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Aviation History
1981
1981 - 2055.PDF
FLIGHT International, 20 June 1981 New British airframes needed for the future of avionics, says EEA AS talks about a new RAF fighter and a new 150-seat airliner gather new urgency, the British equipment industry has again asserted its de pendence on new airframe projects. International and national discussions have been continuous since the mid- 1970s. "There does not appear to be any clear Government policy," says the UK Electronic Engineering Asso ciation (EEA), "on the provision of vehicles to exploit the [electronics] industry's potential. This is in sharp contrast to other countries, such as the United States and France." The EEA adds that, on the basis of new airframes launched in the 1958- 1968 period, "Britain leads the world in those avionic systems which have a fundamental effect on aircraft de sign and successful performance, in cluding advanced flight-control tech niques—fly-by-wire and fly-by-light systems. Pioneering achievements have also been made in'nav/attack, fibre-optics and helicopter instrument systems. In individual areas a signifi cant technology lead is being main tained in headup displays, laser rangefinders and designators, target- classification, airborne radars and transportable MLS." If other countries are left to pro duce the next decade's new air frames, warns the EEA, "Britain's aviation industry will decline further and its voice in aviation will be less powerful." The UK avionics industry, strong though it is now—exporting 40 per cent of its £1,000' million annual output—would be bound to suffer in the future. The association believes that, in "expressing concern at the lack of new British aircraft projected for the next decade," a strong inter national avionics industry will enable Britain to produce better and more competitive aircraft in the future. What's new FIRST edition of the new Flight Inter national Directory of European Avia tion is now being prepared, following the successful work devoted to Britain's industry. The 700-page direc tory will include civil and military information for 23 countries, notes on all European airports and the inter national organisations and manufac turing groups. A comprehensive guide to flying clubs, gliding clubs, airlines and air-taxi operators also appears. Entries in each section are free and entry forms are available froin Flight International Directory of European Aviation, Room 509, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. Forms may also be obtained from the Flight Stand in the Press Village at the Paris Show. AIR Transport and Airline Systems Consultants offer a range of micro computer-based systems and services for air-transport planning. The sys tems are available as a data-process ing service or as part of a compre hensive consultancy. A series of com puterised analyses form the Airline Analysis Program. Details from John Trevett, 12a Dormans Close, Milton Keynes Village, Bucks; telephone 090868 5281. A NEW airfield lighting and arrester- barrier control, monitoring and alarm system has been commissioned by British Aerospace at its Dunsfold flight-test facility in Surrey. The equipment has been supplied by ATS Telemetry (Bridge Road, Hay- wards Heath, Sussex; telephone 0444 52377). The airfield handles experi mental flight-development and testing of Harrier, Sea Harrier and Hawk air craft. Based on the ATS Type 1000 modu lar, digital-telemetry system, the in stallation provides precision path in dicators, hover launch-pad lights for Harrier, power-supply switching and failure alarms for approach and run way-edge lighting. The new Dunsfold control tower also houses the airfield radio communications equipment and radar system. UNITED STATES titanium producer RMI Company (1000 Warren Avenue, Niles, Ohio; telephone [216] 652- 9952) reports sponge production in creased last year from 15,000,0001b to 19,000,0001b. This growth follows a $3-5 million expansion at its Ashta bula plant in Ohio. A 3,000-ton open die-forging press system is being installed under an $8 million investment in mill capacity at Niles. The only US titanium producer to exhibit in the US pavilion, RMI showed aircraft and engine parts, re search and development work, ex amples of powder metallurgy pro ducts and titanium sponge. 1969 PARIS REVIEW: Equipment -4- -4 page 1940 equipment for Tornado, the fourth production batch of which has now been authorised. The order covers 162 aircraft, including 18 F.2s for the RAF. The company supplies pumps, valves transducers and radar-cooling equip ment for Tornado. Planned produc tion of Tornado is expected to gene rate business worth some £25 million over the next ten years. A contract covering a pilot batch of single air motor servo units for McDonnell Douglas AV-8B and full- production tooling has been received. Other AV-8B work includes pumps, valves, filters, pedal-shaker motors and taxiing lights. The business is worth about £14 million. Orders for Plessey equipment aboard the BAe 146 are worth almost £1 million for the initial production run. The contracts cover generators, control units, transformers, fuel pumps and starter motors. Plessey Connectors (Northampton) is to supply avionics connectors for the first six production Mirage 2000s and for the Mirage 5. Plessey Aerospace has signed a memorandum of understanding with VFW and Fiat to co-operate on air craft secondary power systems. The new consortium offers expertise to en gineer, develop, manufacture and test complete systems for future military aircraft. THE Saab-Scania SF.340 mockup featured an interior by British indus trial consultants Ogle Design (Birds Hill, Letchworth, Herts; telephone 04626 2661). An alternative interior design has been developed in the USA. Ogle says that its aim was to create "a feeling of airiness, to pay great attention to detail and to meet the demanding weight objectives." The mockup is to be displayed in Saab- Fairchild's European head office (Rue Matignon, Paris). TWO anti-terrorist radar systems with aircraft applications were shown by Racal-MESL Radar (Preston Road, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland). Racal's Checkpoint radar is designed to protect parked aircraft and has been developed for major European airlines. The free-standing unit can be concealed under a standard marker cone, Bacal claims. Its Seefire anti-terrorist radar is a hostile fire-indicating system for heli copter use. Applications include anti- peacekeeping activities in urban areas. VIP protection and military war-zone helicopters. The system identifies the direction of travel for projectiles launched towards it. An audible alarm sounds when shots are detected. High-velocity projectiles travelling at between Mach 0-5 and Mach 3 can be sensed.
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