Avionics and aircraftdoi: 10.1108/eb034619pmid: N/A
A REVIEW has been made recently by the Electronic Engineering Association of the effects of the Government's recent policies towards the aircraft industry on the British aviation electronics industry and of the prospects for the future in avionics. The British share of this rapidly expanding world market for both aircraft and equipment has decreased in recent years, but the E.E.A. takes the view that if the Government and the industry adopted positive and progressive policies Britain's share of the total market could be more than doubled over the next ten years.
Deutsche Luftfahrtschau Nineteen Seventydoi: 10.1108/eb034620pmid: N/A
THE Deutsche Luftfahrtschau, popularly known as the Hanover Air Show, is held biennially by the Bundesverband der Deutschen Luft‐ und Raumfahrtindustrie e.V. (the German Aerospace Industries Association) and will take place from April 24 to May 3 at Langenhagen Airport, Hanover. As in previous years, it will run concurrently with the famous Hanover Trade Fair.
The German Aerospace IndustryPeters, Klaus
doi: 10.1108/eb034621pmid: N/A
THE German aerospace industry faces the new decade with optimism. Even the budget restrictions announced recently which affect most parts of the industry cannot lessen that impression. Some of the money not granted has only been frozen to avoid further overheating of the economy. In comparison with the aerospace industries of Great Britain — employing 240,000 people — and France — employing 100,000 people — the German aerospace industry with its 52,000 employees seems to be of less importance. This figure, however, is remarkable with regard to the fact that in 1956 this industry had to start from nothing. The airframe industry employs about 32,500, the space industry some 2,600, the engine industry about 6,200, the material and accessory industry 3,000 employees, and in the equipment industry another 7,200 people are working directly for the aerospace industry.
Flight Test Programmedoi: 10.1108/eb034622pmid: N/A
ON APRIL 1st, 1969, the world's first jet V/S.T.O.L. weapons system, the Hawker Siddeley Harrier G.R. Mk. 1, entered military service with the Royal Air Force. This was the culmination of eight years of flight testing during which the Harrier evolved from the original Hawker P.1127 project of the late fifties. In this period an unparallelled record of jet V/S.T.O.L. flying has been built up, the Harriers alone flying some 1,700 hours of test flights with over 4,500 transitions, and their predecessors, the P.1127s and Kestrels, over 1,200 test and evaluation flying hours with 2,600 transitions. (Fig. 1). They have taken off and landed in small forest clearings by day and night, in central London and downtown New York, on ships decks ranging from U.S.S. Independence's 1,050 ft. × 250 ft. (310 m. ×75m.) down to H.M.S. Blake's 120ft. × 50ft. (36m. × 15m.), and from concrete, from grass and from aluminium pads. The comprehensive development programme has confirmed the engineering success of the design and proved that the Harrier jet V/S.T.O.L. weapons system is competitive and cost‐effective.
The Harrier T. Mk. 2doi: 10.1108/eb034623pmid: N/A
AS a preliminary to the detail description of the Harrier V/S.T.O.L. Operational Trainer — designated Harrier T. Mk. 2 — it is worth recalling that Hawker Siddeley first made proposals for a dual version of the P.1127 as early as September 1960 (Fig. 1). However, due to the relatively small number of early P.1127 and Kestrel aircraft, efforts to introduce a trainer proved abortive until the Harrier G.R. Mk. 1 production order materialised, following the batch of six Harrier development single seatcr aircraft. A feasibility study for a V/S.T.O.L. Dual Version Harrier was submitted to MinTech in September 1965. This was followed up by a project study in April 1967, which culminated in firm orders for two development two‐seater aircraft, to be followed by a batch of production aircraft.
Ear‐to‐grounddoi: 10.1108/eb034624pmid: N/A
The VC10 flying test bed aircraft which is being used for flight testing of the Rolls‐Royce RB.211 three‐shaft turbofan made its maiden flight at Hucknall near Nottingham, in early March. It has been converted for the flying test bed role by the installation of a single RB.211 advanced technology engine in place of the two Conway turbofans normally mounted on its left‐hand side.
Personalities in the newsdoi: 10.1108/eb034625pmid: N/A
The Minister of Technology, Mr Anthony Wedgwood Benn, has appointed Captain A. A. Murphy, R.N., as Director of Guided Weapons Research and Development (Naval) Branch in the Ministry of Technology. He succeeds Captain K. A. W. Pilgrim, R.N., who is returning to the Ministry of Defence.
Aviation Electronicsdoi: 10.1108/eb034626pmid: N/A
Burndept Electronics (E.R.) Ltd. is now marketing a homing instrument for fixed or rotary wing aircraft which, when used with the company's SARBE personal and flotation beacons or similar equipment, gives a ground/air range of 150/200 miles at 30,000 ft. (60/80 miles at 10,000 ft.). It will pick up any radio distress signals on 1215 MHz (VHF) or 243 MHz (UHF). Trial orders have already been received from the U.K. Ministry of Defence and the Chilean air force.