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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 2237.PDF
212 FLIGHT, 11 September 1959 ACCESSORIES . . . two-way press-button and a large triggerare also located for thumb and forefinger operation. These might serve range selec-tion, target rejection, lock-on and similar functions. Also part of the exhibit is oneof the throttle levers with twist-grip con- trol, presumably for manual ranging withthe visual sight. A VTOL Lifting Fan A unique exhibiton Boulton Paul Aircraft's stand is an engine bleed air-driven fan for installationin the wings of VTOL aircraft. It is driven by a turbine mounted on the tips of thesingle-stage axial fan, the blades of which are twisted to give a uniform axial velocityto the air flow. The lift of the fan may be varied by ± 150 1b about a mean value of550 lb at the constant rotor r.pjn. of 6,000. Lift control is effected by variable-inci-dence inlet guide vanes and by cut-outs in a throttle ring which exposes or shuts offthe turbine nozzles through which the air is expanded. These supersonic nozzlesaccelerate the air prior to exhausting it through the impulse-type turbine and allthe pressure-drop occurs through the nozzles. The rotor induces air to flow through thefan duct and the angle at which the in- coming air meets the rotor blades is con-trolled by the variable-incidence guide vanes. These are linked to the throttlering, so that power supplied varies in accordance with work done by the fan. In this way, rapid changes in thrust areobtained without alteration of the fan rotor speed and the inertia of the rotor does notintroduce an undesirable time lag in the control system. The use of an energy-destroying throttling device is avoided by the partial admission of air to the turbinethrough nozzles extending over opposing quadrantal sections, the remainder of thecasing housing the plate throttle which is moved circumferentially by an actuator tometer the air supply. This permits the air velocity through the nozzles to be kept atthe designed value, and the efficiency of the discharge nozzles—and hence of theturbine—is maintained over a range of mass De Havilland Propellers fuel control unit Smiths components for Autoland Ferranti Airpass fire-control radar and pilot attack sight A Air outlet port B Throttle ring C Rocor D Rear eating E Main casing F Inlet guide vanes G Air inlet port H Nozzle ring J Hub K Outlet stator vanes flows. This particular cold-air (up to200 deg C) fan is one of a number that have been developed in collaboration withthe Ministry of Supply; the unit on show weighs 52 1b. An Electric Fuel Control System On the de Havilland Propellers stand is whatis believed to be the first complete closed loop control system to use electroniccomputer techniques. This fuel control system is being developed for the deHavilland Gnome, at first in its helicopter role, although it is also adaptable for thepropeller engine. De Havilland say that it has demonstrated a very satisfactorystandard of control both during bench runs and in flight. The essential components of the systemare a variable-delivery pump, a flow con- trol and throttle valve. The last-named isgeared to a small electric motor receiving current from the electrical computer whichoperates on the normal 24V D.C. supply. The computer uses magnetic amplifiertechniques and transistor elements are used for generating A.C. supplies. Towards Automatic Landing The Auto-land single-channel automatic landing sys- tem produced jointly by R.A.E., Smiths,S.T.C., and Murphy is now out of the development stage and "can and is beingexploited." In addition it is being de- veloped for Bomber Command and designof an airliner version has begun. For air- line use, simple duplication of equipment Aircraft Furnishing Flyweight seats Boulton Paul VTOL lift fan is unlikely and duplexing—or triplexing—to produce a homogeneous combination of two or more channels is the approach atpresent being followed. A simple flare-out system would require duplexing, whereasa full automatic landing system would be triplex. No details are yet available on theflare-out system which is known to be a feature of the D.H.121. The M.o.S. is showing the completesingle-channel Autoland components and a colour film of actual landings. New Aircraft Seats A real highlight ofthis year's static show is the competition that has developed for the supply of air-craft seats, particularly economy-class units. All seem remarkably comfortable. Short Bros, and Harland's SM.700 seatsweigh less than 20 1b per passenger and are produced (and displayed) in both for-ward and aft-facing designs. Both seats and arm-rests tip up and although plug-intables are standard, folding tables can be supplied as an alternative. Flight Equipment's latest design is theType 234, the fourth set of which has recently been delivered to B.E.A. fc theViscount 802. Another design with side- wall mountings is being developed for theVanguard; complete with safety belts, fold- ing tables, tip-up arms and seats andbreak-forward seat backs, the triple unit weighs 61 lb. A new tourist- and economy-class seatfrom Microcell, the Traveller No. 2, weighs 61.5 lb although this weight is in-creased when reclining mechanism, life- jacket stowage and tables are added. Claimed to be the lightest seat design isAircraft Furnishing's Lonslale Flyweight, a tourist-class seat which in triple unitform weighs only 48 lb. A reclining mechanism is not employed, but the seattips up and a folding table and a magazine pocket is included. The Flyweight is in-stalled in the Avro 748 fuselage section and also in the Fairey Rotodyne. Manufacturers of de Havilland-designedseats are Lancefield Aircraft Components. Their double seat unit, a luxury design forAerolineas Argentinas and B.E.A s Comets, weigh 62J lb. Nine alternativepositions of recline are included, from ver- tical to 50 deg.
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