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Aviation History
1992
1992 - 0324.PDF
LETTERS Cockpit-design disappointment SIR — 1 \\ -.s disappointed to read the opening sentences of your article on cockpit design, "The meeting place" (Flight Interna tional, 27 November-3 Decem ber, 1991), which stated that "...there are no national or inter national standards for a flightdeck or its displays". While it is true that, in the strict legal sense, the only rules are those for certification, there is a large body of guidance contained in the Society of Auto motive Engineers (SAE) S-7 manual: "Aerospace standards, recommended practices and in formation reports on flightdeck and handling qualities standards for transport aircraft", which is known as ARP 4100. This document covers all the aspects of flightdeck design, from inflight management sys tems to crew-seat construction as well as cathode-ray- tube symbology to digital engine control. It is produced by the "S-7 committee" of the SAE, which comprises senior airline pilots, manufacturers' test pilots, line-pilot representatives, equipment vendors and specialist air-transport operations consultants. The objectives of the S-7 committee are pre cisely in line with those advocated in your article, ensuring that the realities of line operational re quirements are reflected in advice to manufactur ers. Similarly, it tries to ensure that the research and development conducted is both relevant and communicated to the airlines and their pilots, who are the end users. Airlines are encouraged to specify S-7 committee require ments in their contractual ar rangements with manufacturers. Increased awareness of this ac tivity, however, still seems to be needed in some quarters. Regret tably, even if a strong consensus is critical of a feature such as the non-moving autothrottle of the A320, as discussed by Capt Cae sar of Lufthansa, the manufac turer can ignore it if he wishes. It would be good to see a greater willingness on the part of aircraft manufacturers to admit the possibility of misjudgement on their part — just as they emphasise it so heavily as a necessity in pilots! STEVE LAST CHAIRMAN, AIRCRAFT DESIGN AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 7 Trinity Place Windsor Berkshire SL4 3AP, UK Guidance is available for cockpit design Second World War memories RAPA comes under BALPA umbrella SIR — Some months ago (Flight International, 31 July, 1991) you published my letter telling re tired aircrew about the forma tion of the Retired Airline Pilots Association (RAPA). Since then, RAPA has merged with the Brit ish Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), which also represents flight engineers. BALPA has formed a commit tee to co-ordinate its activities on behalf of retired aircrew who have held British professional licences. It is called the Retired Flight Crew committee, and its advent is announced by an arti cle in the April issue of the association's journal, The Log. The aims, principles and poli cies are the same as those of the original RAPA, but, of course, it now carries the full backing of an experienced organisation and will be able to prosecute its objectives in a determined and professional manner. For those interested — and this includes all serving aircrew — please contact The Retired Flight Crew Committee at the address below; telephone: +44 (71) 759 9331. R C ATKINSON VICE-CHAIRMAN Retired Flight Crew Committee BALPA 81 New Road Harlington Hayes, Middlesex UB3 5BG, UK Call for RAE Bedford staff SIR — With the research and development task at Royal Aero space Establishment (now the Defence Research Agency) Bedford scheduled to be trans ferred to Boscombe Down in the second quarter of 1993, I have been contracted to compile a book on the history of this unique establishment. The story begins during the Second World War, when the expansion of the establishment at Farnborough was necessary, and includes many interesting and unique one-off research air craft from the Rolls-Royce "fly ing bedstead" through to the Hunting 126. I am seeking to make contact with anyone who served at Bedford over the years and, in particular, I am looking for per sonal anecdotes to include in this fascinating story of men and machines. ARTHUR PEARCY AP Publications Dakota 76 High Street Sharnbrook Bedford MK44 1PE, UK SIR — Some years ago in South Africa, I bought at an auction four books of Brownie camera- type snapshots. They are: • Stalag Luft 1 Barth Vogelsang. 1940/42; • Theatre in Stalag Luft 111; • Stalag Luft 111, I wanted Wings; • Stalag Luft 111, Tunnel to Freedom. Before everyone who can re member is dead, it would be useful to put names to the faces of the British and German sub jects in these photographs. It would also be interesting to hear of any anecdotes in connection with these books. Can any one of your readers stretch their memories back that far to make a trip on my part worthwhile? RODERICK BROMLEY Coltishall House Great Hautbois Road Coltishall Norfolk NR12 7JN, UK WHATS ON Intl Flight Training Exhibition 14-15 March, Novotel, Hammersmith, Lon don. Contact: European Aviation News; tet: +44 (91) 226 0408; fax: +44 (91) 226 0409. First European Forum on Laminar Flow Technology 16-18 March, Con gress Centrum Hamburg, Germany; tel: +49 (2) 2837 6726; fax: +49 (2) 2837 4755. Speednews Sixth Annual Aviation In dustry Suppliers' Conference 17-18 March, Century Plaza Tower, Los An geles, California, USA. Contact: Gilbert Speed/Steve Costley; tel: +1 (310) 203 9603; fax: +1 (310) 203 9352. Urban Airports & Short Field Opera tions 20 March, Docklands, London, UK. Contact: Joyce Zielinski, Confer ence Manager, Shephard Conferences, 111 High Street, Burnham, Bucks SL1 7JZ, UK; tel: +44 (628) 604311; fax: +44 (628) 664334. Pricing in the Single Market 20 March, Portman Inter-Continental Hotel, London. Contact: Anna D'Alton, 57-61 Mortimer Street, Lon don WIN 7TD, UK; tel: +44 (71) 637 4383; fax: +44 (71) 631 3214. Heli-Expo '92 22-24 March, Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada, USA; Contact: Helicopter Association Intl, 1619 Duke Street, Alexandria VA 22314, USA; tel: +1 (703) 683 4646; fax: +1 (703) 683 4745. Communications Satellite Systems Conference 22-26 March, Omni Shore- ham Hotel, Washington DC, USA. Contact: Laurin Pause, Torrey Science & Technology, 9725 Scranton Road, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92121, USA; tel: +1 (619) 552 1052; Fax: +1 (619) 552 1056. The opinions expressed in this page do not necessarily represent those of the Editor. Flight International cannot undertake to publish letters without name and address and reserves the right to select or edit letters. 38 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 12 - 18 February. 1992
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