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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 0035.PDF
SIMULATOR TEST function displays (MFDs) on each instrument panel, which, as their name suggests, do every thing done by the instruments they replace. Eight hard keys below each display bring up the following pages: • warnings of any system malfunctions — this is automatic and overrides whatever else is on the screen at the time. Anything important that was on that screen can be transferred to the other. There are also audio warnings for the more serious malfunctions. The screen also presents the emergency/malfunction operating-procedures checklist, as well as the normal-operating checklists. The system alle viates the need for the pilot to monitor tem peratures, pressures, fuel quantities and the like and for him to memorise checklists, emer gency procedures and limitations; • warnings of any outside threats approach ing, or in the vicinity; • target-acquisition information, slaved to the two mission grips in each cockpit. The grips, one for each hand, are fully retractable into the instrument panel and contain all the controls for the weapons-management system. Furthermore, the pilot, who now occupies the front seat, has a repeater trigger on his side- stick, so that he can continue flying the aircraft while firing the weapons; • weapons status — availability of weapons remaining; • aircraft systems — any of the systems can be brought up and interrogated; • communications — all communication and navigation-aids details can be viewed. A crew man can select whichever radio he wants, then its frequency, without removing his hands from the controls. The cockpit has been designed for the operation of most systems in this way; • flight information — this shows all the information which the pilot requires to fly the helicopter. This is duplicated on his HMD. Should all the electrics fail, which is extremely unlikely considering the amount of redundant electrical power available (there are two iden tical mission computers driving the MFDs), there are a small artificial horizon, airspeed indicator and altimeter instrument on the end of each instrument panel; • map — the coloured digital-map display is kept up to date by the navigation systems. The map can be oriented north/south, or with the present track running up/down — a nice touch. The current position is shown by a representa tive aircraft on the map. The map can be over laid with additional information, such as the position of other aircraft, waypoints and targets. There is capacity in the MFDs for more pages, if required. There are also soft keys down both sides of each screen for the management and interrogation of me information presented. MISSION PLANNING Before flight, the mission is planned and all the data is placed on to a cassette, which is then fed to the aircraft's computers and made available to the crew and the helicopter's systems. There is a "scratch pad" in the form of a screen in each cockpit, with buttons for creating or modifying data. The pilot's cockpit at the front still has the short stubby sidestick positioned on a shelf by the right fuselage wall. GEC has given this its own hydraulic boost system and a trim system, the lack of which I found slightly degraded the pilot's handling ability on die SuperCobra. The stick itself has been redesigned, to include switches to relevant systems. The only signifi cant difference with the rear cockpit is the removal of the scratch pad from the bottom cen tre of die instrument panel, to make way for an ingenious telescopic cyclic-control stick. When the occupant of this seat needs to use the weapons handgrips, he can push the cyclic verti cally down out of the way, just like collapsing a telescope. Apparendy the helicopter can still be flown with it in the lowered position. The Venom has a hover-hold autopilot, which will control the aircraft in pitch, roll and yaw, but not height. The hover hold is essential for night and bad-weadier operations, as I was to find out. The aircraft has an integrated inertial-navi- gation/global-positioning system, which feeds the moving-map display. Time and distance to waypoints are available. There is flexibility for the operator to install other aids. In addition to conventional target sighting and FLIR systems, the SuperCobra can pop up momentarily from a hidden position, allowing the crew to view a potential target, record it on video, review it — one frame at a time if need be — and transmit the picture to die outside world. If the decision is made to engage the target, the system can be programmed to fire a missile without viewing the target again — a "fire-and-forget" capability. Alternatively, an outside source can provide the crew with the position of the target ,with the same result. Either crewman can slave the cannon to what Using the sidearm "stubbys" he sees through his helmet. He can also cue the other crewman to look at what he is seeing. The aircraft is designed to carry a huge variety of weapons, including air-to-air and air-to- ground missiles, 70mm rockets, 20mm cannon, passive-targeting, long-range, night and bad- weather and "fire-and-forget" systems. THE "FLIGHT" I flew a typical mission in the simulator, starting in daytime. After a briefing and demonstration from Peter Jones, GEC's programme manager, displays division, I was able to fly safely through fairly hilly territory, following the track line on the map display and die track directions in the HMD. I chose not to disturb my concentration on the "outside world" by referring to the flight information on the MFD, but relied instead on the HMD. We were joined by two other aircraft, which appeared on the map. I could see, by glancing down at the map, that we were approaching a waypoint. The cursor on the HMD compass rose was already indicating that I should be turning. We turned on to the next track and flew several tracks over differing terrain, through valleys and over hills. I found the symbology excellent. An exam ple is die radar-altimeter display, which, when the aircraft is down to 200ft (60m) above the ground, changes its presentation to alert you that you are very low. There have been a lot of inputs to get the symbology right — for exam ple, from the US Marine Corps and UK mili tary test pilots. For the last half of the flight we went in to night operations. The FLIR was selected and I could see enough to continue flying safely at low level dirough the valleys and over the hills. As I turned my head, so die FLIR turned. We slowed down as we approached the target area and die hover hold was engaged. I have been condi tioned/spoiled by coastguard-helicopter search- and-rescue operations (where height can be held automatically), but height is not difficult to con trol, given the noticeable radio-altimeter presen tation. Various targets — all tanks — were selected and various weapons launched. A full training course on the systems takes 10-12h, hands on. Most crews cope well after about 30min in the simulator. It is pos sible to have several simulators in different locations — all linked. • Helicopter highlights The most pleasing features of the GEC Venom facelift of Bell's AH1-W are: • reduction of crew workload, which has been achieved by the simpler, but more effi cient, cockpits; • more effective systems for operating day and night in nearly all weathers (the aircraft is not cleared for icing conditions); • putting the pilot in the front seat, where he can see more; • the ability either to fly or manage the search and attack systems from either seat; • to be able to fly the aircraft, do everything required, see everything necessary with the minimum amount of taking hands off the controls or having to look into the cockpit. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 4 - 10 January 1995
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