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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 0160.PDF
deliberate in-flight use. Airlines are concerned about the effects of an undemanded firing of the system, particu larly in flight. The loss of ancillary cabin services such as lighting might not be critical, but airlines and manufacturers are concerned about the effect that dousing the cabin area would have on a fly-by- wire system. Considerable research will probably be needed to satisfy the safety authorities. It is still unclear which power source is best to drive a spray system. Electrical or pneumatic units are the prime candidates, but the former would be particularly susceptible to structural damage unless it was independent of the aircraft's main power supply. The CAA suggests using stored gas to pressurise the water reservoir, and also addresses the question of how to prevent water freezing in the container. In particular, it rules out the discharging of an anti-freeze mixture into the cabin, because it could break down into toxic products when heated. Consequently, if anti-freeze is used overnight while the aircraft is standing, the system will have to be drained. In the air, thermal insulation will be needed. By 1990. Mode-S Traffic Collision Avoid ance System (TCAS) instrumentation will become standard equipment in the cockpits of all public air carriers. As the industry standard setter in audio panels, control heads, and radio man agement systems. Gables Engineering is also leading the way in Mode-S/TCAS. Gables systems have already been specified by Lufthansa Airlines, and are certified on the Boeing 737 and 747. DBS Q 0 Ss m * €i GABLES ENGINEERING INC. Since the introduction of TCAS, Gables has been working with such firms as Boeing, ARINC, Collins and others to assure cockpit standardization, and the availability of state-of-the-art technology. For safety, reduced pilot workload and efficient radio management. Gables is setting and maintaining the standards. Call us. Put our experience to work for you. We're ready. Gables Engineering, Inc. (305)442-2578 (ITT Telex 44-1107) PO. Box 140880 Coral Gables, Florida 33114 Serviceability essential Overall, a high level of serviceability is essential. The CAA proposes objectives comparable with those specified for ground proximity warning systems. These suggest that, on average, no more than one flight in 1,000 should be made with the spray system unserviceable. A good indication of the CAA's commit ment to some form of spray system is that, at this early stage it has tried to estimate instal lation and running costs. If sprays are to be made mandatory, a major debating point will be the sizes of aircraft that should be encom passed by the legislation. A lower level of 40 seats implies a UK airliner fleet on August 1, 1988, of 321 narrow-bodies and 80 widebodies. Using that figure, and assuming an average aircraft life of 20 years, the CAA calculates an annual bill for UK operators of £7-34 million. The figures per new-build aircraft break down as follows: Narrow Wide Installation Development and testing £65,000 £90,000 £10,000 £15,000 Industry return on investment £5,000 £5,000 Total £80,000 £110,000 Annual maintenance £5,000 £8,000 Annual operating cost £7,500 £12,000 Total (annual) £12,500 £20,000 NB. Installation and development costs are based on a 1983 US Department of Transportation study into the spray concept. Operating costs are based on a narrow-body system weight of 6501b and 1,1001b for widebodies, and an average annual cost per kilogramme weight increase per aircraft of/25. One airline tells Flight that, if these costs are borne out, they will "certainly not be over the top". Given that view, the relative simplicity of the engineering required, and the existing public concern over aviation safety, operators will be under pressure to co-operate. The CAA believes that the remaining tests can be completed and other concerns resolved by early 1990, with a consultation period following later in the year. It then proposes a two-year compliance period for new-build aircraft and a four-year limit for retrofitting to in-service aircraft. The whole issue of cabin fires will be spotlighted in the UK again shortly, with the imminent publication of the report on the Manchester 737 accident. It is far from clear, however, that other authorities will follow the CAA's lead. A key question in the consultative document currently being circulated among the industry by the CAA is whether airlines will accept unilateral UK action, even if it puts British carriers at a, competitive disadvantage. C 46 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 21 January 1989
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