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Ansett Transport Industries, Ltd., of Australia plans to gain a 20 percent interest in America West Airlines by August through a voting stock purchase. It would make the Phoenix-based carrier the U.S. airline with the highest foreign ownership level. Ansett will pay $10.50 per share for America West's newly issued stock, if the Department of Transportation approves. America West began coast-to-coast service on July 1, and is building a $55 million maintenance facility.

Morton Thiokol fired the first full-scale shuttle solid rocket booster since the Challenger accident. The May 27 firing primarily gathered data on the old SRB design. Meanwhile, baseline O-ring material for all case-to-case field joints & case-to-nozzle joints have been switched back to the Viton fluorocarbon used during the Challenger's lost flight. Viton was shown to be the best O-ring material.