NASA discovery could save airlines and public billions, but the fuel-saving technology is shunned by companies.(Originated from Newport News Daily Press) From: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service | Date: January 30, 1997| Author: Stradling, Richard | COPYRIGHT 1997 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

HAMPTON, Va. _ NASA Langley engineers called it the ``holy grail'' of aerodynamics. And now that they've proven it works, they say it could save airlines _ and the flying public _ billions of dollars in fuel costs.

But the airplane manufacturers that helped achieve this technological breakthrough have no plans to use it. Without another energy crisis or pressure from their European competitors, American airplane companies are content to leave it on a shelf.