </b>AIL achieves its first major milestone of the B-1 program<br>
   with the on-time completion of the Defensive Avionics Systems<br>
   Design Review (SDR).<br>
   <br>
   <br>
   <b>1974</b> The first B-1 is "rolled out" of its hangar 
   onto the air field<br>
   &nbsp;at Palmdale, California.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1975</b> The 101st Airborne Division receives a demonstration of<br>
   AIL's Tactical Landing System at its assault landing zone at Fort<br>
   Campbell, Kentucky.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1975</b> Dewitt Combs receives the first auto loan issued by the AIL<br>
   Employees Federal Credit Union.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1975</b> Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf II presents the<br>
   first annual Vice Admiral Robert B. Pine Award to the Navy Air<br>
   Traffic Controller of the year. AIL sponsored the award.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1976</b> The nation celebrates the Bicentennial of the<br>
   Declaration of Independence. In a letter to employees<br>
   AIL President Winfield Fromm writes: ''For 31 years the<br>
   people at AIL have tried to make a contribution, both to<br>
   the quality of life and the defense of freedom. It has been<br>
   said that the most important social service that a government<br>
   can do for its people is to keep them alive and free. On this<br>
   July 4th, 1976, let all of us at AIL resolve to continue to do<br>
   our part well for the cause of freedom."<br>
   <br>
   <b>1976</b> AIL libraries begin providing interactive, on-line literature<br>
   searches on a trial basis during the Dialog Information Retrieval<br>
   Service. Previously literature searches were done manually.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1976</b> At the Five Year Club annual dinner, Linda Bellotti<br>
   &nbsp;becomes the club's first female president.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1977</b> Space Shuttle "Enterprise" goes on its first 
   solo flight<br>
   (separated from a 747) at the Dryden Flight Research<br>
   Center. AIL designed the landing system for the shuffle.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1977</b> The AIL cafeterias report using 68 pounds of coffee each<br>
   morning and 120 pounds of tuna fish per week.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1978 </b>The fourth annual Bocci Playoff and Picnic is held<br>
   in Deer Park. For the 3rd consecutive year, the<br>
   "Baccalas" win the playoff.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1978</b> In the 33 years since its founding, AIL has been issued<br>
   142 patents stemming from the ideas of 166 different employees.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1978</b> AIL signs a $17.8 contract to provide a Vessel Traffic<br>
   Management System for the Suez Canal.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1979</b> Ron Fischer of Traffic Control Systems takes first prize<br>
   in a spaghetti sauce contest at Monte's Venetian Room in<br>
   &nbsp;South Brooklyn.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1980</b> Scientists and engineers from the Tokyo Astronomical<br>
   Laboratory visit AIL for design review of low noise RF<br>
   Amplifiers and converters AIL is providing for 2 radio telescopes.<br>
   The $3 million contract is AIL's largest ever for radio astronomy<br>
   equipment.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1980 </b>Four representatives of the Civil Aviation Administration of<br>
   China visit AIL to discuss air traffic control for Canton Airport.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1980</b> AIL's Maintenance Department begins providing a place<br>
   where employees can bring waste motor oil in order not to pollute<br>
   &nbsp;the environment.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1980</b> On October 24th, AIL's Anechoic Chamber is destroyed by fire.<br>
   <br>
   <b>1981</b> Eaton President, James Stover makes his first visit to 
   AIL. AIL<br>
   &nbsp;also celebrates President Reagan's decision to proceed with 
   B-lB bomber.</p>
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