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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 0544.PDF
540 FLIGHT EDUCATION BY SIMULATION Ground Training for Comet Flight Crews: and a School for Maintenance Men THE introduction into service of an air craft such as the Comet inevitably in volves a great deal of personnel-training. The old adage "practice makes perfect" is particularly applicable to those concerned with the operation and maintenance of air liners and, ideally, practical experience of their eventual tasks should be obtained by both air- and ground-crews before the first aircraft is delivered. Such experience is hard to come by, since the manufacturer can seldom spare his prototypes for the purpose. Again, non-productive flying paid for by the airline is a very ex pensive process, to be kept to a minimum. The situation is greatly eased by the use of a flight simulator, and few complex aircraft enter civil or military service today without the complementary introduction of such a device. The simulator for the Comet is the work of Redifon, Ltd. (Flight Simulator Division), of London, S.E.i. The first to be built was delivered to B.O.A.C. in last September, 24 months from the signing of the contract. Basically, a flight simulator consists of a facsimile flight-deck of the aircraft concerned housed in a suitable building. Movement of any aircraft controls originates a signal, which is passed through a valve amplifier to an electro-mechanical servo unit. These units, when in operation, are continuously solving the many differential equations representing the behaviour of the aircraft, and they are designed to information supplied by the aircraft constructor. The servo units consist of multi-track potentiometers driven by revers ible motors, and their output can be combined in suitable networks and integrated with other voltages introduced by external switches and Selsyn transmitters, which can introduce various "emer gencies". The final signals are then passed to the flight-deck instruments and also used to provide control forces, noises and other sensory indications. The equipment is therefore complex, yet it must be at least as foolproof in its operation as the actual aircraft. The B.O.A.C. Central Training Unit at Meadowbank, Cranford, has considerable experience of simulator training. Courses begin with about three hours' familiarization, followed by repetition of standard flying procedures including let-down and navigational procedures involving every kind of emergency and mechanical failure. The repetition possible with a simulator can make a This demonstration rig in the de Havilland Comet-servicing school concerns flying controls; the class are examining the operation of the aileron boosters and sheaving units. The flight deck of the first Comet flight simulator is here shown in a partly finished state. The mechanism in the foreground reproduces control-forces. Large, remote units perform computation problems. trainee's reactions a matter of sheer habit. Generally, crews can attain a higher standard in a shorter time than would otherwise be possible, and with reduced operational hazards and expenditure. In a normal conversion course the captain and first officer each do 15 hours as pilot and 2J hours as flight engineer; flight engineers concurrently complete 30 hours at the engineer station, making the total simulator time 35 hours. The Corporation's use of an earlier Redifon installation—representing the Stratocruiser—has been aided by the decision of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to count one simulated hour as equal to one flight hour for purposes of checking Instrument Flight Rating endorsements. Naturally it is advantageous to have a simulator available for conversion to the new airliner even before the aircraft enters ser vice; but striking economies can be achieved even if crews' con tinuous 180-day checks are the only utilization. Turning now to the needs of servicing personnel, it appears that these will be met very well by the Servicing School opened at Hatfield by the makers of the Comet itself. The de Havilland company describe this institution as "a dissected Comet with its entrails laid bare" and it is used to give instruction in every form of Comet maintenance as well as assisting aircrew in pre-flight techniques. The largest rig is that illustrated, which demonstrates the Comet's powered controls, landing gear and similar systems. Other installations are : the fuel system, which can be pressure-filled at 200 gal/min with a high-flash-point oil whose dielectric value cor responds to that of kerosine; a Normalair-built cabin-air demon stration circuit; other rigs dealing with all the Comet systems and power services; and a number of engine exhibits, including a genuine turbojet outside the building which can be started and run to full power from a Comet flight-deck inside the hall. The demonstration hall is not yet complete and, as later types of Comet enter service, more equipment will be added to meet the training requirements. To date some 650 individuals, many of them nominated by B.O.A.C., U.A.T., C.P.A., S.A.A., the R.C.A.F. and Air France have already passed through the school. HUNTINGS IN EAST AFRICA I T is announced that Hunting Aerosurveys (East Africa), Ltd., is to be the new name of the aerial survey company of the Hunting Group in East Africa. It was formerly known as the Aircraft Operating Company of East Africa, Ltd. The new name also reflects a change of management, as control passes from the Aircraft Operating Co. of Africa, Ltd., to Hunting Aero- surveys, Ltd. Directors are: Sir William Ibbotsen, C.I.E., M.B.E., M.C. (chairman) a former Director-General of Civil Defence and Secre tary to the Government of India; Mr. C. P. M. Hunting, a govern ing director of the Hunting Group; S/L. C. A. Hooper, promin ent in Kenya aviation circles; and Mr. T. D. Weatherhead, O.B.E., director and general manager of Hunting Aerosurveys, Ltd. Mr. H. H. Williams is general manager and alternative director.
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