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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 0612.PDF
588 FLIGHT International, 18 April 1963 INDUSTRY International... transmitter outputs, built-in intercom and speaker or range filter. There is a master volume control, normal or emergency audio operation, and built-in isolation and cockpit speaker amplifiers. Helicopter Stabilizer Hamilton Standard Division of United Aircraft Corp has begun deliveries of a solid-state electrical stability augmentation system which allows the new Hiller L-4 helicopter to be flown hands-off for long periods in either hovering or forward flight. It contains interchange able electronic modules for pitch and roll channels, a rate-gyro senser and electro mechanical actuators, all served by the same solid-state inverter. Deliveries of the L-4 are to start in the autumn. Hamilton Standard also make the flight control system for the Sikorsky SH-3A (HSS-2N) anti submarine helicopter. Solar Pointing Control Ball Brothers Research Corp, Boulder, Col, have announ ced the development of a new pointing control to provide high-accuracy biaxial orientation of scientific instruments towards the sun. Known as the SPC 400, it will be used in conjunction with Aerobee sounding rockets. The corporation's chief of rocket systems, Mr Robert E. Hathaway, states that the basic configuration of the control is adaptable to a wide range of scientific instruments used in astronomy, astro physics and terrestrial aeronomy; it is especially suitable for experiments requiring high-accuracy pointing. Mr Hathaway said that a flight of the SPC 400 late last year had pointed a spectrographic monochromator at the centre of the sun and held it in that position to better than 15sec of arc. Instrument orientation is provided by two servo systems operating in the vehicle spin (azimuth) and transverse (elevation) axes. Error sensing is provided by coarse and fine light-sensitive detectors in each axis. SPC 400 utilizes a standard Aerobee ogive- shaped nosecone assembly, though modifi cation of this shape has been developed to accommodate larger pointed instruments. Available instrument space in the modified version is half a cylinder approximately 40in long with a radius of about 6£in. At altitudes greater than 350,000ft the nosecone is ejected so that the instrument can be released from the stow position and oriented about the elevation axis. In flights where recovery is desired, the instrument is allowed to point until about 300,000ft on the down ward leg of the trajectory, then it is locked into the stow position. At about 20,000ft a parachute is deployed, landing the pointing control and instrumentation as gently as possible. The Aerobee Hi-rocket pushes the point ing control to over 140 miles above the earth. During the flight the rocket acts like an arrow, rotating about its axis. The purpose of the pointing control is to counter act this motion and hold the instrument in a fixed orientation, so that emissions from the sun can be measured throughout the rocket's trajectory. The "lock-on" portion of the flight, when the instruments are pointed at the centre of the sun, lasts about five minutes. Mr Hathaway said that rocket flights of this type had provided US research scientists with some of the best information so far obtained from the sun. He added: "It is an inexpensive and highly reliable way for scientists to investigate solar activity. We have flown our pointing controls on 20 Aerobee rockets; 17 of these flights have been completely successful." Ball Brothers Research Corp builds pointing controls for the USAF Cambridge Research laboratories, Cambridge, Mass, the USN Research Laboratories, Washing ton, DC, and NASA. COMPANY NEWS Mr Charles W. Frick, who from May I is rejoining General Dynamics / Convair as vice - president engineering. He re cently resigned as manager of NASA's Project Apollo France DH French Licence Under a licence agreement with de Havilland Aircraft, Societe Anonyme Ratier-Figeac are to manufacture propellers for the Transall at the Figeac Lot factory, where propellers for the Breguet Atlantic are also made. New Matra Rocket Launcher Now in its final testing phase, a new type of rocket launcher has been developed by Engins Matra SA, 49 Rue de Lisbonne, Paris 8e. Known as the Type 150 and intended for the Dassault Etendard IVM, it carries and fires eighteen 68mm SNEB rockets. Other Matra launchers—all capable of carrying and firing rockets at aircraft speeds above Mach 1—include Type 120 (18 x 2.75in rockets) for the West German Air Force and Type 36 (36 x 2in rockets) for the RAF. Firing is at the rate of 1,800 rounds per minute and the launchers can be installed under conventional bomb racks. Matra are represented in this country by Thomas French and Sons Ltd, 59 St James's Street, London SW1, who hold manufacturing rights for launchers suitable for the British 2in rocket. CSF Radio Altimeter CSF (Compagnie Generate de Telegraphie sans Fil), 79 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris 8e, have produced a new radio altimeter, AM-221, which is fully transistorized except for the transmitting valve, meets the require ments for automatic landing and has smaii dimensions (427 cu in), light weight (19.81b > and low power consumption (2A at 27V d.c). The altimeter consists of a transmit ter-receiver unit (15in X 5b X 6in), a mount ing, two double-dipole aerials and an indi cator graduated from zero to 2,500ft. Extreme operating temperatures are —40 to +70°C; and the accuracy obtained in normal operation is stated to be ±lft below 50ft, and ± 2 per cent above 50ft Sperry Gyroscope Co Ltd are British agents for all CSF radio altimeters. Transall Cargo Equipment Siren, 13 Rue St Honore, Versailles, were delivering athird set of heavy parachuting, troop transport and ambulance equipment for the Transall to DEFA (Direction d' Etudes et Fabrication d'Armement) on April 15. The company, who specialize in air transport and heavy parachuting equipment, and also developed the Edelweiss glider which came second in the Standard Class in last month's World Championships, recently delivered to the West German Ministry of Defence the 49th cargo compartment installation for the Noratlas. Helicopter Conveyance Another aspect of Siren activity is demonstrated by the announcement that they have produced a new type of trailer for conveying Alouette 2 helicopters and are developing a 5-ton type for the Super Frelon. They have already delivered 70 trailers for Djinns, the theory behind this equipment being that it is often more economical to trans port light helicopters to the area where they are going to be used. Italy Alfa Romeo-BS Agreements Bristol Sid- deley Engines Ltd and Alfa Romeo SpA have concluded agreements under which the Italian company will collaborate with Bristol Siddeley in manufacturing and over hauling Gnome H.1000 and H.1200 engines and supplying spares for aircraft applica tions in Italy. The Gnome is based on the GE T58, for which Bristol Siddeley hold a licence from the General Electric Co. Among its most important applications is the Agusta Bell 204B, and it has been specified for the three-engined Agusta 101G helicopter, at present under construction. Aermacchi Aeronautical Centre An air craft maintenance and overhaul centre, Societa Azionaria Industria Aeronautica Latina, has been set up at Latina by Aero nautica Macchi. Enjoying full autonomy- but receiving technical and administrative assistance from the parent company as required, the centre will undertake the overhaul and maintenance of light aircraft and jets, and at a later date the manufac ture of spare parts.
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