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Aviation History
1953
1953 - 1259.PDF
18 September 1953 415 RADIO AT FARNBOROUGH on show, both the 1 kW responder beacon, RB.110, and two sets of aircraft equipment. The D.M.E. type I is designed for sinSe-seTt aircraft and weighs 33* lb, whilst the D.M.E. Type efwhicn welhs 55 lb has a C.R.T. display as well as a meter indicator, and is intended for larger S^PR'nn A" Ct' Where,it is instaUed. When working with £ ^nh ,!&?* P™pmtnt SIves dlstance ^d heading information up to 200 miles. The company also makes passenger announcement equipment for aircraft, but there was none on display The Plessey Co., Ltd., Vicarage Lane, Ilford, Essex, had a light weight aircraft V.H.F. set, PTR.61, on show. This transmitter receiver provides six-channel operation, and the selected six frequencies can easily be changed in flight by changing crystals. There is provision for tuning the transmitter, in a simple way, when frequency has been changed, and this ensures best output. The set weighs 17 lb, and if a remote controller is fitted another 7 lb is added. Power output is li watts, and the set can be supplied to work from either 12 volts or 24 volts. The PR.51B H.F. fixed-frequency ground station receiver and the PR.71 V.H.F. equipment for the same purpose were also being shown. These receivers are similar in application and have been designed for continuous unattended operation over long periods They can both be remotely controlled and are especially suitable for R T services. A complete radio teletype transmitting and receiving terminal was also on show, designed to provide four-channel long-distance point-to- point service. The equipment has been built to International Aeradio's specification for continuous unattended operation and simplicity of maintenance. Radio teletype operation demands a very high degree of stability and this is met by using compensated radio circuits and thermally controlled crystals. The transmitter and receiver equipments have many units in common and this will simplify maintenance. Pye, Ltd., Radio Works, Cambridge, displayed a 50-watt ground transmitter capable of working on any single frequency in the aero nautical band. The set is fully tropicalized and can accommodate six crystals with provision for rapid re-tuning in case of frequency change. The Pye-Ericsson six-channel V.H.F. radio telephone link equipment was shown working between Farnborough and London, and has obvious applications in undeveloped countries. Pye were also showing their "reporter" mobile radio telephone sets suitable for vehicle mounting or as a transportable short-range V.H.F. radio telephone, self-contained with its battery, and a lightweight V.H.F. walkie-talkie which weighs only 8 lb, complete with battery and head set, and working on a single frequency. Its low weight makes it suitable for extremely light aircraft and gliders. Redifon, Ltd., Broomhill Road, London, S.W.18, had a ground H.F. R/T. receiving and control station of a type which is being supplied for overseas installation. The unit houses five R.93 fixed-frequency crystal-controlled receivers—four normally in use on different fre quencies and one spare—and has the remote controls for the 2 kW G67 four-channel H.F. R/T. transmitters. The receivers are muted, but come to life on receipt of a signal, and indicate the fact with a warning light, so as to ensure that the reply is made on the correct frequency. There is a 50-watt V.H.F. ground transmitter for approach or airfield control, and an M.F. locator beacon transmitter G142 of 80 watts. The company also makes high-power M.F. beacon transmitters and H.F. radio teletype terminals. A radio teletype transmitter control unit was shown in operation using an Italian teleprinter. The Redifon passenger announcement system for aircraft was described, and has been spe cified for the B.O.A.C. Britannia fleet. Standard Telephones and Cables, Ltd. (Radio Division), New Southgate, N.ll, were showing a wide range of aircraft radio equipment for communication and navigation aids. The prototype of the STR18C was on show, a 100-watt, 100-frequency H.F. trans mitter receiver combination, designed mainly for long-range R/T. work. This is a successor to the STR18B, giving much greater capacity for communication frequencies and accommodating all trunk route R/T. channels. It has been ordered for the B.O.A.C. fleet of Britannia aircraft. The receiver is crystal-controlled on each of 100 selected frequencies, and the associated transmitter frequencies are derived from the receiver oscillator, the equipment using 101 crystals altogether. Frequency changing on all units is by motor-driven controls, and complete remote control is provided, although provision is made for direct control. The installed weight of a complete single equipment will be about 110 lb. A set of STR19 50-watt H.F. equipment was also shown. It provides R/T. or C.W. on four frequencies between 2.4 mc/s and 12 aids, and its application is to smaller aircraft, where its lower power and shorter range may still be good enough for the purpose. It weighs about 80 lb. The other S.T. and C. exhibits included the STR12D, an aircraft V.H.F. set which already has been widely accepted at home and abroad, with 140 frequencies and 10 watts output. It weighs 35 lb against the 25i lb of the STR9X, a 10-frequency V.H.F. equipment of half the power— 5 watts—which was also shown. The SR.14/15 I.L.S. receivers and controls, incorporating a marker beacon receiver, the STR30 radio altimeter, which reads up to 500ft and down to 2ft, and the 100-channel combined V.O.R.-I.L.S.-V.H.F. R/T. were also there, along with their testing sets. S.T. and C. also make a very wide range of high- and low-power ground transmitters, suitable for radio beacons, point-to- point services, and ground-to-air R/T. or C.W. services. Ultra Electric, Ltd., Acton, London, W.3, were again showing their communication control equipments—the large and small intercoms. These two types are in general widespread use and continue to be specified, e.g. on the B.O.A.C. Comet and Britannia fleets. A complete working demonstration of Sarah, the Ultra search and rescue and homing equipment, was also on the stand; this neat device is for fitting to a life- jacket, or on a dinghy, and weighs about 3 lb with its battery. It has been convincingly demonstrated to home and overseas military authorities. In an allied field are the Ultra electronic control equipments for gas turbines, which regulate jet-pipe temperature and turbine speeds within very narrow limits to ensure best power and fuel consumption. The turbine throttle controllers and synchronizers, as fitted on the Britannia, were also being shown. Venner Accumulators, Ltd., New Maiden, Surrey, were showing silver-zinc accumulators of various capacities. The great advantage of this type of battery is its extreme lightness, compared with conventional lead-acid batteries of the same capacity. The Venner batteries are small as well as light, but their cost is substantially higher than that of equivalent lead-acid batteries. FLYING BY PERISCOPE THE conception of periscopic vision for the pilot is by no means new, but recent trends in aircraft design have brought the problem once more into prominence. There are at present two main reasons why the method is deemed worthy of serious con sideration. Firstly, it enables the pilot's angle of view to commence from the nose of the aircraft and so eliminates the blind spot caused by this part of the fuselage. This factor is becoming increasingly important as cockpit position moves farther to the rear. Secondly, it enables designers to select alternative positioning for the pilot, since with the addition of a periscope they are no longer limited to a face-forward position. Flight trials have shown that the effects of centrifugal force can be considerably modified by the pilot assuming a prone position, and this becomes quite practicable when periscopic vision is used. One possible disadvantage is that on occasions a periscope in the nose might find itself in competition with search-and-collision radar for the available space. , . Pilots have in general not taken kindly to the idea, their mam contention being that such indirect vision considerably .increases the difficulties of flying, especially of fast or heavy military air craft. Some experiments in the United States, however, have suggested that this argument can be fallacious. Reference to experiments by a Dr. Stanley N. Roscoe appeared in Flight dated October 5th, 1951. At this time photographs were also published of the Cessna T.50 with periscope fitted experi mentally. Dr. Roscoe employed a periscope the screen ot which, when viewed from the optimum distance of 15m presented an image with a preselected degree of magnification of 0.86, 1.20 and 2.00. In his experiments, various screen sizes, varying from .Zm to Sin square, were used. Tests in flight indicated^ that 1die best results, as might be expected, were obtained with the Sin-square screen. It was stated that a statistical evaluation of the results showed that there was no significant difference between flying efficiency with the aid of the large screen and with direct v sion^ Subjected pilots found the experience strange at first, but quickly adapted themselves to the new conditions. The two principal objections which remain are the vulner ability of the periscope to enemy fire, and the restricted angle of view. The latter objection can, of course, be quickly met by the use of a number of periscopes facing in different directions; the former, however, is the cause of much head-scratching among aircraft periscope designers, and the problem has not been com pletely solved to date. Amongst the more practical steps being taken to enable immediate serviceability to be effected during flight are prism ejector cartridges which blow out prisms and objectives damaged by gunfire; complete replacement units which can be put in by the pilot with one hand in a few seconds; and special auxiliary viewing devices which can be rapidly brought into action L.R.C.H. S.B.A.C. SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS THE Society of British Aircraft Constructors has issued a list of students to whom S.B.A.C. University scholarships and educational grants have been awarded for 1953. The names are as follows: — University Scholarships.—(a) Students who have completed their first year studies: Second-year scholarships to D. Fletcher and C. J. Norbury at the College of Aeronautics, and to J. Taylor at Imperial College. (b) New awards: University scholarships to J. E. Wingate (Fairey Avia tion), J. P. B. Cuffe (de Havilland Engine Co.), W. P. A. Harris (Boulton Paul Aircraft). These last three students will be going to the College of Aeronautics. Educational Grants.—Eight awards have been made and, subject to acceptance by the companies concerned, the boys will serve their apprenticeships as follows: D. M. Abraham, Blackburn and General Air craft; I. R. Bayley, de Havilland Engine Co.; D. M. Bloor, Fairey Aviation: M. W. Davidson (awarded the Sir Nigel Norman scholarship), Fairey Aviation; D. C. Marsden, Blackburn and General Aircraft; M. H. Radford (awarded the John de Havilland scholarship), de Havilland Aircraft; C. M. W. H. Roper, Saunders-Roe; F. A. Smith, de Havilland Aircraft.
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