Showing papers in "Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology in 1988"

Tradeoffs in Honeycomb Cored Designs

Abstract: THE design engineer's objective is to create the best solution to a given set of requirements. In addition to meeting load requirements, there are numerous other demands that must be addressed including weight, cost, corrosion resistance, temperature and moisture performance, fatigue, impact resistance and damage tolerance, etc. This article will illustrate the type of design tradeoffs that are encountered when cored construction is evaluated. Two studies will be outlined. The first will deal with the design of a simple part, and will demonstrate the steps of such a design study while highlighting the strengths of cored structures. The second study will be a summary of the actual preliminary design of an entire aircraft component, and will show how cored structures compare with other designs in a more realistic situation. Of course, the conclusions from one design study are not applicable to another situation with different requirements; a new tradeoff study is needed whenever any design requirement changes.

The Catic Modular Fixturing System

Abstract: THE philosophy of “just in time manufacture” is being adopted by more and more forward looking companies. To achieve “just in time manufacture” one of the basic requirements is “just in time fixturing”. You cannot have one without the other.

Safety Topics: Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)

Abstract: CONCERN about the development and implementation of collision avoidance systems has occupied companies and authorities for many years in various parts of the world and particularly in the USA where the density of all kinds of air traffic has increased substantially and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Although increases of density occur worldwide, the vast amount of private and business flying in North America makes it essential that any workable scheme of collision avoidance must have mandatory general aviation participation. The necessity for such a system has been underlined by mid‐air collisions which have happened over a considerable period of time and growing pressure has meant that the FAA in 1987 issued a Notice of Provisional Rulemaking (NPRM) in which comments about its contents were to have been received before the end of 1987.

Data Dissemination and Display

Abstract: A conference with the above title was held recently by the Royal Institute of Navigation. It had as its secondary heading ‘Electronics in Navigation’ and this is really the key to the subject since without this there would be no CRT's or colour multi‐function or any other kind of generated displays. The conference covered a wide range of land, sea and airborne systems and details of those of particular interest to ‘Aircraft Engineering’ are included here. There must of course, be information providers and databases for these systems to function at all and early papers made particular references to various FLIP's (flight information publications) and met office services and the provision of digital geographic data. The Directorate of Military Survey has plans to develop and maintain a central geographic data base from which a range of products will be available; specifically for defence purposes to support mission planning, navigation, targetting and simulation, etc. In the civil field too, the present app...