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such questions, or at least to a clearer understanding of their nature. There is no thought that the proposed analysis represents the only conceivable breakdown of this complex problem, or even necessarily the most logical. However, it appears to be a reasonable one and it is hoped that it will provide a common basis for isolating parts of the problem for separate discussion and of relating parts to the whole. There exists in every new field a great body of controversy over issues upon which there are inadequate data to allow informed and proper judgments. Opinions on such questions are often the most strongly entrenched where facts and measurements are fewest. Eventually, these problems will be settled either by the gradual adoption of a common usage or through acquisition of more information. The Committee is in no position to settle such matters by fiat; it does believe that it will be a constructive step to separate vital issues from those of lesser importance and to organize experimental programs for the determination of the most satisfactory answers. Such an effort is the keynote of the present report and it will be developed and extended in subsequent studies.

3. [[underline]] Problem [[/underline]] [[underline]] Analysis [[/underline]]. The primary objective of military aviation is to accomplish a mission. Accordingly, the mission of the flight is taken as the starting point of the analysis. An aerial mission is accomplished by flying from one point to another for transport, reconnaissance or to take military action at an objective. To improve the effectiveness of this activity, it is necessary to carry out air operations with increasing independence of weather conditions and darkness.

The path in space and time followed by the aircraft, here defined as the "flight pattern", must be prescribed for each mission. In the majority of cases, an optimum flight pattern, determined by the nature of the mission and the aircraft employed, may be established. This optimum pattern is followed

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