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Aviation History
1954
1954 - 2051.PDF
78 FLIGHT, 16 July 1954 BY SABENA TO SOUTH BANK . . . helicopter is too small a producer of ton-miles to be economical; but the speed (which recently has increased more than twice) and the payload (which has increased fifteen times) will be increased still more. "The life of the components will also be increased, which will bring about a further decrease in operating costs. For instance, an S-55 rotor blade costs $4,000 and has lasted only 1,200 hours. Accordingly, a set of three represents $10 per flying hour. A blade's life has recently been extended to 1,800 hours and the same extension goes for the main gearboxes, tail rotor, trans missions, etc. Experience and improved designs will therefore, as time goes by, reduce operating costs considerably." Summing-up, M. Vernieuwe said: —"The helicopter is here to stay. The present stage of single-engined helicopters with a small payload and low cruising speed represents the last stages of the pioneering and a costly introduction to stage No. 2, which may begin early in 1957. Twin-engined helicopters carrying 30 to 35 passengers over distances greater than 200 miles will, late in 1957, open a new era in rotary-wing operations. "Airlines, of course, cannot afford the tremendous cost involved in developing big helicopters, but commercial versions will come out of military designs. If current military planning is carried out, the third stage will be reached within the next ten j ears. Airlines will then have 40-50-seater helicopters with flight cost per seat not exceeding that of the present twin-engined fixed-wing airliners. "Improved designs equipped with gas turbines will take over routes from the aeroplane and directly compete with the railway, the motor coach and the private car over stretches of up to 300 miles. The cruising speed of these compound helicopters will then be in the nature of 250 m.p.h., bringing the travelling time from city centre to city centre down to 70 minutes between Brussels and London, and 75 minutes between Paris and London. Accordingly, we may conclude that the helicopter will fill three main tasks: — (1) It will replace fixed-wing aircraft over short inter-city routes, where it will be faster. (2) It will feed passengers to fixed- wing aircraft, bringing them to major airports from cities either without airports or, if they have an airport, not linked to the international fixed-wing network. (3) It will reach the final stage, when it will compete directly with the existing means of ground transport and gain for aviation the important market of short-distance transport, by linking cities which today have to rely on surface transport only." APPLICATIONS OF ELECTRONICS Industrial Applications Reviewed at Oxford Convention ^L JTORE than 300 delegates, from many parts of the world \\\ arid representing nine industries, met last week to discuss industrial electronics at the convention held at Oxford by the British Institution of Radio Engineers. Among the industries represented were those concerned with aircraft, motor, rubber, iron and steel, oil, glass and instru ment manufacture, together with the film industry and elec tricity supply. Countries sending representatives included the United States, Canada, France, Holland, Australia, India, Pakistan and Eire. Thirty-eight papers were discussed, all of them dealing with very varied applications; among subjects considered in relation to electronics were computers for office and factory use, ultrasonics, industrial X-rays, nucleonics, gauge trans ducers, engine testing and machinery control. Incidentally, it is estimated that electronic equipment could take over the work of nearly 250,000 book-keeping and pay clerks in British factories during the next five years. Below we give brief digests of some of the convention papers dealing with subjects concerning the aircraft industry in varying degree. Electronic Computers and Industrial Mathematics (B. D. Dagnall and R. L. Michaelson).—In this paper, the basic theory and mode of operation of a high-speed digital computer was described in functional terms, without reference to details of electronic circuitry. A complete "programme of instructions" to cause a typical computer to carry out a simple job was given, and the programming of two representative engineering calcula tions was briefly discussed. The factors which an industrial organization must take into account before purchasing a com puter were considered. Some Comparisons between Analogue and Digital Com puters (W. E. Scott and A. C. D. Haley).—This paper discussed the reasons for using computers in industry and the considera tions which should apply to the choice of machine for different types of work. Examples were given of both analogue and digital machines and the uses to which they can be put. The advantages and disadvantages of each type were mentioned, with the aim of encouraging a rational approach to design. Electronic Computers in Aircrew Training Apparatus (A. E. Cutler).—After discussing the economic advantages of training on simulated equipments, the author described some of the prob lems solved by the computers in flying trainers, engine trainers and track recording. The relative complications of a full flight-simulator computer using digital and analogue methods were considered, and the analogue type found to be most suitable. Details of utilization, running time and percentage serviceability were given, and further applications of analogue methods to training equipments were discussed. Improved Techniques in Ultrasonic Flaw-detection (G. Brad-field).—The use of barium titanate crystals with backing and with monitoring crystals to assess the ingoing signal for flaw detection was discussed; the use of laminated-wedge mode- changers and steerable beam systems of ferro-electric materials were described. Some Typical Circuits for Industrial X-Ray Apparatus (J. J. Bliss).—The nature of X-rays and their use in non-destruc tive testing was briefly outlined. Suitable X-ray tubes and the associated h.t. generators were described and problems of exposure control and timing referred to.. A typical 250-kV industrial X-ray generator was described,! special attention being paid to control equipment. Wire Strain-gauge Transducers for the Measurement of Pressure, Force, Displacement and Acceleration (J. L. Thomp son).—The theory and construction of wire strain-gauges for tie measurement of pressure, vibration, acceleration, force and torque were discussed, and consideration given to the special applications of unbonded gauges. Practical details of strain gauge technique were given, and special reference was made to methods of fixing gauges to the structures under examination. Electronic Control of Resistance Welding (C. R. Bates).—The electronic circuits commonly used for single-phase welding con trol may be classified into two basic types (1) leadertfollower circuits, (2) feedback-trigger circuits; details of these circuits were given. Electronic control of weld heat for spot and seam welding and a discussion of control circuits followed, including "slope control" for welding aluminium and its alloys. In this, the rate of change, or slope, of weld-current is accurately governed and yet may easily be varied or adjusted. Circuits for automatic variations to compensate for changes in supply voltages or welding conditions were described. Replacement of the Human Operator by Non-Specialized Programme Machines. (G. T. Baker).—Typical processes carried out by personnel are assembly operations and the feeding of powered ^machines. Electronic technique provides a means whereby the parameters defining the motion can be specified in a manner that can be rapidly programmed to meet any particular operation. Some of the flexibility of the human hand can be provided by detachable elements which the machine selects automatically during a programme. The remainder of the prob lem can be reduced to two elements, a joint and a power source, i.e., a muscle. Typical designs were given and the solution shown to be well within the scope of existing manufacturing technique. Convenient methods included telephone-type apparatus, punched paper tape and the magnetic drum. WIN FOR WETHERSFIELD MsoUu a \\jJL, I FOR more than a week, 12 teams of pilots, representing eignt U.S.A.F. air forces and commands, recently took part in a "gunnery and special weapons meet," pa the huge Indian Springs gunnery range, near Las Vegas, Nevada. In a programme wha-'h included ground strafing, da* bombing, skip bombing and rocketry, aircraft from alfefparts of the world took part, and the top place was a]M*Kied to the 20th Fighter/Bomber Wirg (F-84G Thundeoitf) based at Wethersfield, near Braintree, Essex. Citedjpjnhe U.S.A.F. for their individual performances were CoL^Jfmn A. Dunning, commanding the 20th wing, and Maj. Johff J. Kropenick, of the same unit, who won first place in both the high-level and dive-bombing competitions.
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