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Aviation History
1978
1978 - 3023.PDF
1946 What's new Measurement Technology (Power Court, Luton, Beds LU1 3JJ; tele phone 0582 23633) has produced the MTL 370 self-resetting lightning- protection unit. The model incorpor ates self-resetting relays instead of fuses. Surges up to 20,000A are shunted to earth, as in conventional models, but relays automatically open and close if stronger currents are re ceived. Four MTL 370s were recently fitted to Luton Airport's ILS beacons. Previous lightning-protection units re quired a 16-mile round trip, occasion ally several times a week in peak seasons, to replace blown fuses each time they operated. Beacon downtime has been reduced to fractions of a second per strike. Harbeo Systems (Watt Boad, Church- field, Salisbury, Wilts; telephone 0722 25424) has established an. emergency information service to cope; with the many enquiries about the short-term hire of high-pressure cleaning equip ment for airport maintenance. The company claims to be the leading specialist in high-pressure water jet- ting systems and aims to bring to* gether existing and potential users who need advice. Bunway and apron cleaning are- cited as obvious uses for these systems. General Dynamics has designed and built an F-16 wing box for structural tests: being conducted at the USAF Flight Dynamics Laboratory (Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433; telephone [513] 255-2107). The structure will receive simulated flight loads aimed at demonstrating that adhesive bond ing can be an alternative manufactur ing process. A primary load-carrier, the wing box features a lower skin formed from bonded aluminium. Mechanical fasteners have been eliminated from the structure, in which the varying skin thickness has been achieved by bonding aluminium sheet and machined spar caps into an integral wing cover. The bond line between sheet and cap forms a natural crack- stopper. Three 7ft X 3ft sections of F-16 wing are being tested at room temperature. The first has withstood loads 11 per cent greater than the design figure. Fatigue tests will be carried out on the second item, while the third has been manu factured with intentional flaws in critical areas. Damage-tolerance tests will determine the useful service: life of bonded wings. In another programme bonded joints are being developed to replace conventional fuselage skin-stringer structures. Two new aircraft fasteners are announced by Avdel (Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 1EZ; telephone 07073 28761). The MBC self-locking flush- break rivet is a two-piece blind fastener which, unlike conventional rivets, does not have to be cropped or trimmed. The possibility of damaging aircraft skins during these operations is thus eliminated. The fitting of a suitable nose tip allows most conven tional blind riveting equipment to be used. Avdel's new Jo-Lok bolt has all the characterists of the manufacturer's well known Jo-Bolt, plus a friction- locking element which meets Ameri can NAS 1675 requirements. An average 50 per cent weight saving over conventional nut-and-bolt assem blies is claimed. Normid (8-10 Oxford Boad, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9 7AY; telephone 02813 87222/4) has introduced the FLIGHT International, 25 November 1978 Vidilux Drawing Board Lamp, designed to improve the level of illumination available to draughtsmen who prefer to use near-vertical boards. A light value of some 2,000 lux is claimed for the Swedish-built lamp, which is said to reduce the total lighting requirement in offices. Plessey Avionics and Communications (Vicarage Lane, Ilford, Essex IG1 4AQ; telephone: 01-478 3040) has developed a battlefield VHF unit which does not need line>of-sight con* ditions or several widely spaced radio channels. The new Groundsat un manned station provides common- channel automatic repeater facilities for both command post and infantry men. It is no larger than a conven tional manpack radio. Who's where James Short is the new vice-president programme management at E-Systems' Memcor division. Dr George Hislop and Dai Morris have been appointed to the CAA Airworthi ness Bequirements Board. Duncan Simpson becomes deputy director (technical and marketing) at the Society of British Aerospace Com panies on December 1. A New Direction for Electronic Warfare VIVISUN 20/20™ THE FULLY QUALIFIED MIL-SPEC SWITCH This is the miniature pushbutton switch (Mil-S-22885/90) proven successful on LAMPS MK III, ALQ-137, the F-16. YAH-64, AH-1T, Panavia Tornado. BAe Hawk and Ground Based Security Systems. Messages are Sunlight Readable at 10,000 foot-candles (direct sunlight) and Night Goggle Readable at the infared ievel. Phone or write for data and/or technical assistance. <•> 4EROSR4CE OPTICS INC. 7112 BURNS ST, FORT WORTH. TEXAS 76118 • PHONE (817) 284-2293 (EXT 777) • TELEX 758461 IN ENGLAND Aerotech Ltd , 81 Station Rd., Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England • Phone: 062-84-71851 • Telex 847092
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