Aircraft General Discussion

[HughEParticipant @hughe]

In the early part of my career I worked for Daval in Perivale , Middx. They made wire recorders for aircraft . One was featured on Tomorrow's World and nick named the Red Egg, it was used on Concorde. An early version had 2 spools and the wire was transferred between the two, that auto reversed. It had a very neat double helix wire guide to ensure the wire was laid out on the receiving spool in an orderly manner , this also that reversed at the end of each travel without snatching. It was nightmare reading the data back when the wire broke. It was also getting difficult to source the special wire in the late 70s.

Later on worked on recorders used to record maintainence and trials data on Torpedoes, PIGs (pipeline inspection gear) and the F18 for the US Navy aircraft . The real challenge was to compress the data enough to fit on these recorders as they had limited storage capabilities. The crash recorders were nicknamed the "on sh@t recorder" as it was normally the last words that were recorded in the event of an accident. I visited AAIB and US equivalent a number of times, it used to send shivers down my spine when i saw the wreckage reassembled.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

From another forum – something seasonal!

**LINK**

Merry Xmas/Bah Humbug (delete as required.

rgds

Bill

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Ho Bill

That's really sick!

Norman

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Whilst searching for something not obviously aircraft related … I happened across this group of early issues of 'Flight' **LINK**

https://archive.org/search.php?query=flight%20international%201913

Enthusiasts should find much there to enjoy.

MichaelG.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Mosquito number three took it's first flight at 11.33 AM NZ summertime today, with two seat Spitfire MH 367 as chase plane. This one was the last RNZAF Mosquito to fly, and was sold to a buyer in the USA, and now it's going back there. Don't worry the next one goes to the UK.

Ian S C

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

I see that Airlander 10 has been retired after only 6 test flights and 2 crashes. Apparently the manufacturers are now concentrating on bringing the next generation airship to a commercial market. I am not sure the history inspires confidence! *** BBC News ***

John

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Posted by Journeyman on 13/01/2019 11:36:56:

I see that Airlander 10 has been retired after only 6 test flights and 2 crashes. Apparently the manufacturers are now concentrating on bringing the next generation airship to a commercial market. I am not sure the history inspires confidence! *** BBC News ***

John

The press etc really wind me up, I can see the hangers from my house and regularly watched the Airlander performing its tests, it only crahed once and that could be classed as a forced landing after the crew nosed it in but what really annoys me was the second issue, it broke from its mooring and automaticallly deflated, it was designed to do it, it then got blown across barbwire fencing which ripped it to pieces, it wasn't under power, never left the ground and had no crew aboard so how come it crashed. When it was on its mooring its was sitting on the ground.

Martin P

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

On the subject of Airlander 10, I don't get it. What is it other than a novelty? Can it ever be a commercial success?

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 13/01/2019 08:29:50:

Whilst searching for something not obviously aircraft related … I happened across this group of early issues of 'Flight' **LINK**

https://archive.org/search.php?query=flight%20international%201913

Enthusiasts should find much there to enjoy.

MichaelG.

Cheers. It's not like my reading list is getting any shorter but my mate is already half way through them.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Love the Flight Magazines link thanks Michael. Good to see that Aeromodelling was going strong back then.

Now some good news about funding the new home for Stoke on Trent’s Spitfire.

**LINK**

Edited By V8Eng on 15/01/2019 20:45:17

Edited By V8Eng on 15/01/2019 20:49:18

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Posted by Mick Charity on 13/01/2019 13:15:07:

On the subject of Airlander 10, I don't get it. What is it other than a novelty? Can it ever be a commercial success?

Unfortunatly most modern British airships have not been a great sucess commercially, but the Airlander could be. It's a lifting body design that has many advantages.

The accident it suffered was not a forced landing or even a problem with the airship itself. A winch in the mooring tower failled after the mooring rope was attached. The aircrew thought it had detached and tried to fly away. The airship pivioted around the rope and nose dived into th ground. They now have a release for the mooring rope at the airship end.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Looks like the Tornados are going out to give the public a last look, not their final flights but they won’t be around much longer **LINK**

One of Martin Baker’s Meteors was out yesterday for a live ejector seat firing, quite a bang as I was working outside at the time.

Mike

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

RAF Tornado Farewall tour

**LINK**

Rather late notification, but to mark the retirement from service of the Tornado a country wide flypast is taking place from today until Thursday. At the bottom of the link above are provisional timings.

Nigel B

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

According to the time table they should have been in the Bedford area around 13:20 but didnt see hide nor hair of them.

Martin P

[DrDaveParticipant @drdave]

Posted by martin perman on 19/02/2019 16:41:55:

According to the time table they should have been in the Bedford area around 13:20 but didnt see hide nor hair of them.

Martin P

Martin, they are due over RAE Bedford tomorrow. We went to RAF Cosford to see them today. Two hours there, two hours back, for an 8 second flypast… At least their museum has some exceptional aeroplanes and missiles to view.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Tarnation, I'm only six miles from the National Memorial Arboretum, but I've only just seen this.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

I work around 5 miles from RAF Linton on Ouse & contrived to have "something to do" outside at the appointed hour – saw & heard nothing ! An item on the local TV news this evening covered the 3 aircraft flypast at Linton, so I know they were there – just didn't approach or depart from my direction, unfortunately.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Sometimes it’s fortunate to live under RAF Benson approach path, 3 Tornados on the flypast just went over, 2 mins early though.

Mike

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

They weren’t around long at 400mph and 500ft

[Philrob27Participant @philrob27]

They Have just flown over the Roll Royce factory at Filton 14:20.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

They are pretty nippy, takes me 2 hours to get to Bristol and I don’t go via St Athan and Pembrey.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 20/02/2019 14:43:40

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Was out about the North Bedford area this afternoon and still didnt see them.

Martin P

Edited By martin perman on 20/02/2019 17:32:14

[Jon LawesParticipant @jonlawes51698]

They were 5 minutes early at Boscombe Down, luckily I got out of the hangar in time, they were not hanging about!

[Philip PowellParticipant @philippowell34749]

I was was at Keysoe, about 1k east of the end of RAE Bedford's runway and saw them about 13:20. Fumbled my attempt to take video and stills but pleased I got to wave them off. Farewell Tornado.

Phil.

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

They must have skirted around the edges of Bedfordshire on the way up from Duxford. As far as Look East was concerned they went from Duxford to High Wycombe direct.

Martin P

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