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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0452.PDF
448 JET-PILOT, GROUND TRAINER Trying the New AT50: Up to 40,000ft and a Dive to Mach 0.76 IN Flight of February 13th mention was made of the new ground trainer being manufactured by Air Trainers, Ltd., of Aylesbury—makers of Link Trainers—and now, after a visit to the factory, further information can be given, about this most interesting piece of equipment for jet flying training. It was as recently as last June that Mr. L. Malec, joint general manager of the company, had the idea that there would be a considerable demand for a relatively inexpensive trainer and that it ought to be possible to produce a modified D4 Link which would serve for a great proportion of jet- pilot instrument training. Approximately one third of the systems of the standard D4 were modified or redesigned in producing the externally similar AT50—which, incidentally, will be known in the R.A.F. as the D4 Mk II. One particu larly notable alteration was the substitution of an electrical A.S.I. system in place of the original vacuum type, which was found to operate unsatisfactorily at times. Good progress was made, and in October the Air Ministry placed a provisional order. In February this order was confirmed, and the line of AT50S is now well under way, the first two production models being expected this month. Such remarkably rapid delivery of a product conceived only nine months ago has been made possible partly by confi dence that definite orders would be placed by the Air Ministry and by the governments and airlines of various other nations, and partly by an ingenious system of using, instead of full working drawings, a series of photographs. The prototype AT50 was ready for delivery to C.F.S. when a member of our staff visited Aylesbury and was able to make a "trip" under the cloud-flying hood. I climbed (he writes) at 14,000 r.p.m. and 30okt, giving a rate of ascent of 4,oooft/min once undercarriage and flaps were up. Extremely accurate flying was required to keep the A.S.I. FLIGHT, 10 April 1953 A side view of the cockpit of the new trainer, showing the push-pull elevator control and the comprehensive radio equipment. and rate-of-climb needles in their proper positions. At 15,000ft I levelled off, and S/L. McCarthy Jones of Air Trainers, Ltd., who was acting as instructor, showed me how within a few seconds the indicated height could be altered— from outside—to any desired level. The importance of this facility needs no emphasis, as it enables procedures to be repeated immediately without waste of time. In this case I found myself transported to 40,000ft and settled down to cruise at 13,500 r.p.m. at an I.A.S. of 2i5kt, whilst trying out some turns. The artificial horizon mysteriously toppled after a minute or two, and shortly afterwards some realistic ally irregular bumps were felt. Then the turn-and-bank went, too, and I realized that my instructor must be enjoying himself immensely. With instruments back to normal, the next manoeuvre was a powered dive to critical Mach number, set in this case at 0.76. When this figure was reached, a pronounced judder set in, and full control was regained only when the engine was throttled back and the dive-brakes opened. The flight was concluded by trying out various types of descent, using dive-brakes, flaps and undercarriage in different combina tions; and the "aircraft" was stalled at iookt, when the nose dipped sharply but, as on the D4, there was no spin. All in all, the new trainer gave a very convincing impres sion of the real thing. The extraordinary rate of change in flight conditions of jet aircraft was well brought out, and the hardening of the controls with air speed was quite convincing. Though "single-engined," the machine is arranged to have approximately Meteor 8 performance but, by altering the drag on air-brakes, flaps and undercarriage, changing the basic stick-force required, altering the critical Mach number, and fitting, as it were, a different "engine," the characteristics of any jet aircraft can be approximately simulated. The trainer, therefore, should produce satis factory pilot-training conditions for squadrons equippe with differing aircraft. Of particular interest in this view are the rudder and aileron trimmer; and dive-brake control below the throttle, and the Machmeter and I.L.S. indicator on the instrument panel.
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