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Aviation History
1963
1963 - 1051.PDF
1020 FLIGHT International, 27 June 1963 INDUSTRY International Flight Systems Products Company News Great Britain FLIGHT SYSTEMS Firebrigade for Intercepters Following a hiatus in the development and implementa tion of the proposed NATO Air Defence Ground Environment (NADGE) system for controlling the supersonic intercepters now entering service with several NATO air forces, Holland has taken the step of ordering from Elliott Brothers (London) a Firebrigade Mk 2 interception control system in order to fulfil its requirements. The intercepter role was added to the F-104G's capabilities rather later than its basic strike mission and delays resulting from the rapidly increasing costs of NADGE have left several air forces without adequate means of controlling intercep tions. Missions from several other air forces have investigated Elliott Firebrigade and considerable additional orders may be placed. The RAF ordered a Firebrigade last September for controlling Lightnings. Firebrigade is based on the small, mobile Elliott MCS 920 digital computer and auto matically provides guidance data and dis plays, together with related information, using radar inputs from existing stations. It can be linked with neighbouring centres to form an area defence system and can handle varying numbers of targets, inter cepters and surface-to-air missiles. Be cause the computer is already in quantity production, delivery is rapid and costs are commensurately low. Decca GPI Mk 7 First displayed by Decca Navigator Co during the Paris show was an electro-mechanical analogue navigation computer called GPI Mk 7, for RAF Transport Command aircraft, the first example of which was completed only 16 months after placing of the order. One of the choice of indicators for the new Ferranti lightweight compass system and, right, the master control panel Operational testing is now under way and six units have been ordered. Transport Command Comets, Belfasts and VClOs will use GPI Mk 7 as their standard navi gational computer and Doppler radar control system. It has complete facilities for the control of the Doppler, a wind indicator, two track legs with automatic changeover, track, groundspeed and TAS indicators, position in latitude and longi tude or in grid co-ordinates and memory. The unit is designed for use by a full-time navigator and incorporates an Elliott Decca ball resolver. It can automatically reverse computation upon passing the zero meridian or the equator. The GPI Mk 7 may well be the last analogue navigation computer produced for the RAF. Check-out for Sweden Elliott Brothers (London) Ltd were permitted to announce during the Paris show that they have received from the Royal Swedish Air Board an order for prototype automatic check out equipment to test the complete elec tronic systems of the Saab J35F Draken at first and second-line level. To be delivered early next year by the Elliott Automatic Test Equipment division, the prototype may well lead to sizeable production orders Bendix tape instrument ation of the type demon strated in London by Elliott Brothers (London) Ltd last week. It is already employed in F-IOS, F-106 and C-I4I and could also extend to the forthcoming Saab system 37 strike aircraft. The J35F is the first extensive systems engineering venture by Saab and contains rather more complex equipment than earlier models. Pre-fiight check-out equipment already forms a part of the standard equip ment for all models of J35 Draken. The Elliott equipment will employ tape control and make maximum use of new digital control and semi-conductor switching. Ferranti Lightweight Compass Ferranti have announced a new lightweight com pass system in which the electronics have been incorporated in the functional units. Several types of directional gyros amongst the range already widely used in stand-by gyro DIs can be incorporated, together with a variety of small or standard-size indicator dials. A complete system, with static inverter, flux gate, master controller and indicator, would weigh about 161b. Additional outputs for autopilot heading preselect and holding and additional indi cators are available. PRODUCTS Facilitating Cargo Handling The Cargo- master freight vehicle, designed and built by F. L. Douglas (Equipment) Ltd, Cheltenham, was recently demonstrated at London Airport. As the photographs opposite show, the load-floor is con tained within side-frames and may be lowered to ground level (an ingenious rear suspension and drive system takes the place of a conventional rear axle, thus leaving complete clearance for this operation) or elevated to any desired height to a maximum of 5ft 6in. Full elevation takes only lOsec. Operation is by a system of hydraulic rams and chains, and a mechanical locking device relieves the rams of load when the vehicle is running. The rear extension of the
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