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a Video map generation

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SIO

\FATCA JOURNAl OF A\R TRAFF\C CONTROl

THE CONTROLLER Frankfurt am Main, April 1964 Volume 3 · No. 2

Publisher: International Federation of Air Traffic Con­trollers' Associations, Cologne-Wahn Airport, Germany.

Officers of IFATCA: L. N. Tekstra, President; G. W. Monk, Executive Secretary; Maurice Cerf, First Vice President; Roger Sade!, Second Vice President; Hans W. Thou, Hon. Secretary; Henning Throne, Treasurer; Wolter Endlich, Editor.

Editor: Wolter H. Endlich, 3, rue Roosendoel, Bruxelles-Forest, Belgique

Production and Advertising Sales Office: W.Kramer &Co., 6 Frankfurt am Main NO 14, Bornheimer landwehr57o, Phone 44325, Postscheckkonto Frankfurt am Main 11727. Rote Cord Nr. 2.

Printed by: W.Kramer&Co., 6 Frankfurt am Main NO 14, Bornheimer Landwehr 57a.

Subscription Rote: OM 8,- per annum (in Germany).

Contributors ore expressing their personal points of view and opinions, which must not necessarily coincide with those of the International Federation of Air Traffic Con­trollers' Associations (IFATCA).

IFATCA does not assume responsibility for statements mode and opinions expressed, it does only accept re­sponsibility for publishing these contributions.

Contributions ore welcome as are comments and criti~ cism. No payment can be mode for manuscripts submit­ted for publication in ·The Controller•. The Editor re­ser~es the .right to make any editorial changes in manu­scripts, which he believes will improve the material with­out altering the intended meaning.

Written permission by the Editor is necessary for re­printing any part of this Journal.

Advertisers in this Issue: The Decca Navigator Co., Ltd. (Inside bock cover). Deccu Radar Limited (Bock cover). Hannover-Messe (28). N. V. Hollandse Signaolapparoten (32). Marconi Company, Ltd. (1, 2). SELENIA (Inside cover). Picture Credit: Presence de Bruxelles (8). Hughes Air­craft Co (19). Telefunken GmbH (23). Tcchnische Uni­"ersitot Berlin (25, 27) SEL (30)

CONTENTS

An IFR Sight Plan

by J. E. Grambart

IFATCA Annual Conference 1964

IFATCA, Addresses and Officers

Flight Safety Symposium

by Geoffrey Monk

Supersonic Transport Symposium

by Geoffrey Monk

New ATC Associations

Professor Schenkman UN Consultant

Eurocontrol Agency

Eighth Annual ATCA Conference

by Helmut Elsner

New ICAO Secretary General

Somalia Member of ICAO

Eurocontrol ATC Simulator

Model and slide rule to demonstrate the relative vertical position of the flight levels, the QNH altitudes, the QFE heights, the transition altitude, the transition level and the transition layer

by Dr. G. Raenike

Transradar FAB 6072

Controller's Gossip

5

8

9

10

13

19

19

20

21

22

22

23

25

29

31

4

Corporation Members

of the International Federation

of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations

Cossor Radar and Electronics Limited,

Harlow, England

The Decca Navigator Company Limited,

London

ELLIOT Bros. Ltd., London

Hazeltine Corporation, Little Neck, N. Y., USA

IBM World Trade Europe Corporation,

Paris, France

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

The Hague, Netherlands

Marcon i's Wireless Telegraph Company, Ltd.

Radar Division

Chelmsford, Essex, England

N.V. Hollandse Signaalapparaten

Hengelo, Netherlands

Telefunken AG, Ulm/Donau, Germany

Texas Instruments Inc., Dallas 22, Texas, USA

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations would like to invite all corpora­tions, organizations, and institutions interested in and concerned with the maintenance and promo­tion of safety in air traffic to join their organization as Corporation Members.

Corporation Members support the aims of the Federation by means of an annual subscription and by supplying the Federation with technical information. The Federation's international journal "The Con­troller" is offered as a platform for the discussion of technical and procedural developments in the

field of air traffic control.

For further information on Corporation Membership please contact Mr. H. W. Thau, Secretary, IFATCA, Cologne-Wahn Airport, Germany.

An IFR Sight Plan*

The 30 foot motor cruiser nosed her way west off Rock­away Beach. Her homeward-bound skipper had the deli­cate job of threading his way through the heavy traffic of fog-shrouded lower New York Harbor to a Jersey anchor­age. Before him on the control console was a TV receiver, tuned to the Coast Guard RATAN facility on UHF channel 47. The bright picture before him was a televised presenta­tion of a radar display of lower New York Harbor, telecast from the Coast Guard radar station on Sandy Hook. The skipper saw a radar map of the harbor shore line and island masses. He also saw the lines of channel-marking radar reflectors and the moving targets of water traffic. Off Rockaway he had located his own target by a 360° identifying turn while watching his TV for a similarly turn­ing target. Thereafter, aided by compass and depth-finder, he was using the electronic eye of televised radar to guide that target to his destination with almost the surety of visual pilotage. He was using a televised facsimile radar map as a pictorial display for both navigation and colli­sion avoidance.

The Coast Guard has been experimentally televising its Sandy Hook, N. J., radar picture to water craft since early 1962. Called RATAN, for Radar And Television Aid to Navigation, the facility's purpose is to give users first-hand reference to land-based harbor radar for navigation and proximity warning indication. Both professional and pri­vate user acceptance has been so enthusiastic that a second UHF channel has been requested for another RATAN facility to extend coverage to upper New York Harbor.

The marriage of television and radar holds far greater promise for the twin technologies of air traffic control and air navigation. By restoring to the IFR pilot a measure of his cloud-lost sight, it will eliminate many of the difficul­ties, dangers, and delays presently associated with instru­ment flight. We all know that, of the two types of traffic, VFR and IFR, the former presents by far the easier control problem for the simple reason that it operates on a see and avoid basis, for each pilot provides his own separa­tion. On the other hand, the weather-blinded IFR pilot, denied all visual reference to his flight environment, is utterly de.pendent upon ATC for his separation. VFR con­trol is easier because the pilot has visual reference to the world around him, and so can extend active, knowledge­able cooperation to the busy terminal controller. Contrast this to the sad predicament of the IFR pilot who, seeing nothing beyond the cockpit, must limit his cooperation with ATC to following instructions and making position reports. We have, then, the difference between a coopera­tive and non-cooperative system. Since, relative to his flight environment the instrument pilot must be regarded as non­sighted, hence the early phrase, "blind flight", he is, ine­vitably, a much greater burden to the ATC system. This is particularly true in the hard-pressed terminal areas which incur the bulk of weather and traffic delays.

To more clearly illustrate the problem, consider the situation of ten blind men randomly placed on an empty football field. The task of their guide is to provide them aural instructions to an exit such that each one leaves the

This article was written for the Journal of Air Traffic Control. It

fepresents only the views of the author

J. E. Grambart

field expeditiously without colliding with any of his fel­lows. Using an electric megaphone, he calls detailed in­structions to his ten charges, telling them to turn left or right, to speed up or slow down, or to stand still (hold) as the situation demands, until the last man is through the exit. Now assume the same situation, but with the sight of the ten men partly restored such that, although they can­not identify their companions, they are aware of their placement on the field and can clearly discern their move­ment and the exit. Their guide can now solve his traffic problem much more easily. Instead of calling numerous, painfully explicit directions he can now say,

11

Joe, walk to the exit you see 90° to your right. Al, follow Joe, whom you see directly ahead of you. He will maintain walking speed. Pete, follow Al, whom you see at 3 o'clock, range 70 feet. He is moving to your left. Wait until he has gone 20 feet past you then maintain that distance ...

11

The guide can direct his l O partly sighted charges to the exit much more quickly and easily than he could when they were totally blind. Or, in the same time, and with the same effort, he can safely direct a greater number of partly sighted men, thus increasing the system capacity.

In like manner would the IFR pilot, if we could restore to him some first-hand knowledge of his cloud-shrouded environment, be able to actively cooperate with the ATC system; he would be able to help the controller to help him. Televising the various air traffic control radars via discrete channels into the airplane cockpit will do just that; it will materially increase the pilot's frrst-hand knowledge of his traffic and give him a very useful pictorial naviga­tion display via the video map. Indeed, for the properly equipped and indoctrinated pilot, it promises to change the time-worn instrument flight rules to more efficient in-

strument sight rules.

Having discussed some of the potentials of televis~d radar, let us consider it from an operational standpoint

and see how it would work.

Method of Operation

1. ATC radars are televised on discrete channels from

ground radar sites. 2. The pilot of an aircraft equipped with a suitable recei­

ver (to be discussed later) has visual reference to the

televised radar display. 3. The pilot, by one of several methods, identifies his .own

target and so establishes his position via the video

map.

Target Identification

1. Controller-coordinated transponder activation. The ~i­lot uses his transponder in the assigned code while watching his TV-RADAR for a similarly coded target. The same technique would apply to the use of the

IDENT. feature.

2. Cross-check of position and heading over a radio fix with the assumed position on the radar video mop.

3. The pilot makes an identifying turn while checking his televised display for a similarly turning target

5

4. When the target has been previously identified by the controller, he can identify it to the pilot by a slewed-on marker.

5. Via suitable Alpha-Numeric tags, available in the forth­coming ARTS (Advanced Radar Traffic Service) display.

System Utility

Air Navigation

1. En Route. While crossing a sector with televised ARTCC coverage the pilot would see his own target pro­gress over the face of the video map. Thus he would be using a PICTORIAL POSITION DISPLAY on which he would see graphically, but not numerically, his track, ground speed, and distance to next check point. With the single display the pilot will have, to a measurable degree, the surety of visual-reference pilotage under instrument con­ditions.

2. Terminal. This same reasoning holds true for tele­vised radar within a transition/terminal area, insofar as the video maps are more detailed, showing as they do holding fixes, localizers, markers, airports, etc. A parti­cularly interesting possibility becomes apparent when we consider televising the PAR scope. The pilot could observe and correct the progress of his target along the glide slope and localizer. He could become his own radar moni­tor, making corrections on the basis of first-hand visual observations instead of second-hand oral advice. The cor­rections would, thus, be faster, more precise, and smoo­ther. Presently, great effort is being made to develop and gradually implement an instrument landing system which will be usable in extremely low weather minimums. To date such systems have necessarily been machine systems, with the pilot out of the control loop until he attains visual con­tact. Given present approach speeds the pilot can be ex­pected to make little intelligent contribution if he is called upon to take over from the machine system when the air­craft is within 100 feet of the ground. However, if a ma­chine approach system were complemented by a televised display of the PAR it is quite possible that the pilot, gra­phicaiiy aware of his aircraft's progress along the loca­lizer and glide slope, could more knowledgeably assume control during the critical flare, or alternately, make an intelligent go-round decision while there was still time to safely execute it.

Lefs examine the matter of the difficult-to-execute circ-1 ing approach under conditions of lowered ceiling and/or visibility, when the wind will not permit a straight-in ap­proach. During the first part of the approach along the front or back course of the ILS, the aircraft's path is a safe and easy track on the localizer. But at some point the pilot must turn from that solid and sure localizer to form a downwind and base leg for the into-the-wind runway. Then he is on his own, visual, but all too often not wholly

· I The aircroffs path will vary with the pilot's flight VJSUa. . .

d.t. ns hi·s familiarity with the local terrain, and his con 1 10 ,

· d t One inbound will turn from the ILS at the Outer 1u gmen. Marker to form a comfortable downwind and base_ leg. The next may ride the localizer right up to the Middle

Marker, then rack it arnund sharply f~r a hastffy. down­

wind leg. Neither the pilots nor the OJrport tro 1c_ ~~n­trollers love this situation. There are too many :aria e

1

s

t · f ·om the fact that all too often, the pilot cant s emm1ng r , . • be sure of his position on downwind or base until he can

6

see the runway. But suppose we draw on the ASR scope a video presentation of a curved path off the localizer to represent an optimum flight pattern for a circling ap­proach. For example, we could put the circling approach pattern on a 1 O mile display. When weather conditions made a circling approach mandatory, that display could be televised on the airport channel. The pilot then, seeing his target on the televised radar, guides that target along the map-scribed pattern. Throughout downwind and base legs he would know his position relative to the end of the runway. In effect, he would be executing a visual instru­

ment approach.

Proximity Indication

Referring to the televised radar scope of the area through which he is flying, the pilot has a constant running check of the speed, bearing and distance of potential traf­fic. Further, and equally important, participating aircraft would be aware of each other's presence. Although, pre­sently, altitude information is not available from radar, controllers, as they now do, can alert the pilot to an "un­known". Increasingly, as height information becomes avail­able for direct radar display via altimeter-coded trans­ponders, aircraft flying within a televised radar net will, to a large degree, be able to navigate on a modified see and avoid basis in instrument weather. And in VFR wea­ther, pilots will not be dependent upon the limitations of visual perception to spot fast closing targets, or targets approaching from a blind angle. It is difficult for a VFR pilot to tell whether he is one mile or three miles from another, visually sighted aircraft. But the televised radar will give him the precise range. Two 707's, closing at 1100 statute miles per hour present a cockpit visual collision avoidance problem almost unsolvable by unaided human senses. But on televised radar they could "see" each other 20 or more miles apart, with plenty of time to safely exe­cute a comfortable avoidance maneuver. It is reasonable to assume that televised radar will markedly reduce the air collision hazard.

Weather Information Source

While circular polarization does minimize the prec1p1-tation clutter which tends to mark the most turbulent areas of a storm, some clutter does leak through to the scope, and we, as controllers, often convey this information to pilots so they can ovoid these areas. Televised radar would present the data at first hand. Further, in large metropo-1 itan areas the Weather Bureau uses weather radar. It may become practicable to televise that display on its own channel.

Written Ground-to-Air Communicatlon

The face of the cockpit TV screen need not be com­pletely filled with the image of the radar scope. Perhaps the lower two inches should be reserved for presentation of written control information. A video camera could post any message in the reserved space. Particular use could be found for the televising of written data in high activity

terminal areas. All aircraft contacting a major approach control facility have to be given, in addition to approach control instructions, (1) weather, (2) runway information, and (3) pertinent NOTAMS. Constantly repeating this ne­cessary information places an extra burden upon the radar

approach controllers and contributes to the already heavy frequency congestion. Via televised radar, the information could be visually posted to all inbounds.

Air Traffic Control

The potentials of the televised radar concept as an aid to ATC, though intriguing to say the least, cannot be given quantitative specifications because they have not been subject to empirical investigation. It is possible to examine them here only in imagination. It can be envisioned that TV-Rodar will be most used and most useful in the hard pressed terminal areas, where 90% of the ATC problems lie, because the terminal areas have the radar services in being, ready for televising. However, it can prove useful in outlying radar sectors as well. With his identified target before him on the televised ARSR scope, the pilot should be able to maintain any controller-given lateral or longi­tudinal separation from other participating aircraft. Thus, he can become, under controller supervision, his own traf­fic monitor. The system may permit multi-track, same ?irection airway navigation for participating aircraft, and it should permit better control of off-airway area traffic. It takes little imagination to realize that, when all IFR traf­fic under a Sector Controller's cognizance remains con­stantly aware of the graphic position of other pertinent traffic, the controller's workload is lightened enormously because he hos the pilots working with him. Further, a constantly self-maintained separation interval implies the use of a safely smaller interval, thus accommodating more aircraft in a given airspace. In the writer's opinion there con be little doubt that, should televised radar become on operational reality, it will increase the capacity of the ATC system.

Consider the possibility of its use in Rodar Approach Control. Suppose that two aircraft are vectored out of a holding pattern for an ILS approach. If the pilot of the second aircraft, queried, advises that he hos his own tar­get identified, as well as that of the first aircraft on the televised ASR scope, the controller need merely say: "Trans­world 10, the target you are following is an American 707. His final approach speed will be 135. Maintain the present 3 mile sepration throughout the approach". Thereafter the cont~oller would issue no further vectors, but would simply monitor the two aircraft to check the interval. When both aircraft switched to the PAR channel on intersecting the IL.S, the prescribed interval would still be apparent to both pilots.

Some Obstacles

The Televised Cockpit Display

. T.he task of mounting a reasonably large TV display w1th1n the already crowded cockpit in such a way that it would alwa:s be within the immediate view of the pilot seemed, until recently, to be an impossibility. About a year ago the writer became aware of a development by the Hughes Aircraft Company of a headset-mounted cathode ray tube, useful for either direct radar viewing, or for the presentation of a televised display. Called the ELECRO­CULAR display, the device has a weight of eight ounces. The tube itself is seven inches long, with an outside dia­

meter of 13/s inches. The display consists of the television tube, a single lens, and a semi-reflecting eyepiece. Mount­ed on a headset, the display presents the viewer with a

virtual image of the displayed information superimposed on the ambient background within his normal vision. The tube is swivel-mounted on the headset so that the wearer may instantly move the display out of his line of vision. Here, then, is on ideal device for our purpose. Because of the nearness to the eye, it subtends the same angle as would a 10 foot square display seen at 20 feet. It requires no panel space, and can be hung up out of the way when not in use. It projects a display bright enough to be used in normal ambient light. And, since the image is super­imposed on the normal background, the pilot can simul­taneously view his instruments, and, in the critical transi­tioning period, he can instantly look through the display,

out of the cockpit to the real world.

Pilot Orientation

One immediate objection that some may hove to tele­vised radar is that it will present a split control problem. That is, the pilot, seeing his own target on the cockpit dis­play, may elect to control his own flight. Consideration will show the objection to be invalid. Many flights that could be mode entirely VFR proceed only with on instrument clearance because of the greater protection. Would those some pilots elect to control their own flights simply be­cause they hove access to a two dimensional radar dis­play? The answer seems obvious. Rules and regulations are the twin lubricants necessary for the orderly working of any system. Each system or system improvement creates its own rules and regulations, cancelling out the obsolete, and creating the new and useful. So would it be with tele­vised radar. Along with pertinent rules and regulations would come pilot training procedures in the use of the new tool. Like controller training, pilot training never really ceases; the pilot, for· his own safety and efficiency in a continually changing environment, knows that he must master each new device and technique. Two of the many tasks that would be necessary before TV-Radar could be­come a useful port of the system would be (1) a determi­nation of its practical. operating parameters, and (2) the

promulgation of a pilot training program.

Frequency Availability

Here is the real rub. Current commercial telecasting

requires a 4.5 me bandwidth. With commercial and educa­tional interests vieing for what remains of the UHF spec­trum it may be extremely difficult to assign channels for ATC experimentation. However, some engineers feel that a televised radar picture would require less bandwidth than would the more information-loaded commercial pic­ture. In any case, if we could demonstrate real need, chan­nel assignment, at least on an experimental basis parallel to the Coast Guard RATAN facility, may be negotiated . Raytheon engineers, when consulted informally on the mat­ter in 1957, advised that, if necessary, the microwave region could be used. Incidentally, Raytheon designed and built the RATAN facility.

System Acceptability

Evolutionary automation is presently in the design stage. The writer sees it as inevitable, but feels that it isn't realistic to expect it to reach operational level before 1970

The beauty of the televised radar concept 1s thot it 1s holf completed; the rodar facilities me 111 existence wrnting io be televised. Should experirnentot1on prove H1e 1cleo ope

7

rationally practicable it cou ld be imple mented as on in­terim aid for the already stressed ATC system. When auto­mation in turn, became on operational real ity, the two aids would complement each other.

The idea of televised radar in the field of air traffic control is an old one, having first been proposed by RCA in their TELERAN concept in 1946. The writer again at­tempted to enlist Agency interest in 1957. However, be­cause the idea has remained completely unexplored by any organized effort (except by the Coast Guard), it re­mains potential ly new. The central idea of the concept is

IFATCA Annual Conference 1964 Rooms ,,Dynastie" Provisional Programme

Monday, April 20th, 1964

Arrival of delegates and observers 15.00-18.00 Meeting of Elective Officers,

Conference Secretary and Chairmen of Standing Committees

Evening "Get Together", organised by the Belgian Guild of Air Traffic Controllers Sponsor: Ets . G. Fourcroy et Fils, Brussels

Tuesday, April 21st, 1964 09.15 Opening of the Conference

Address by the President of the Belgian Guild Address by Mr. R. Lecomte, Directeur General of the Regie des Voies Aeriennes Address by the President of IFATCA

10.00-12.30 IFATCA business sessions 12.30 - 14.00 Lunch break 14.00 - 18.00 IFATCA business sess ions

Evening Reception I Cocktai ls Meeting of Chai rmen and Secretaries of Sub-Committees and Elective Officers

Wednesday, April 22nd, 1964

09.15- 13.00 IFATCA business sessions 13.00 - 14.30 Lunch break 14.30 - 18.00 Public Meeting

Evening

Mr. F. Be rtrand, Minister of Communications will open this meeting ; Press, Radio and Television hove been invited to cover this function Reception by Monsieur R. Bulin, Directeur G e neral of the Eurocontrol Age ncy

Thursday, April 23rd, 1964

8

This day has been reserved for visi ts of aero­nautical interest. Delegates and Observers are asked to state their choice for one of the

following :

simple; to measurably increase the usefulness of radar by expanding its audience. No one is more interested in his traffic situat ion than the p ilot. Yet, on instruments, he can, to only a limited degree, participate as a member of the system. Televised radar would en list this knowledgeable, presently partly employed, manpower on the side of the contro lle r, making for a safer, more capacious system.

The only thing more difficult than the introduction of a new idea is the banishment of an o ld one. It is worth con­sidering that the introduction of televised radar may banish forever the o ld idea of b lind fl ight.

Lo Moisan du Roi.

1. Decca Demonstration Flights A series o f demonstration flights are orga­nised at Brussels National airport by the Decca Navigator Company, Ltd. with thei r newly equipped Ambassador aircraft. Trans­port by train to the airport from the SABENA Air Terminal in Brusse ls.

2. Visit of the Air Traffic Control Units at Brussels Airport

Observers and De legates con, either sepa­rately or afte r having finished with a Decca demonstration flight, visit the newly equipped Tower, Approach Contro l and Airways. Trans­port as above.

3. Visit to SABCA-COBELDA (Societe Anonyme Beige de Constructions Aeronautiques - Compognie Beige D'Elec­tronique et D'Automation)

Construction, overhaul, repair and electronic equipment of aircraft. Assembly of F-104G aircraft at Cosselies-Charleroi. Transport by bus, leaving the hotel at 09.00 hrs. Lunch at Gosselies sponsored by SABCA-COBELDA.

4. Visit of Experimental Aerodynamics Centre at Rhode-St.-Genese

Administration of Aeronautics. Aerodynamic experiments in wind tunnel. Lunch in the Clu b House of the Mini stry of Communication Re­creation Centre. Transport by bus, leaving the hotel at 09.30.

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations Addresses and Officers

AUSTRIA

Austrian Air Traffic Controllers Association Vienna Airport Austria

Chairman Secretary

BELGIUM

Ottokar Schubert Kurt Payr

Belgian Guild of Air Traffic Controllers Airport Brussels National Zaventem 1 Brussels

President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Director Director Director Director Editor

CENTRAL AFRICA

A. Maziers R. Sadet R. Tamigneaux R. Maitre M. de Craecker M. Courtoy J. Lacourt Y. Viroux 0. Haesevoets

Association of Air Traffic Control Officers Private Bag 2 Salisbury Airport Southern Rhodesia

Secretary L. J. Cotsell

DENMARK

Danish Air Traffic Controllers Association Copenhagen Airport - Kastrup Denmark

Chairman Director Deputy

FINLAND

Henning Throne A. G. T. Nielsen H. D. Christensen

Association of Finnish Air Traffic Control Officers Suomen Lennonjohtajien Yhdistys r.y. Air Traffic Control Helsinki Lento Finland

Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary Member Member

FRANCE

Fred. Lehto Jussi Soini Vaine Pitkanen Heikki Riitaho E. Kurvinen

French Air Traffic Control Association Association Professionnelle de la Circulation Aerienne

B. P. 21

Aeroport du Bourget Seine France

Director

GERMANY

Maurice Cerf

German Air Traffic Controllers Association Verband Deutscher Flugleiter e.V. Cologne-Bonn Airport Porz-Wahn Germany

Chairman Vice-Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary Treasurer

GREECE

H.W.Thau H.J. Preuss W. Kremer F. Fischer H. Prell

Air Traffic Controllers Association Air Traffic Control

of Greece

Athens Airport Greece

President Secretary

I CELANO

Nicolaos Gones P. Mathiondakis

Air Traffic Control Association of Iceland Reykjavik Airport Iceland

Chairman Valdimar Olafson

IRELAND

Irish Air Traffic Control Officers Association

Air Traffic Control Centre Shannon Airport Ireland

President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer

IS RAEL

D. J. Eglinton P. J. O'Herbihy J.E. Murphy P. P. Linehan

Air Traffic Controllers Association of Israel P. 0. B. 33 Lod Airport Israel

Chairman Jacob Wachtal

LUXEMBOURG

Luxembourg Guild of Air Traffic Controllers Luxembourg Airport

President Secretary Treasurer

Alfred Feltes Andre l<le1n J.PK1mmes

9

NETHERLANDS

Netherlands Guild of Air Traffic Controllers Nieuwe Prinsengracht 9 Amsterdam

President Secretary Treasurer Member Member

NORWAY

Lufttrafrkkledelsens Forening Sola Airport Stavanger Norway

Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary Treasurer Officer Director Deputy

SWEDEN

L. N. Tekstra H. Meijers J.C. Bruggeman J. L. Evenhuis H. A. C. Hauer

Jon Stangeland Knut Christiansen Arne Gravdal Seren Norheim Arne Helvik Ottar Saebo Arne Gravdal

Swedish Air Traffic Controllers Association Air Traffic Control

IF~oght Safety Symposium

Bulltofta Airport Malmo 10 Sweden

Chairman Secretary

SWITZERLAND

Carl Ahlborn Lennart Jogby

Swiss Air Traffic Controllers Association V. P.R. S. Air Traffic Control Zurich-Kloten Airport Switzerland

Chairman

UNITED KINGDOM

Bernhard Ruthy

Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers 14, South Street Park Lane London W 1

Master Clerk Executive Secretary Treasurer Director

K. B. Crosby, Wing Comm. L. S. Vass G. Monk E. Bradshan A. Field

Royal Aeronautical Society, London, 31 st October 1963

Because of editorial reasons we hove not been able to re­

port earlier on this interesting Symposium, which was at­

tended by Executive Secretary G. W. Monk on behalf of IFATCA. Nevertheless, the subject is as timely as ever, and the resumee by Mr. E.W. Pike, of the papers given, is on

excellent and witty cross-section of the proceedings.

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen

I am sure you will all agree that the Flight Safety Com­mittee deserves our congratulations on organising suc­cessfully such an interesting and important symposium on flight safety. It would be presumptious to comment on the opening remarks from our distinguished principal guest, but perhaps we may agree that what he said was as usual very much to the point and imparted with his characte­ristic clarity and vigour. All the other speakers certainly merit our gratitude for such stimulating papers of a uni­form standard of excellence.

My first impression is of how difficult it is to express safety objectives realistically. Mr. Hunter pointed out the direct financial consequences of air accidents, a task he has performed so often with devastating impact. His pre­dictions usually prove so frighteningly accurate. Mr. Vivian reminded us that a high safety standard is achieved as a result of good management, good equipment, good train­ing and good personnel. Mr. Tye referred to the necessity

10

for finding the delicate balance between the apparently conflicting demands of economy and safety, and advanced what to me at least was the novel view that an attempt must be made to assess the level of safety the public requires. I have at the moment some difficulty in appre­ciating how you would sound the public pulse on this issue. At the same time Mr. Tye expressed doubt whether the current safety level is acceptable to them. Mr. Keith-Lucas believes there is a conflict both between safety and eco­nomics and between safety and progress, and thinks we should never shirk worthwhile risks when they arise. Cap­tain O'Sullivan, as an airline pilot with a very personal

interest in air safety, is in favour of establishing the safety factor, or the degree of risk, and is opposed very under­

standably to any compromise once an agreed level has been established. I wish I could agree with him that in every aspect of civil aviation the risk is defined carefully, comprehensively, nationally and internationally. The re­marks of his fellow pilot Captain Turner were mainly related to ATC conditions in Europe, in which respect the variability in the risk element is considerable. Mr. Majendie contended that, in general, safety is not a saleable com­modity, with which view I regret I must venture to dis­agree. I submit there is plenty of evidence that operators have taken the initiative in promoting the development of

safety equipment, airborne radar for example. It just takes faith, persistence and patience (and sometimes the back­ing of a relevant catastrophe) to succeed, and I urge my friend and former colleague to regain his crusading spirit. We certainly need a great deal more of it in this aviation business.

I wonder if we might not all agree upon reflection that safety and economy, although apparently in conflict, are in fact opposite sides of the same coin, operational suc­cess. Too much concern over safety invites bankruptcy, too little can achieve a similar result in a more unpleasant fashion.

There seems wide agreement that the landing and take-off phases of flight contain the greatest potential threat of disaster. Mr. Vivian's paper, in particular, and remarks by other speakers - notably Captain Poole -led to this conclusion. Because the aerodrome is such a vital factor in both operations, the contribution to safety of good design and proper facilities should surely not be overlooked. Adequate and sufficient runways, properly marked and lit (is it not time something was done about runway centre line lighting), suitable approach lighting, efficient drainage and snow clearing facilities, and a determined effort to remove obstacles and irregularities in the approach path whenever possible. We must also get adequate radio guidance on the approach, because as Mr. Vivion pointed out, two recent jet disasters took place at night when there was only an N. D. B. available to the pilot. Of course everything should be done to coun­teract such deficiencies by concentrated training, but I doubt very much indeed whether this con be regarded as an adequate substitute. Several speakers mentioned the need for an airborne terrain clearance indicator, and may be as surprised as I was to learn that not so long ago a high level Ministerial committee considered the matter and concluded that there was no operational requirement for such a device. References to arrester gear were very timely after about ten years' procrastination, since the need first become apparent.

Several speakers mentioned the promise of improved safety inherent in automatic landing. I am sure that in the long term this is so, but I feel we should not blind our­

se~ves to the possibility that, in the early stages, it may

b'.1~g proble_ms of its own, and consequently prove more d1ff1~ult to introduce than some people imagine. It is fashionable these days to stress the limitations of the human pilot, and I think in this context Dr. Bennett's ex­cellent analysis of the man/machine relationship is parti­cularly o~t. I wonder if he would accept from a layman a suggestion that there is another respect wherein man t~anscends the machine, namely the ability for swift reac­ti?n under the stimulus of fear. The dangers from so-called pilot-_e_rror are unfortunately all too apparent in current conditions, but ~ow much do we know statistically about t~e many occasions when o pilot's experience, or some sixth sense he possesses, hove averted disaster following equipment failure?

It is, I suggest, most significant that several speakers, notably the user representatives Captains O'Sullivan and Turner, referred to an urgent need for improved navi­gational facilities, and Dr. Bennett expounded on the vir­tues of o pictorial presentation. I for one am convinced that the ability to navigate with the requisite accuracy should rest firmly in the cockpit. There has been a regrett­able tendency in many quarters, both in this country and

the United States, to insinuate that ground radar can ob­viate the need for an improved navigational capability. I certainly would not belittle the value of radar to ATC, but it is not a panacea, and the current trend towards complex and hideously expensive radar direction of traf­fic is in my humble opinion a particularly obnoxious form of back-seat driving. You listened with perhaps a sense of amazement to the recording Captain Turner introduced, remembering that in this discordant noise rests vital safety instructions. Military aircraft already use o digital air/ ground data link, and one may hope that before too many years have passed, ATC instructions and air/ground mes­sages will be transmitted automatically, and the data dis­played and recorded both in the cockpit and on the ground in an acceptable manner. I agree with Captain Turner about the importance of the pilot's role in ATC, but I am sure he will concede that on air traffic controller working at high pressure, in semi-darkness, and sometimes looking after as many as fourteen aircraft in IFR conditions, hos a task at least as vital, and usually much more harassing. It would, I suggest, be o very good thing for somebody of Dr. Bennett's calibre to look into the human engineering problems of on air traffic controller at a busy modern centre. Some of the inspired brainstorms of development engineers may, I believe, entrap the controller in on elec­tronic jungle and impair the remarkable qualities he now displays in the execution of a unique but very professional

human function.

Mr. Keith-Lucas's account of the attention aircraft manufacturers ore giving to safety was most enlightening. The modern air transport aeroplane is amazingly reliable, although of course some credit must be given to the very good modern maintenance practices. The falls from grace outlined by Mr. Hunter nearly all occur because we have not yet learned how to operate these fine aircraft with consistent efficiency. Basic instruments obviously need to be improved. You heard something about altimeter de­ficiencies (the suspect drum altimeter is still in wide use), airspeed indicators are fallible and there have been too many cases of artificial horizons failing. I hope manu­facturers will give particular thought to improved cockpit instrumentation and get away from the confusing banks

of small circular clock-type dials. The new Lockheed C 141 military transport embodied a notable and praiseworthy attempt to achieve a better functional display pattern for

the pilot.

Captain Poole advanced a most logical and convincing case for the instrument approach procedure developed with such success by BEA. It may be that neither of the reasons he advanced (why the method has not been copied by other airlines) is the true one. There is an innate ~nd understandable conservatism in both pilots and pilot management, and any change in the established order _is very hard to achieve. I was rather startled by Captain Poole's mention of a possible need for a third pilot on

· tl ther new types of aircraft. Surely we must go in 1e_ 0

direction and develop aircraft which with the assistance of modern technology can be handled safely in all con­ditions by a single pilot, so that a second pilot in transport aircraft can provide complete redundancy. We must not forget that general aviation, which is certain to grow tremendously, will in most cases only have a single pilot If as Captain Poole fears the check list gets even more comprehensive, should we not pay heed to Dr Bennett s injunction that a human being is a very poor 111on1to1 ol

1 l

routine functions? Why not automate a large part if not all of the check procedure, and only have faults displayed following an electronic search? Is it not possible to agree that the complex procedures involved in operating today's transport aircraft have gone too far and that we should now begin to simplify the piloting role? We might then be surprised to find that there is no need to replace him. I submit in all seriousness that there are good reasons for concluding that any system of transportation demanding the high degree of human skill required today is funda­mentally unsound.

I believe that notwithstanding the fact that our main task is to prevent accidents, we should not overlook the importance of survivability. Backward facing seats were of course discussed with perhaps surprising results. Fire prevention is also most important - was it not C. G. Grey who said we need aircraft that land slowly and do not burn?

This reminds me of Mr. Keith-Lucas's question about VTOL accidents. Because of the tremendous promise of these aircraft it is of obvious importance that all ex­perience, both good and bad, be widely shared.

As an ignoramus on aviation insurance, might I have the temerity to ask Mr. Hunter what sort of no-claim bonus he offers his clients? Presumably, say, a 40% dis­count for an accident-free year on what must be a size­able annual premium would represent a powerful induce­ment in favour of safety-promoting equipment and prac­tices.

In all safety matters the pilot view is of extreme im­portance but should not, I believe, always be regarded as conclusive. Captain A. S. Wilcockson once told me he could recall the horror with which in the '20s he regarded ihe advent of the first directional gyro, the first artificial horizon and the first auto pilot. It is good to see here today Mr. Calvert and Mr. Sparke of the R. A. E. Pilots the world over owe them a tremendous debt for the patient, persevering pioneer work that led to recognition of the true requirements for approach and runway lighting and more recently the VASI.

Mr. Majendie, Mr. Tye and other speakers listed im­provements in the interests of safety that might be ex­pected in ten years or so, and also suggested shorter term contributions. I would heartily endorse Mr. Majendie's idea of a campaign to rationalise cockpit documentation, and would go even further and recommend that paper sheets and charts be outlawed during the limiting condi­tions of approach and landing. Why not use Dr. Bennett's pictorial display to provide, for example, the approach chart, the runway in use, the wind direction, runway visual range, temperature and QFE, the critical height, possibly even taxying instructions? As regards the promising longer term possibilities, let us do all we can to speed their intro­duction. Inertial platforms weighing less than 15 lbs. are now being flight tested in this country and the U.S.A. Air­borne digital computers weighing just over 30 lbs. with design aims of 20 OOO hours MTBF are in the late stages of development in the U.S.A. I do not agree with Captain o·sullivan that they will replace him (in Ruffell Smith's immortal phrase "the black box has no fear of death") but they will ease his job tremendously and facilitate very much more precise operations. Admittedly their advent might make his pay negotiations more difficult!

The Flight Safety Committee will be faced with the task

12

of digesting today's exchanges and disseminating the result to all and sundry as they deem appropriate, Roger Bacon and the Press notwithstanding. I do hope they will decide to pinpoint specific items on which they consider some immediate action is merited, and try to achieve soon some positive results. We would, I am quite sure, all like to hear specific progress reported at their next similar meet­ing. Most of what we have heard today has been said before in different ways at Jerry Lederer's Seminars over the past ten years or so, and I trust we are now deter­mined to attempt remedial action. May I offer Jerry an airborne variant of Murphy's Law which might, in remem­brance of R. A. F. training, be called Prune's Law, to wit "If it can be shewn that in a given circumstance a pilot is likely to misinterpret an instrument or group of instru­ments, somewhere on some occasion a pilot will be so misled".

My dictionary gives one definition of focus as "the point from which any activity (such as a disease or an earthquake wave) originates". I am sure we wish the Flight Safety Committee every success in reporting this first of many safety symposium (hopefully all as provocative and stimulating as this has been) and trust that their efforts will be greeted universally with a wave of infectious enthusiasm.

Thank you very much.

Note of papers given:

THE AVIATION HAZARD

Mr. Alan Hunter, A.F.R.Ae.S., Principal Surveyer, British Aviation Insurance Company Ltd.

ACCIDENT BLACKSPOTS

Mr. M. H. Vivian, Deputy Director Flight Safety, Mini­stry of Aviation

AIMS FOR THE FUTURE

Mr. Walter Type, O.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., Chief Technical Offi­cer, Air Registration Board

AN AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER'S VIEW OF FLIGHT SAFETY

Mr. D. Keith-Lucas, M.A., M.l.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S., Tech­nical Director, Short Brothers and Harland Ltd.

A FLIGHT DECK VIEW OF THE SAFE OPERATION OF AIRCRAFT

Captain D. J. Turner and Captain D. F. O'Sullivan, D.F.C., Airline Captains (2 papers)

THE AERO-MEDICAL VIEW

Dr. G. Bennett, M.A., M.B., Ch.B., A.F.R.Ae.S., Research Medical Officer, BOAC

COMMAND ON THE FLIGHT DECK

Captain E. Poole, Flight Manager, BEA

DEVELOPMENTS IN AIDS TO THE PILOT

Mr. A. M. A .. Majendie, M.A., F.R.Ae.S., Deputy Gene­ral Manager, Smiths Aviation

PRINCIPAL GUEST:

His Royal Highness

The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T.

Supersonic Transport Symposium Observer's notes

G. W.Monk

Sponsored by ALPA, BALPA, and SNPL of the IFALPA, and organised by the British Air Line Pilots Association, a Supersonic Transport Symposium was held in London from l 2th to l 4th November, 1963. The Symposium was intended to discuss many of the points of interest of the SST which would affect the pilot in particular. It covered the concept of SST in general, and not one design in particular. Spea­kers were chosen from the three sponsoring nations.

Personalities

Symposium Chairman: Mr. Clarence N. Sayen, President, IFALPA

Panel Chairmen: One Captain A. Spooner

Sec. IFALPA (707 pilot BOAC) Two Captain F. H. Bateman

KLM Pilot Assn. (Electra pilot) Three Captain F. Andreani

Pres. French Pilots Assn. (Air France) Four Captain L. Taylor

Chairman, Techn. Committee, BALPA Five Captain W. M. Masland

Regional Vice-President, IFALPA

* H. R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh, K. G., K. T., was introduced by Captain J. R. Jeffrey, Chairman of BALPA, opened the Symposium.

* Panel One

General Design

1. Concepts for an SST Pierre Satre, Sud Aviation

2. SST Structure N. F. Harpur, B.A.C.

3. Variable geometry L. P. Greene, North American Avn.

4. Power plants T. Frost, Bristol Siddeley

Panel Two

Flying Characteristics and Controls

1. Flying characteristics G. L. Auty, B.A.C.

2. Flying control systems Col. Franchi, CEC

3. Performance J. J. Tyrnczyczyn, F.A.A. F. J. Twiney, R.A.E. L. Hall, Air Registration Board M. Prada I, I.TA

Panel Three

Operational Problems

1. Meteorology N. K. Lieurance, Director, US Weather Bureau

2. Noise G. Wilde, B.A.C.

3. Human factors Dr. G. Bennett, BOAC

4. En route problems Al. White, North American Aviation

Panel Four

Flight Planning and General Operations

1. Flight planning and despatch J.E. Colburn, Continental Airlines

2. Hazards and emergencies Dr. Delacroix, SGAC J.C. Chaplin, ARB

Panel Five

Environmental Problems

1. A Pilot's outlook on the SST Captain Masland, Panam.

2. Air Traffic Control A. H. Jessel, Ministry of Aviation

3. Industry speakers on Navigation, Communication, Air Traffic Control, and instrumentation problems

General Discussion

A concept of an SST Flight.

Closing Ceremony

The Rt. Hon. Julian Amery, Minister of Aviation per­formed the closing ceremony.

*

Official Report of the Symposium

It was announced that a summarised report would be issued by IFALPA, at a cost of about 15/- each.

About 400 people attended the Symposium, from 30 different countries.

IFATCA Representation

Mr. M. Cerf, 1 st Vice-President Mr. R. G. W. Mundy, Member of IFATCA Techn. Com­mittee, deputising for the Chairman, Mr. Field, who was unable to attend Mr. G. Monk, Executive Secretary

Summary of the Proceedings

Opening Ceremony

The Duke of Edinburgh said that he had r;,oticed ~ho'. there was no pilot on the committee of the Concorde project, and he thought that the Symposium was on ex cellent concept by IFALPA. He thought the requirements

13

for the SST included slow speed near the ground, improved navigation and communication equipment, pilot training

and priority. Of ATC, he said equipment was needed on the ground

capable of dealing with high speed aircraft. He mentioned that when the 707 became operational in the early 1950s, runways and ATC environment were not ready for them. The same mistake should not be made again.

* Captain Sayen said that IFALPA was not concerned

with whether there should be a SST, or with its economics. IFALPA was composed of operational people, and the pur­pose of the Symposium was to learn more about the SST so that IFALPA could formulate its policy: in effect, to find out the difference between the SST and the present type of aircraft.

* Panel One

Concepts for an SST

Mr. Satre gave an interesting account of the design of the 'Concorde', and the reasons leading up to the choice of design. Preliminary research on a design for a MACH 2.2. SST was made in 1959, and in 1961 this led to a for­mula with a modified delta wing and a single fin. It was interesting that simultaneously, but independently, research by the British team arrived at identical conclusions, and this was one of the factors leading to the decision to com­bine the effort and carry out a joint project. About the choice of Mach 2.2. he said there was little advantage in flying at a Mach number much greater than this, as overall performance (thrust and aerodynamic) would not improve greatly with Mach number. In theory, operating cost fac­tors would be improved with Mach 3, but at the expense of complications relating to structure, systems, and fuel cost. Up to Mach 2.2. problem of materials, windows, sea­

lants and fuel were conventional ones. It was not necessary to apply variable geometry to the

wing, but it was necessary to apply it to the nose, and to the air intakes and outlets of the engines.

Fuel used per kilometre is no higher in supersonic flight

than in subsonic. High rate of climb at take off was obtained, thereby

reducing noise effect. An automatic, the auto throttle, will be necessary to

maintain the aircraft in the flight path during an approach. It will be integrated with the blind landing system. Failure of the device would not be critical, as it would be easy for the pilot to overcome, after adequate training.

When the aircraft goes from subsonic to supersonic, a

rearward shift of the aerodynamic centre takes place. The

niodiflcation of the C of G is done by transferring fuel fi"Olll the forward tank to a trim tank in the rear fuselage.

SST Structu1·e

Mr. Hmpur so id ;·hat no serious degr~da.tion of. m?te-. I . e ·ti.es due lo high temperature, 1s likely within a

1· 1 Cl p I 0 p I , . .

normal airuoft lifetime. The chief effect of high tempera-tures is in the production of thermal stresses due to diffe­

rentiai expansions, and these can be largely eliminated or

,·educed by careful detail design.

14

Aircraft cruise speed will inevitably be limited to a maximum cruise temperature as well as Mach Number, but, as with subsonic aircraft, an occasional inadvertent over­shoot to higher speeds up to the design diving speed will not be dangerous in terms of either degradation of mate­rial properties or increased thermal stresses.

The SST should have a much smoother ride in turbulent conditions than a subsonic aircraft. The effect of turbulence in the cruise is so reduced that there will be no advantage

in slowing down.

Variable Geometry

Mr. Green presented a technical paper on the subject and explained how it was by the use of variable geometry that desirable characteristics can be achieved in an air­craft for subsonic operation while the supersonic charac­teristics are maintained during supersonic operations. This was achieved in spite of the protests of the mechanical designer and systems designer who have to pay for the weight of the complexity, and be concerned about the reliability of the design. However, the extreme importance to the overall efficiency of the SST, its ability to be con­trolled, its ability to provide a comfortable ride, and its ability to land, take off, and operate with safety, require

these complexities.

Power Plants

Mr. Frost said that the power plant will consist basically of an engine fitted with a variable intake and a variable convergent-divergent nozzle.

Reheat will be used to augment the thrust during trans­onic acceleration and thrust reversers to assist the landing.

The pilot's control system will be reduced to a simple thrust control lever together with individual selection swit­ches for reheat and thrust reverse. The flight engineer will, however, have additional functions. He will have position indicators for the movable parts of both the intake and nozzle system together with override controls for some of these components.

Panel Two

Flying Characteristics

Mr. Auty said the SST would climb at an angle of 12 to 15:J, to the tropopause.

The approach to land would be at a ground speed no more than present subsonic aircraft.

The aircraft would have reverse thrust, brakes, etc. Col. Franchi dwelt on handling characteristics and

longitudinal stability. He thought that the turning radius would be larger and more difficult.

There was a requirement to go from subsonic to super­sonic as soon as possible.

Dampers would be required to facilitate handling but there were really no problems in handling supersonic air­craft provided you know the rules of the game.

Mr. Tymczyczyn said he hopes the SST would be one of the best flying aircraft of all time. It was the first time Air Line Pilots were working with Test pilots and manu­

facturers early enough in the development to ensure that the final product meets all requirements. Some charac­teristics of the SST would be better and some worse than subsonic aircraft.

He mentioned that at about 50 OOO feet, the accelera­tion was great; and it would climb at about 25 OOO feet a minute.

Evaluation of ATC problems had been carried out at Albuquerque with supersonic aircraft, and had showed no particular difficulty.

Flying Control System

Mr. Twiney discussed various methods and suggested that the time had come when a new technique of electrical signalling, instead of mechanical systems, should be con­sidered.

Performance

Mr. Hall gave it as his opinion that the SST would not be a difficult or dangerous aircraft. He thought the per­formance requirements were, amongst others:

Minimum performance and angle of climb to clear obstacles on take off.

Allowance for contingencies (engine failure). Allowance for loss of performance due to need for manoeuvre.

Allowance for speed errors, thrust variations, etc. Ability to alter angle of attack in landing. Ability to flare out.

Panel Three

Operational Problems

Captain Andreoni, opening the Panel, said he thought that the technical problems, if not all solved, at least had been stated. He thought it was now time to consider the people concerned. He mentioned the problem of radia­tion at high levels, and hoped this would be dealt with by later speakers. He also referred to the noise problem gene­rally, the sonic boom in particular. Neither could be ignor­ed. Pilots wish to be kept informed of what is proposed so that they can collaborate.

Meteorology

Mr. Lieurance's Paper stated that the concept of the SST performance was that it must be capable of using air­port runways now available for the large subsonic jet air­craft. As the engines will be powerful, it is not considered that runway temperatures or surface winds will cause pro­blems. Precip;tation and icing should present the same problems as now. During climb, wind shear should cause no difficulty. It is during the acceleration from subsonic to supersonic speed that environmental conditions, winds, turbulence, icing and temperature unfavourable to opti­mum engine performance occur. This transition will be made most effectively at the lowest altitude at which the lowest temperature can be found. In the Standard Atmo­sphere this should be at the tropopause. This may be high­ly variable. At the Equator it may be 51 OOO ft in July rising to about 55 OOO in January, with variations as much as 7 500 feet; at 40 North averaging 33 OOO in January, 45 OOO in July, with variations as much as 32 OOO feet bet­ween highest and lowest altitude, ranging from 60 OOO to 28 OOO feet. The Meteorologist will have the task of fore­casting precise information on the altitude at which the optimum temperature can be found for acceleration. No

weather radar will be available out to sea, and if sub­sonic, aircraft will have to rely on airborne radar. Infor­mation on the SST cruise layer is very small and it is hoped that the next few years will provide better knowledge.

Strong winds are found in the SST cruise layer, but the relatively high speed of the SST and the relatively narrow band of extreme winds should have the effect of causing only a minor wind effect on range. On rare occasions when a SST has to descend below SST cruising layer, because of cosmic radiation, depressurisation, or engine trouble, pilots will have to consider this factor, because communi­cation may be such, particularly during periods of solar flares, that detailed information from the ground may not be available.

There is no capability at present of reading ambient air temperatures.

Thought is being given to automatic sensing, recording and telemetering to the ground, of weather parameters important for flight forecasting and for briefing following

flights. Detection and forecasting of areas of clear air tur­

bulence is an extremely difficult problem, important for

flight forecasting and briefing. . Aircraft speed during descent may become subsonic at

a high altitude, and icing above the top of the present

subsonic cruise layer may be important. . When the SST is standing on the runway, the cockpit

will be about 50 feet above the ground. This will be a built in penalty when making visual contact during bad weather landing conditions. Development of techniques to measure and report slant visibility, and to determine visibility along runways more accurately and frequently are projects con­fronting Meteorological Research and Development to­day.

Noise

Mr. Wilde said that the noise reduction techniques as presently practised will be necessary for the SST. Approach noise is becoming more important. Some of the latest theoretical work on sonic boom over-pressures was re­viewed, and the phenomena of focussing and multiple bangs explained. During discussion, Mr. Wilde said that the British Government had made no tests on acceptable levels for sonic booms, and he though there was urgent need for international agreement on the subject.

Human Factors

Dr. Bennett said that the environment will be markedly more hostile than at present.

Cosmic radiation varies with altitude, magnetic latitude, and the 11-year sunspot cycle. Methods of prediction are being studied, but a requirement for a sudden descent be­low say 50 OOO feet due to this cause seems likely to re­main. Aircrews should be treated as occupationally ex­posed individuals, and uiteria and precautions recom­mended by the International Committee on Radiological Protection should be adopted.

0 · · · · ntrations above zone 1s present 1n increasing conce the tropopGuse, reaching a maximum at about 100 OOO feet. It is a highly toxic gas, but it can be destroyed by raising h C C 1 · ·,. suppl1ec: rnn t e temperoture to about 3 OOO . 001n OJ, ~· .. ~-

be raised to temperatures of this order by compression and any amount remaining can be eliminoted by catc1lytic filtration.

15

Other 01r conditioning problems are avoidance of rapid change of humidity, and suitable relation between air temperature and wall temperature.

Structural integrity must be guaranteed and pressurisa­tion system redundancy provided.

An automatic oxygen system will still be necessary to protect against minor failures.

During discussion it was stated that if a pilot had to descend suddenly below say 50 OOO feet, he would have to declare an Emergency, since a request for clearance to descend would invariably receive an answer from ATC to "Stand by", which might mean one minute or one hour.

Conditions in the cockpit ought to be better than in the passenger cabin (in case of emergency the pilots must be able to control the aircraft).

In discussing training requirements, Dr. Bennett thought an early answer was required to the question of the rela­tionship of man and machine. This was a philosophical and political question.

He also thought that sudden changes in date line times affected the rhythm of living.

En Route Problems

Mr. White though that an improvement must be made in en route and terminal area systems, and a reduction in the number of radio frequency changes and position re­ports was required.

At Mach 2.2. and a 20: bank, it will take 1.25 minutes to settle on a new heading, and when intending to take up a new heading of 20'.) from a facility, it will be neces­sary to start turning 15 miles before the facility.

The speaker, and others, were diffident about suggest­ing how many crew were required, but agreed at least two pilots.

The accuracy of height holding in view of sensitivity in pitch, was discussed but it was thought that if the pilot :eceived information early enough, i. e. if he had proper instruments, there should be no difficulty.

Panel Four

Flight Planning and General Operations Flight Planning and Despatch

. Mr. Colburn said that when the first jets were in sight, 1t was thought there would have to be a new Flight Plan­~ing. ~ystem, in view of questions of fuel, cruising levels, inability to hold, etc. These proved unnecessary. Similar problems ?pply to the SST, but we can't hope for history to repeat itself. He stated some requirements:

Taxying. Fuel consumption not much more (say 200/o) than subsonic jets, but clearance would be required be­

fore starting engines. Climb. Clearance required to accelerate and climb to

cruising altitude. This stage consumes 1/J of fuel capacity. Cruise. Desired altitude. A Flight Level of say 660 in­

stead of 710 would mean a 60/o increase in fuel consumed. Temperature 16 above Standard would result in a

300.10 loss of pay load. A novigot1on system was required so that small chan-

ges of heading ond consequent waste of fuel could be ovoided. T1115 would go with a flight control system.

Londing. Eorly landing clearance required. Holding at

low speeds incurred on economic penalty since the drag

of the SST was high. All weother landing capability required.

16

Hazards and Emergencies

Dr. Delacroix presented a very general philosophical approach to the problem. He thought the analysis of re­quired safety should be applied with common sense. He thought examination of failure probability could be done, to. a considerable extent, by simulation. A satisfactory Flight System was required. The SST will carry more 'black boxes' than present aircraft.

Mr. Chaplin discussed emergencies in some detail. He thought there would have to be great care in the mani­pulation of intakes. Failure of one engine could put out the other engine. To re-light might mean a descent (later in the Symposium it was stated that this could be done in both subsonic and supersonic conditions). On the subject of air conditioning he said there must be absolute reliabi­lity as an oxygen mask would not be enough if anything went wrong - a pressure suit would be need to deal with ambient temperatures and pressures experienced.

Emergency descents may be necessary. Work load on the crew would be greater than now in such cases, but the principles would be the same. The crew must be kept in such an environment, to enable them to carry out an emergency descent.

The electrical system must be such that the black boxes will continue to function in all conditions.

During discussion it was said that additional tasks dur­ing descent would be to transfer fuel in going from super­sonic to subsonic. It was also suggested that, as many air­ports had only one suitable runway, reserves of fuel must be carried in case this became unserviceable.

It was stated that tests were being carried out to see how the aircraft would behave if it had to ditch.

Panel Five

Environmental Problems

A Pilot's outlook on the SST

Captain Masland began by making a comparison with the Clipper sailing ships of the latter half of the l 9th cen­tury. He said 76 had been built. Of these, 60 were lost at sea (40 of them on rocks or headlands). The Clipper was splendid at speed, but poor on final approach. Their "Ship" rig, i. e. square rigged on all masts, made them difficult to manoeuvre in confined spaces.

He posed two basic questions:

a) Whether the SST was flexible enough to adapt it­self to its environment, or was it to be built for ultimate performance? In the latter case the environment would have to be modified to flt the SST. Despite assertions that new developments will enable vehicles to flt the current environment, this never happens; the environment has to flt the vehicle.

He thought that RAC, COM, AGA, and MET facilities would all have to be greatly improved. Existing facilities would not meet the requirement of even a limited SST uti­lisation.

In his opinion, a n:ulti-purpose machine nearly always proved to be less satisfactory than a single-purpose 0 If the SST is to be flexible, it must be built with great ne. ·f I · care 1 t ·11s trend of history is to be reversed. If, on the other hand, it i~ built for ultimate performance, then it must be handled like a missile, and all supporting systems revised to accommodate it.

b} The second main question is the decision by whom and from where the machine is to be directed and con­trolled, and whose is the final authority. Whatever black boxes might do, sooner or later a human being makes the final decision. He recalled that some years ago a flight was conducted without interference and the pilot com­manded his ship and was responsible for it. Now the situa­tion is altered due to the number of aircraft flying, and, what he thought was the modern philosophy, left over from the war, of dividing a job and the responsibility. He thought this was an unhealthy environment. An operation now was conducted by a Committee; on a routine flight over the Atlantic, the total committee membership will be not less than 16 men. As the committee were sepa­rated, meetings were conducted over communication sy­stems that vary from 'good' to 'non-existent'. He men­tioned there were 18000 ATCOs in the USA, altering route­ings, flight altitudes, holding aircraft, in fact affecting fuel reserves for which they had no direct responsibility. The pilot no longer had the authority to guard the reser­ves for which he is responsible. He mentioned that on an Atlantic Crossing, 21/i tons above flight plan fuel were required; and another 21/2 tons for approach and landing, even if terminal weather was good.

He thought that the solution was the centralisation of responsibility and authority, and that the cockpit was the obvious place. There would, in this case, have to be a much better exchange of information between ground and air. If control is to be on the ground, transfer of informa­tion that will be needed will be massive.

Captain Masland considered, among other require­ments, that certain airports should be classified as IFR airports, and no aircraft should be accepted that hadn't filed a Flight Plan acceptable to the ATC system. Rates of acceptance should be established. Then, perhaps, an orderly flow of civil traffic could be established.

He said that, since 1958, IFALPA had called for a short range navigational aid that would provide area coverage and pictorial presentation in the cockpit. This would give a greater use of available airspace and provide for a greatly expanded use of lateral separation, and a greatly reduced use of vertical separation. Greater freedom in the vertical plane is essential to jet operation, whether above or below the speed of sound. It also provides the use of discrete flight tracks. The issuance of clearances is simpli­~ed a_nd the need for voice communications during rou­tine flights could be eliminated. It will eliminate the need for navigation by ground radar and voice channels.

It will free the radar and radar controller to do the job which they are best able to do, and which no one at all is doing, monitoring and cross checking the functioning of the system. IFALPA strongly believes that this is the proper function of ground based radar.

For the cruise aspect, IFALPA policy was that SST air­craft shoul_d h~ve a navigational self-fixing system so that both the pilot 1~ the ai:, and the controller on the ground, should be provided with location and height of the air­craft.

With respect to ATC, IFALPA believes that the ATC system shoul~ be supra-national in character, be positive, place no reliance on the "see and be seen" rule, and be supp~rted by a navigation system sufficiently accurate to permit safe operation at the envisaged separation stan­dards.

Air Traffic Control

Mr. Jessell thought that, broadly, the SST seemed un­likely to present radically new control requirements, al­though improvements in control technique would be re­quired and possibly an increase in size of some control

areas. The SST cannot expect to receive priority in the ter­

minal areas, either before take off or in landing. A single over-all clearance for the whole flight will not be practic­able, but it may be possible to issue a single clearance for the whole of the supersonic section.

The SST would have to be treated as IFR all the time, as there is unlikely to be any efficient airborne anti-colli­sion equipment.

On take off it may be necessary to manoeuvre in a similar way to other traffic, but a rapid climb will be pos­sible even though the route to the transition area may be separate from normal traffic. In the higher levels, civil/ military coordination should present no problems. During the transition phase it must be recognised as un-manoeuv­rable and given priority.

He doubted if an unalterable clearance could be given or was desirable, since meteorological conditions might change.

Separation standards would have to be increased but better navigational aids may enable horizontal standards

to be reduced. On approach and landing, delays should be of a small

order, and aircraft should be able to fit into the general system; that is, they should be able to fly slowly and fit into current patterns.

Industry Speakers

a} Mr. Holm of the Litton World Trade Corpn. discus­sed the need for a better navigation system, whether it was "ground reference" or "self-contained".

. b) Mr. Groves of Decca Navigator emphasized the difference between existing navigational systems and SST requirements. He stated that these requirements really existed at the moment. They were: greater accuracy, dis­crete tracks, accurate adherence to profile while flying a pattern, horizontal separation as well as laterally defined tracks. He thought that what was wanted was a compound system of a self-contained aid, and a ground fixing system. He thought a computer would be required in the cockpit to co-ordinate the pictorial system. He thought the pilot should navigate, ATC define the route structure. Data s~ould ?e available to ATC upon which they could e:.:er­c1se their function of monitoring and sequencing the traf­fic. Navigational responsibility must remain with the navi­gator and not ATC.

c) Mr. Howard of Elliott Brothers discussed gyroscopic references and airborne digital computers. He thought the SST had a requirement for greater accuracy, while the crew would have less time to think. An automatic compu­

ter was required. d) Mr. Sweeny of Marconi Company said that unless

something was done quickly, the SST will have the same communication system as now. The present H. F. system rs unsatisfactory but is likely to continue. Voice wi_ll strll be used but there ought to be automatic ground-air-ground communication with messages taking a very short trme (2 seconds) by the time the SST is operating. He thought a ground-based navigation aid was required by the ATC

17

authorities to update airborne equipment. He thought a satellite might be useful in the future, but not in time for

the SST.

e) Mr. Miedzybrodski of Ferranti Ltd. thought pictorial displays should be an integral part of any new system; and mentioned that ICAO, Eurocontrol and lFALPA had

all stated this requirement.

f) Mr. Milton Brown of Bendix commenting on the fact that the SST cockpit was smaller thought more would have to go into it. He thought the aircraft should ~e aut~matic in all directions, pitch, roll etc., and a Flight Director should monitor all the automatic equipment.

g) Mr. George Prill of the FAA commented very broad­ly on the U.S. programme on SSTs. It was treated as a

systems project.

General Discussion

This followed the concept of a hypothetical SST flight and was conducted with the Panel Chairman taking sepa­rate parts of the flight. Captain Sayen began by refer­ring to characteristics of the SST, and said there would be a few more black boxes but the pilot was the same as now. He gave a few problems:

l. Inadequate cockpit, smaller and more crowded.

2. Less fuel flexibility in terms of time. Less fuel flexibility in terms of miles. New flight techniques in extension of those learned in

subsonic aircraft.

3. Problems in subsonic aircraft will still exist, plus a few

more: More difficult flight planning. Loss of pressurisation. Loss of heat. Difficulty of maintaining altitude, speed, and turning

ability. Tighter tolerance for take off. More precise flight path on landing. Lower landing minima.

He pleaded for accelerated progress in bringing up to date internationally agreed facilities for present aircraft, so that transition to the tighter tolerances required of the SST will be less violent.

Captain Andreoni discussed the cockpit design, and enquired whether there had been a design study of the workload of pilots.

Captain Colburn discussed flight planning and thought

0 plan would be required by ATC some 2 hours before takeoff. He thought the transition area would be over the

Irish Sea at about 35 OOO feet.

Captain Bateman discussed the takeoff. He thought

taxying would be difficult with the cocl~pit 50 feet .in the · J 100 feet in front of the undercarriage, and with the a1ranc . .

t . ·nvisible Rotation would be trying, with loss of wing 1ps 1 • • • •

f . from the elevators. Time to trans1t1on level per 01 rnonce 1. d

I 20 · tes Heat laerndynamic) shield opp 1e at a Jout rn1nu · , . . .

I 40 OOO feet. During the cruise, should relighting be a Jout . d (" I t t d . d ent might be require 1t was ater s a e necessrn y, a esc .

t 1· It. ould be possible both subsonic and super-tnot re 19 1 1119 w

sonic). Coptrnn Taylor. cleoling with the descent phase; said

18

the problem was to obtain the necessary information, fuel remaining, distance to go {a visual navigation aid, with a computer to assist, was needed), terminal conditions. Information should be received by teletype. For landing he wanted adequate navigation aids, no interference from ATC (don't talk, please) and a straight in approach from 10 miles at a glide slope of 21/2 degrees.

Mr. Jessell said, finally, that the requirement for un­impeded flight clearance and en route flight, with no landing delay, would be subject to the requirements of the other 12 SST aircraft which would undoubtedly take off from various places in Europe so as to arrive over the Atlantic and at New York at the same time as the SST flight under discussion.

* The Symposium was closed by the Minister of Aviation

who dwelt on the fact that the Concorde SST project was a joint U.K./France effort, in which he had the utmost confidence. He considered a Symposium of this nature was a most useful way of seeing that consideration was given, in good time, to all aspects of the problems of civil SSTs.

* General Comment

A very interesting Symposium, somewhat indefinite, but certainly airing problems.

At Appendix A is a list of questions submitted in writ­ing. Unfortunately, after the Papers had been read, there was usually little time left for questions and only a few were dealt with.

There is undoubtedly much to be learned about the SST and there is, I think, considerable doubt as to whether it will flt into the existing system. It is possible, of course, there may be some developments in the ATC system by the time the SST becomes operational. Some development

will undoubtedly be necessary.

Written Questions put to the SST Symposium by IFATCA

1. Presumably SST Aircraft will not expect to have to hold (this assumes they have priority over subsonic aircraft) but on occasions they may have to do so. What kind of holding pattern would be needed:

a) Below 15000 feet. b) Above 15 000 feet. c) Above 30 000 feet.

2. What is the flexibility of rate of climb or descent? Is it comparable with subsonic performance or will it require definite flight paths before departure or before descent for landing?

3. Is the aircraft likely to be able to conform to the exist­ing overshoot procedures?

4. Can the SST aircraft be satisfactorilty vectored by radar?

a) In the Upper Airspoce. b) In the Middle Airspace.

c) In the intermediate approach sequence.

5. During the landing and take off phase, is there going to be a bigger turbulent wake problem than there is

at the mome nt? If so, w ill the effect o f this o n the efforts consta nt ly being made to increase movement rate be serious?

6. W ith such a ircraft a ny "See a nd be seen" procedures wil l not apply. W ill it requ ire absolute priority, that is, wi ll a ll o ther aircraft, incl udi ng milita ry a nd Research a nd Development a ircraft, have to be vectored out of its way? In this case w ha t w ill be done about the "u n­known" m ilitary aircraft that is not equipped to com­munica te w ith normal control stations, or is on some

New ATC Associa tions

Future IFATCA Members

Ca nadian ATCA applies for IFATCA Me mbe rship

On 26th February 1964, J. R. Campbell, President of the Ca nadian Air Traffic Contro llers Association, informed IFATCA of the CATCA's intention to join the Federa tion. This is the resu lt of a ba llot vote on the subject, carried out among Canadian Air Traffic Controllers in January 1964. It is hoped that the Ca nadian Air T roffic Control lers Associa tion wi ll be represented at the Brussels Confe­rence.

CATCA's inte rest in an internationa l ATC organization dates back ti ll 1960, when at the First Internationa l ATC Confere nce of the US Air Traffic Control Assoc iation in San Francisco representat ives of the then EFATCA Work­ing Group d iscussed the possibi lit ies of an inte rnat ional federation w ith CATCA members.

Iranian ATCA founded

The Iranian Air Traffic Contro llers Association was officia lly registered on the 27th February, and the first general assembly was convened in the late days o f March. As was expressed in a le tter to the Execu tive Secretary, the Iranian ATCA is also interested in join ing IFATCA and wi ll be sending three representat ives to the Brusse ls Con­ference to discuss the details.

THE CONTROLLER congra tulates the Iranian ATCA and wishes best of luck.

Air Traffic Control Association of Uruguay

a p plies fo r IFATCA Membe rship

As we go to press, we receive word from the Honorary Secretary that the Air Traffic Control Association of Uru­guay has also requested affiliation w ith IFATCA. ACTAU has a tota l membe rship of 20 Controlle rs. In a letter from Montevideo, dated March 31 st, 1964, Alfredo R. Tard6 -gu ila, President of ACTAU indicated that there wou ld be a fair chance for the Uruguayen Association to be rep re­sented at the Brusse ls Confere nce.

W e are looking fo rward to meeting our fe llow con­tro llers in Brusse ls.

special project? In view of the speed of this aircraft 1s such vectoring possible?

7. Vertical separation standards may not matter much in the early stages as there wi ll probably be only a few such aircraft, but in due course, wi ll not a much greater vertica l separation standard be required?

8. What w il l be the speed of this a ircraft during the inter; mediate approach phase?

9. At what height on the climb does it become supersonic, and, d uri ng the descent, subsonic?

New Radar Antenna

Atop a test tower at Hugh es Aircraft Company's Fuller­ton, Col., facilities is the company's new LW-3D (Light­weight 3-D) radar antenna. The p lana r (billboard type) rotating antenna measures approximately 9· '>-.. 12' and employs the principles of electronic frequency scanning which provides sim ultaneous three-dimensional (range, height, and bearing) data on large numbers of a irborne targets.

Professor Jacob Schenkman appointed UN Consultant

. · t ounced recent-The Inte rnational Tran sport lnst1tu e onn . J b S h kman its Director ly the appointment of Dr. aco c en ' .

of Research and Development, as United Nations Trans-. Af · w'th headquarters port Consultant for the UN in rica, 1

in Addis Ababa, Ethopio. Dr. Schenkman's task w ill be to advise the Un ited No tions Organization o n its transport

work for African countries. - o n

19

Introduction of Eurocontrol Services

1. Under the terms of the In ternational Convention rela t ing to co-operation for the safety of A ir Navigation, the Eu rocontro l Agency will, from 1 March 1964, assume responsibility for air traffic services to air traffic as defined in Article 3 of the Convention in the following Upper Flight Information Regions (U IRs) at and above the fiight levels mentioned be low :

UIR Flight Level UIR Flight Leve l

Amsterdam 200 France 250 Brussels 200 London 250 Frankfurt 200 Preston 250 Hannover 200 Scott ish 250

2. Under the terms of Bilate ral Agreemen ts between Eurocontrol and the Governments of the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, the air traffic services of the areas mentioned above w i ll, for a provisional period, continue to be provided by the present Area Control Centres .

3. In order to provide for proper liaison between the national Air Traffic Services and the Eurocontrol Agency and to ensure that air traffic services for which the agency will be responsib le are performed in accordance with Eurocon tral po l icies and directives, the Agency has established Regional Services for the Benelux/Federal Republic of Germany area, France and the United Kingdom.

The offices of the Reg ional Serv ices are located at the following addresses: Benelux/FRG, 57 rue Joseph II Bruxelles 4 France, Orly Aerodrome, B.P. 181, Seine United Kingdom, 19/29 Woburn Place, London W.C. 1

Until further notice, the ex ist ing air and ground procedures and present channels of communication between users of the airspace and National Administrations remain unaltered .

This humble Information Circular, published in February 1964 by all Eurocontrol Member States, marks the beginning of a new era in Eu ropean Air Traffic Control. In fact, it is the first step of materializing the International Convention relating to cooperation for the Safety of Air Navigat ion EUROCONTRO L, which has been agreed in December 1960 by the Federa l Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Belgium, the Fre nch Repub l ic, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for the purpose of strengthening their cooperation in matters of air navigation and in particular to provide for the common organisation of the air traffic services in the Upper Airspace.

Although there have been no radical changes since the ls t March, the opportuni ty to organize airspace delineation, procedures, and air traffic control uni ts on a cen tralized basis will, undoubtedly, show its merits to airspa ce users before long.

At this time it seems appropriate to recall some brief details about the organization of Eurocontrol.

The European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation

EUROCONTROL is located in Brusse ls and comorises

a Permanent Commission for the Safety of Air Navigation

"THE COMMISSION " The commission is composed of representatives of the Contract­ing Parties. Its a im : To promote, in cooperation with the nationa l mi l itary authorit ies the adoption of measures and the installa­tion and operation of facilities to - ensure the safety of air navigation, - ensure an orderly and rapid flow of air traffic. Staff and fac i lities for the operation of the Commission are made available by the Agency.

THE COMMITTEE The Committee of Management is composed of representatives of each of the Contracting Parties.

and

THE AGENCY is administered by

and

an Air Traffic Services Agency

"THE AGENCY" The purpose of the Agency is to provide, within the air space defined in the Convention, air traffic services, that is to say: to prevent collisions between aircraft; to ensure the orderly and rapid flow of air traffic; to provide advice and information useful for the safe and effi­cient conduct of fi ight; to notify appropriate organizations regarding aircra ft in need of search and rescue aid, and ass ist such organizations as required.

THE DIRECTOR GENERAL The Director General is the Chief Executive of the Agency.

EU RO CONTROL ORGANISATION CHART FOR THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE AND AGENCY EXTERNAL SERVICES 1" JANUARY 1964

I GENERA L DIRECTORATE H .. :::::·:_ ... I

LEGAL ANO ECONOMICS OPERATIONS ENGINEERING

DIRECTORATE DIRECTORATE DIRECTORATE

~""'" " :;..=:

BREnGNV tXPf.:lllMENTAL CENTRE

EXTERNAL SERVICES 011/ISION 011/ISION

' '

20

Report on the Eighth Annual ATCA Convention by Helmut Elsner

The author of this article is an approach controller at Frankfurt airport and, at the same time, a gifted cartoonist. He has a wonderful talent for sketching the ATC environment with a few lines, and his car­toons have made controllers all over the world laugh wholeheartedly. In addition, Helmut Elsner writes technical ATC articles, and he is a permanent contributor to the U. S. Journal of ATC. For his article "Approach Control with a German Accent", which was published in the ATC Journal, he received a scroll award for outstanding ATC writing, from the Air Traffic Control Association, at the Eighth An­nual ATCA Convention in Dallas, Texas.

From October 14 through 16, a 32 Centigrade Texan sun saw more than a thousand professional air traffic con­trollers, plus an additional number of delegates represent­ing various aviation authorities, both civilian and military, gather in Dallas, Texas for the Eighth Annual Convention of the ATCA. Industry and numerous private organizations were equally well represented.

Having be~n privileged to attend this year's meeting, I arrived at Dallas' Love Field airport at 4 a. m., where a "Welcome-to-Controllers" booth, of course empty at this time of the day, gave first testimony of ATCA's activities. Only two hours later, first contact was made with North Texas chapter's hospitality, which had me sip several gal­lons of hot coffee while engaging in shop talk on ATC. Incidentally, as I learned during the following days, coffee appears to be the main food consumed in this port of the

u. s. Then I was handed over to the excellent organisation

committee residing in the Statler Hilton Hotel, where the Convention took place, this year devoted to a "Search for Methods to Increase Airspace Capacity and Safety". The three-day program contained lectures, panels, open forum discussions, and an ATC exposition on one hand; recep­tions and banquets for honored guests, bus tours of Dal­las, and visits to ATC facilities on the other hand. Major themes of the lectures and discussions were:

En Route Traffic Flow Patterns,

Airport Improvements to Increase Acceptance Rate,

The Effect of ATC Delays on Aircraft Operations, Radar Improvements,

Controller Training,

Procedures for Controlled YFR Operations, Area Positive Control,

and several other items. As air traffic in Europe increases rapidly, and as it appears that in a few years traffic volume here will be equal to that in the United States, some of the electronic equipment used by American ATC and some of the ideas presented at the meeting might be of interest to controllers all over the world.

I had the opportunity of taking a close look at ldle­wild's Tower and Approach, and at the Fort Worth Centre, which is one of the new standard design area control centres. The equipment used at these facilities is of the most modern available. Its installation has become a prime requirement due to th.e tremendous traffic gr?wth. Controllers at ldlewild, for instance, have to sustain an average of 110 movements per hour during peak traffic, and this may well last for three consecutive hours. ASR 4, Secondary Radar, Taxi Radar, a daylight display of the ASR 4 in the Tower for controller information, radar hand­

offs on in- and outbounds, and an approach control area clear of airways, eliminating overflights, enable them to

streamline ldlewild's traffic rushes into a frightening, ne­veriheless orderly flow of continuous traffic. To permit full use of the airspace available and to avoid departure de­lays, the Standard Instrument Departure Routes include radar vectoring right after take-off, towards the airways to be followed later on. VFR aircraft inbound to ldlewifrl have to call Approach on a designated frequency, to be either vectored clear of IFR traffic into close proximity of the airport or, during peak periods, to be sequenced into the inbound flow of IFR traffic. Complete radar coverage and uninterrupted radar service makes it possible to give all jets straight descends and climbs, mostly up to cruising altitude, which relieves the controller from the headaches usually encountered while figuring out how to squeeze a jet out of a high level penetration into a well-spaced approach sequence.

In the Fort Worth Centre, radar surveillance of all en­route traffic, and positive control of all jets at high levels provide pilots and passengers with safety, and controllers

with a solid presentation of the traffic situation. A com­puter prints strips, calculates estimates, and exchanges data with adjacent facilities equally equipped. Radar in­formation from four different stations is received by microwave links. The four systems overlap in such a manner that failure of one radar site has almost no influ­

ence on the control operation. Sufficient individually ad­justable lighting, made possible by the use of bright dis­play radar consoles, offers maximum comfort to the con­trollers. The arrangement of control consoles enables radar controllers to sit side-by-side with manual (conven­tional) controllers, which eases coordination. Flow Con­trollers take care of inter-sector coordination. They are clso called "First Line Supervisors". If you see a manned headset speeding along a row of consoles, trying to ~lu.g into one of the sockets mounted above the boards: th 1s is - oops, there he goes again - this was a coordinator.

Two rows of control consoles for low level, and two for high level control are installed abreast in the same room, a set-up which is optimum for the amount of co­ordination required by the increased use of the upper air­space by commercial jet traffic.

In the panel discussions at the Convention, some inte­resting figures on ATC delays to air carriers were given by Walt Jensen, Air Transport Association. One airline com­puted an average ground delay of eleven minutes on out­bound aircraft for each of their flights out of ldlewild, after subtraction of the taxi time needed to the farthest runway. This means that whenever an aircraft departs ldlewild, 55 "green-backs" leave the airline's wallet.

Looking for a solution to the delay problem, airlines see themselves seated between two chairs. Manipulating schedules to avoid rush hours results in even greater losses. For a trial period, one airline took a 7 p. m. Chicago-

21

ldlewild flight out of the rush time and scheduled it for8.15 p. m. Average loss was about 30 passengers per flight which would accumulate to a loss of half a million dollars in revenue per year. Another trial showed that even reduc­tion of fares by about 250/o for off-peak-hour flights made less than three per cent of the travelling public change to the less expensive flights.

Suggestions of the ATA for a solution of the problem coincide in principle with those brought up in most of the other discussions: relieve the controller of routine work (automatic strip printing and updating), reduce frequency congestion (altitude transponders, data link), improve air­port capacity (sufficient taxiways, highspeed turn-offs, dual

runways, etc.).

The discussions on airport improvement indicated that today one of the greatest bottlenecks in traffic handling is the airport itself. The lack of adequate runways, taxiways, and by-pass points often handicaps the controller. Inci­dentally, I have noticed that at ldlewild each and every aircraft, regardless of type, made a rolling take-off with­out specific request by the tower. Landing aircraft general­ly started reversing power immediately after touching down and cleared the runway without delay; whereas at my base, Frankfurt, for instance, the jets usually hold in take-off position between 15 and 60 seconds before com­mencing take-off roll; on landing, runway occupancy time may vary between 25 and 90 seconds per aircraft. Con­sidering this factor, a controller may have to delay traffic because of his inability to utilize minimum separation.

Controlled VFR, as operated at Atlanta, Georgia, still appears to be a controversial item. Approach controllers like it, because it presents them with a complete picture of all the traffic in the area. The tower controller, besides being relieved of frequency congestion, is no more responsible for a traffic pattern where number 15, entering downwind, is told to follow number 14, while maybe number 8 is turning base 16 miles away from the airport. Most airline pilots like the CVFR concept, because they don't have to expect a VFR bird suddenly popping up in front of them anymore. The VFR pilots, however, strongly oppose CVFR, they feel they ore being restricted and delayed in favour of the airliners.

New ICAO Secretary General appointed

The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organi­zation has appointed Bernardus Tieleman Twigt of the Netherlands as Secretary General for a three-year term. Mr. Twigt succeeds Ronald M. Macdonnell of Canada, who has served as ICAO Secretary General since 1959 and informed the Council that he was not available for

reappointment. ThP. new Secretary General, who is now the Associate

Director of Administration of the United Nations Technical Assistance Boord, will assume his post on 1 st August 1964. He will be the chief executive officer of the Organization.

Mr. Twigt was Chief Ad~i~i.strat_ion Off_ic_:r of t~e UN Congo Operotion 1n Leopoldville 1n 1962/6j. Previously,

he hod been Chief Adm1n1strative Officers of the UN Emer-

F . n G0 ~ 0 In both positions, his responsibilities gency 01 ces 1 L . .

included supervision of finance .. personnel supplies and

I 1 ur1spori

22

Although part of the official program, the receptions and banquets naturally lacked the indefatigable business atmosphere of the other convention activities. Among the high-ranking guests was the Honorable Najeeb Halaby, FAA Administrator, who came to Dallas despite a sober­ing experience gained at Love Field some time ago, when he flatly was refused traffic priority which he had re­quested.

At the Awards Banquet, Old Europe was excellently represented by Ted Bonner of the Decca Company, who acted as master of ceremonies. With his sparkling Irish wit, he left the audience hungry at the tables, unable to chew their Texas-size steaks because of chuckles and laughter.

If a Texan means "largest in the world" he usually sub­stitutes this phrase by the shorter version "Texas-size", which sometimes comes close to reality.

A TV station in the Dallas area devoted a one and a half hours program to ATC. This was very informative, although the airline pilot chosen by the reporters at Love Field Approach Control, as an example to show how radar vectoring and radiocommunications are performed, left them slightly perturbed, cancelling his IFR flight plan upon initial contact with Approach.

One more example of the hospitality governing the convention: one might just have left room 412 where the North Texas chapter had provided drinks and interesting conversation, when in the hall somebody would grab one's arm and give a vector to room 620 where another high­ball was waiting to accompany on-the-job as well as off­the-job talks.

In closing, I wish to express my gratitude to all those fine people who enabled me to attend the meeting; to ATCA's Executive Director, Ed. Cockerham, from one side of the Atlantic; to Hans Thau and Walter Endlich, who from the other side paved the way for a most interesting and informative trip. My thanks also go to ATCA's secre­tary "B.B." Sandifer, to Tirey Vickers, well-known by his contributions to the CONTROLLER, and to each and every one of the controllers in Dallas who helped to make my attendance to the Convention a success.

Mr. Twigt received his Doctor's degree in Economics from the University of Rotterdam in 1947. In his early career and until 1940, he held various posts in the private shipping business in Rotterdam and from 1940 to 1949 he was an official in the Ministry of Economics of the Nether­lands. He became a member of the ICAO staff in 1949 and was Deputy Chief, Administration and Finance in 1956, when he left the Organization to become Director of Administration of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Somalia becomes Member of ICAO

Somalia has become a Contracting State of the Inter­national Ci:il Aviation Organization on 1 st April 1964, 30 days after its adherence to the Convention on Internatio­nal Civil Aviation was deposited. This brings the total membership of ICAO to 103 states.

Eurocontrol

ATC

Simulator

In January 1964, the Euro­pean organisation for the safety of air traffic, Eurocon­tro l, awarded a contract for the supply of an air traffic control simulator to the firms of C.S.F. of France, Decca Radar Limited of Great Bri­tain, and Telefunken AG of Germany, who tendered joint­ly for this project.

Sign ing of the cont ract at Euroconlra l's headqua rters.

The contract is for a simulator intended primarily for use in exp loring the complex air traffic control problems in Central Europe, which wi ll be ampl ified in th e coming era of supersonic flight. The equipment is capab le of simulati ng a ir situations in which as many as 300 aircraft are involved. It will be used to ascertain the best methods of control to provide optimum safety and efficiency for air traffic.

The simulator, wh ich is to be installed at Eurocontrol 's experimental centre at Bretigny, near Paris, w i ll comprise basically :

Equipment for generating syn thetic radar signals and simulating air/ ground and ground/ ground commun ica­

tions which wi ll be supplied by C.S.F. In addition, C.S.F.

wi ll underlake the general co-ordination of th e scheme, including installation.

A Decca Radar display comp lex, comprising a number of radar displays w ith vertical and horizontal screens

for pilot and controllers' positions. A large sca le p ro­jection display wi ll also be p rovided for use by the supervisor.

A completely transistorised digita l computer, the Tele­funken TR 4, whose high speed wi l l enable exerc ises to be carri ed out in real time.

The aw ard of this contract by Eurocontrol follows a strict comparative evaluation of a number of competitive tenders from the principal European electronic companies.

The Overall System

The genera l introduction of high speed a ircraft, both subsonic a nd supersonic, is daily making the pro~lems of air traffic contro l more acute. The difficulties which must be dealt wi th are well illustrated by the example of th.e Concord an a ircraft w hi ch will be in the region of Paris some se~e n minutes after passi ng over London . Obv!ous ly it will be necessary to permit such aircraft to land witho ut

delay and to give them c learances fo r a bso lute ly clear a ir routes.

In order to st udy the many prob lems wh ich this ca te­gory of tra ffic w il l pose in the realm of a ir traffic control, th is simulator w i ll show the air situation in an area some two thousand k ilometres in d iameter (correspond ing approximately to the w hole o f Western Europe). Six simu­lated prima ry radars and six simulated secondary radars ore geographically associated to g ive coverage over the whole of the exercise area.

The simulator con be set up to take account of the pe~­formonce and flight p lans o f a ircraft, the weather condi­tions, the layout o f nav igation aids, the performanc~ of these aids, and the ma noeuvres carried out by the simu­

lated aircraft themselves.

The number o f a irc raft under control during. ~n exehr-

h h d ed In odd1t1on, t e cise con be as many as t ree un r · . d ' . •

1 . f mber of intru 1ng 01r -

system allows the s1mu ot1on o a nu d I F eh a ircraft un er co n-

croft not under d irect contra · or ea d d · r and secon ory ra ar

trol the system generates prime y b . d "th the ' d . · ly to those o ta 1ne w 1 signals correspon ing precise . · ·

II . ·ce or likely to co me in to service in radars actuo y in serv1 , the future.

The system allows five contr.ol sectors to be simulated. These sectors can be based either on the some .control

t or on different centres. Each control pos1t1on is cen re f .1. · · ·1 to those

'd d w ith telecommunica tion ac1 1t1es s1m1 ar . prov1 e d · t ons of actual con tro l centres, giving simulate commun 1ca 1 between controllers and pi lots, and between controllers

of different sectors.

The system allows on exerc ise to be played bo~k and analysed. This is made possible by the use of o universal computer which co n perfo rm the fol lowing functio ns:

l . The preparation and implementation of exercises.

2. Theoret ical test ing of new procedures.

3. Scient ifi c a nd stat istical analysis.

23

Twenty-eight controllers can take part in an exercise, each having at his disposal a radar display (with all the facilities at present in existence or likely to come into service in the near future) and a flight progress strip indi­cator.

The simulator is fully transistorised and uses many tens of thousands of transistors. The system design and engi­neering provides outstanding flexibility and allows for future extensions.

This project has been under study for a year jointly by C.S.F., Decca Radar Limited and Telefunken AG, who have worked in full technical co-operation. The principal sec­tions of the main equipment which each of the three firms will be supplying are as follows:

1. C.S.F. The radar simulator itself and the telecommuni­cation system. C.S.F. are co-ordinating the system engi­neering of the overall project.

2. Decca Radar Limited. The display and data handling equipment, including all radar displays.

3. Telefunken AG. Type TR 4 computer already in use by the German civil aviation authorities for air traffic control purposes.

The Display and Data Handling Equipment

The supply of all display equipment for the Eurocontrol simulator project will be the responsibility of Decca Radar Limited. The display equipment includes plan displays for the air traffic controllers' positions, tabular displays for the "pilots"' positions and a special display for the super­visor's position which will provide the necessary informa­tion for the overall co-ordination of exercises and ex­periments.

The displays will be based on the transistorised equip­ment which Decca introduced recently. This design con­cept provides advanced yet highly flexible equipment which can be readily adapted either as self-contained autonomous displays with individual radars, or as units within a complex system where high accuracies and high data handling potential is necessary.

The controllers' positions will be equipped with 16 inch (41 cm) diameter vertical displays and, in some cases, with 21 inch (53 cm) diameter horizontal displays. On each display the controllers will be able to select either the output from one of the six simulated plan radars in the system, or the synthetic display of the entire European air space which will be generated in the Telefunken TR 4 computer. Inter-console marking will be provided both between displays working within the same radar sector and also between radars at adjacent sectors, the necessary computations to achieve co-ordinate conversion being effected by the TR 4 computer. Each control position can

be equipped with a keyboard to enable controllers to mmunicate with the computer to update its information,

co . . Th . to call down ancillary information on to a printer. e

~~yboord is olso the meons of in.itiating active secondary

rodar decoding 1n con1unct1on with the computer.

Twenty positions ore provided for "pilot~" and ea.eh

will hove a tabular display capable of presenting essential

operoting information on the fifteen simul~t.ed aircraft for which each pilot will be responsible. Add1tronal informa­

tion on any cmcraft con a!so be displaye.d on r~quest. 'Pilots'' will employ keyboards to communicate with the

24

computer to modify the flight of aircraft under their con­trol.

The supervisor's display position includes a large screen display which presents either the synthetic display of the whole area or the radar information from any of the six simulated radar stations. This display will be based on the technique of rapidly processing a photograph of a ca­thode ray tube presentation and projecting it automati­cally on to a large screen.

Decca Radar Limited employ a special system which enables the TR 4 standard computer, fitted with input/out­

put channels usually connected for paper or magnetic tape, to carry out the real time operation essential in a complex radar simulator system. A cyclic store has been introduced between the displays and the computer to re­duce the number of calls for computer data on both the synthetic and tabular display channels. The cyclic unit stores the necessary data from the computer and itself provides the comparatively high data rate output required for the various display channels. This arrangement leaves the computer free from frequent programme interruptions and it need only output fresh information when data is actually updated, or demands are made from the key­boards. The cyclic store also stores keyboard and rolling ball information from the display positions for a limited period and inputs this to the computer periodically.

The TR 4 Computer

The general purpose Telefunken TR 4 is fully transisto­rised and incorporates an extensive range of built-in error detecting and correcting facilities. A very high standard of reliability is provided in service.

The high speed of the TR 4 computer makes it parti­cularly suitable for use with a real time control system such as the Eurocontrol simulator, particularly because the computer functions fast enough to keep up with external events as they occur, for example, in the immediate imple­mentation of orders from "pilots" for the simulated air­craft under their control. An idea of the high operating speed of the computer can be obtained from the fact that it is able to carry out in one second approximately 150 OOO logical decisions or simple arithmetical operations. The store of the computer can have a capacity of approxi­mately 1.4 million binary digits. The method of handling programme interruptions and assigning priorities is such that several input/output devices can be handled simul­taneously while the equipment continues to perform the main computing and data processing programme.

In a fully equipped TR 4 computer, up to 64 input or output peripheral equipments can be connected to the computer. In addition to those associated with the radar displays and simulators, these peripheral equipments in­clude, for example, high speed printers operating at 16 lines (160 characters) per second. Furthermore, magnetic tape units can be connected to the computer to increase the capacity of the store, each tape unit adding approxi­mately 20 OOO OOO binary digits of storage.

The computer is provided with a very extensive and therefore highly effective, instruction code of abo~t 250

~achine i~structions, an~ also with .facilities for operating in both binary and decimal. The instructions can relate either to a whole word of 48 binary digits, or to a half

or a third of the word, thus increasing still further th~ power of the computer.

Model and slide rule to demonstrate the relative vertical position of the flight levels, the QNH

G. Raenike

altitudes, the QFE heights, the transition altitude, the transition level and the transition layer (Report from the Institute for Air Navigation and Air Transportation of the Technical University of Berlin, Director: o. Professor Dr.-lng. E. Roessger)

Summary

A model and a slide rule are described in which actual meteorological and topographical parameters are in­serted. The relative vertical position of the values which

are important for the vertical navigation and air traffic control can be read off after the insertion of these para­meters.

QNH ~ll1lude QFE-he1ght

flight level

II 45

----

fl 35

fl l'J -- -- -- --f i 5

)Nf:86tt

-- flight level

- - ----

------ --~---- t;;n~iti;n-level

/ /

transition

- --ah-H1 =-364 ft

--1-4500ft

___ , ~ 2 500tt

4 500 ft

3500 ft

2 500 ft

al\i\ude ---­·'---...:. ---· transition

~

---- -- -- -- -- -

- - QNH -altitude

---- J - 1500 ft

86 ft

H1: -364 ft

f_1500ft

- t 500 fl 86 f !

66 f I 0 ft

-----QFE -height

Picture 1 Model with displaceable templates to demonstrate the relative vertical pos.ition of the flight levels, the QNH altitudes,

the QFE heights, the transition altitude, the transition level and the transition layer

It concerns a high-pressure area with the fallowing parameters·

H,. 1 = 450 ft QFE = 1010,1 mb QNE 86 ft

364 ft H11 2000 ft transition altitude 2500 ft QNE-H •. , -

1026,6mb Hu:-;11 2364 ft transition level 35 fl QNH

942,1 mb Hon 1914 ft thickness of the transit1011 laye1 136·1 ft p

25

1. Preamble

In air navigation, a pressure sensitive altimeter is used the calibration curve of which can be altered.

During long distance flights, the calibration curve cor­responds with the ICAO standard atmosphere, and the aircraft are flying in the system of the flight levels. During take-off and landing, the calibration curve can be shifted in such a way that the altimeter indicates either

a) on the runway, the height zero (QFE method) or

b) on the runway, the elevation of the airport (QNH me­thod).

Therefore, by this shifting it can be attained - in­dependent of the actual meteorological conditions - that the altimeter indicates values which are a measure for the geometric altitude or height of the aircraft above a ter­restrial reference level.

For the air traffic controller this causes certain difficulties, because he has to visualize the relative ver­tical position of aircraft which are flying in the system of the flight levels as well as in the system of the QNH altitudes and QFE heights. The relative position of these three systems depends on the actual atmospheric pressure and on the topographical conditions of the airport. More­over the transition altitude, the transition level and the thickness of the transition layer depend on the actual atmospheric pressure and on the top~graphical conditi~ns. These last three quantities are also important concerning the take-off and landing procedures.

The formula for determining the transition level is given in [1 ].

For a special meteorologic-topographical example the relative vertical position of the relevant quantities is cal­culated in [2].

Picture 1 shows the state of the case in correct scale.

Such a device - possibly of the size of DIN A 4 or of the size of an usual slide rule - could be placed at the disposal of the individual air traffic controller. On t~e other hand, such an instrument could also be produced in the size of a blackboard and could be useful to the entire staff of an air traffic control office.

In picture 1 an aircraft is assumed to fly in the isobar p = 942,1 mb. For this aircraft results a pressure altitude [5] of Hi> = 2 OOO ft, a QNH altitude of H1~;.;11 = 2 364 ft and a QFE height of H1w1·: = 1 914 ft (based on the meteo­rological and topographical parameters given in pic­ture 1 ).

2. Description of the model

The model consists of the following superposed tem-

f · h can bP. shifted relatively to each other: plates w 11c · -· ·

Non-transparent template with the system of the QNH l. . J 9 ·aved The counting starts at 0 ft at the altituces en 1 •

mean seo level.

. t t mplate with the system of the QFE heights 2 Transpa1 en e . · f h · d d 'th a symbolic picture o t e aero-engrave on w1 . d

Th t ·,, 9 starts at 0 ft at the aero rome clrome. e coun 1

elevation H .. 1.

I with the system of the even and 3. Transporent temp ate

26

odd numbered flight levels engraved. The counting starts at 0 ft at the 1 013,25 mb isobar.

4. Shiftable bar to mark the transition altitude in the system of the QNH altitudes. At this bar there is a vertical scale where the thickness of the transition layer can be read off.

5. Shiftable bar to mark the transition level in the system of the flight levels.

3 Adiustment of the model corresponding · to the actual meteorological and topographical

data

The adjustment takes place as follows: The template 2 with the system of the QFE heights is

shifted in such a way that the line 0 ft of the QFE heights corresponds with HeJ on the scale of the QNH altitudes of the template l. By this the relative position of the systems of the QNH altitudes and the QFE heights, diffe~­ing from each other by He1, is adjusted. This adjustment is independent of the meteorological conditions and de­pends only on the topographical situation of the aero­drome concerned.

Thereafter, the QFE is measured, and the altitude value QNE is evaluated by means of a table of the ICAO stan­dard atmosphere or by means of the QNH/QFE slide rule,). Now the template 3 with the system of the flight levels is shifted in such a way that the value QNE of this template corresponds with the value H<•I on the template l of the QNH altitudes and therefore also with the value O ft on the template 2 of the QFE heights2).

Then the bar 4 is positioned over the value of the tran­sition altitude on the template l of the QNH altitudes. Finally the bar 5 representing the transition level is shifted with respect to the vertical scale fixed to the bar 4 in such a way that

a) the bar 5 corresponds with an even or odd numbered flight level on the template 3 (that depends if the system of the even or odd numbered flight levels is in use); and

b) the distance between the bars 4 and 5 is larger by an amount as small as possible than the prescribed mini­mum thickness of the transition layer.

After these settings have taken place, the model indicates the relative vertical positions of the quantities that are important for air traffic control.

4. Description of the slide rule

Instead of a model with transparent superposed tem­plates the device can also be constructed as a slide rule (picture 2).

') On the QNH/QFE slide rule [3], [4] the position of the reading line of the cursor is set over the measured QFE value on the QFE scale

and the wonled QNE value con be read off below the reading lin~ of the cursor on the elevation scale. The shiftable middle tongue is not necessary for this task

') A QFE scale divided into pressure values could also be placed on

the template 3 whereby the pressure value 1013,25 mb of this QFE scale coincides wilh the flight level fl 0 (see picture 2)

For the ad1ustment the template 3 is then shifted so much that the

value QFE of this template corresponrls with the value H,.1

on the

ti:.;mplote l ond therefore olso with the value 0 ft on the template 2

There are the following scales:

1. Fixed scale A with the system of the QNH altitudes.

2. Shiftable tongue with the scale 8 of the QFE heights.

3. Shiftable tongue with the scale C of the even and odd numbered flight levels.

4. Fixed scale D for the adjustment of the transition alti­

tude.

5. Shiftable slide bar with the scale E for the adjustment of the prescribed thickness of the transition layer.

6. Cursor with reading line F for reading off the transi­tion level.

A B c I I

HQNH [ft]

10000

9000

8000

7000 7000

6000 6000

5000

L.000

3000 3000

He1(ft)

2000 : - 2000

1 OOO 1000

0 l8l~25 °

- 1000

1020

1030

lOL.O

- 1050

~

F

c 0 ~

~

~E ---

-- -0

Picture 2 Slide rule for the demonstration of the relative vertical posi­tion of the flight levels, the QNH altitudes, the QFE heights, the transition altitude, the transition level as well as the transition layer.

HQNH [ft]

10000

9000

8000

7000

6000

H 0.FE [ft] 10000 I-'-"-~---'

9000

__ 85

8000 80

75

7000 70

65

6000 60

55

c _g iii c g

0

8 CD

Picture 3 Adjustment of the slide rule for the example shown in

picture l

27

5. Adjustment of the slide rule

The adj ustme nt takes place as follows:

The movable tongue with the scale B is shifted so that the mark O ft of th e scale B corre sponds with the value Hr·I of the scale A. The relative position of the scales A and B wh ich does not depend on the meteorological conditions is then fixed by means of two rearward setscrews (in pic­ture 2 not visible}. Then the displaceable tongue with the scale C is shifted in such a way that the value QFE of the scale C corresponds with the value 0 ft of the scale B and therefore with the value H c1 of the scale A.

After that the sh iftable slide bar with the scale E is displaced so that the mark 0 ft of the scale E corresponds with the value of the transition altitude on the fixed scale D.

Finally the cursor is shifted in such a way that

a } the reading line F corresponds with an even or odd num bered flight level on the scale C, and

b} on the scale E the distance between the mark 0 ft and the reading line F is larger by an amount as small as possible than the prescribed minimum thickness of the trans ition la yer.

Picture 3 demonstrates the adjustment of the slide rule for the example shown in picture l.

6. Giving thanks

It is a pleasing duty to the writer to thank Mr. can d. ing. Sol iman Youssef, Zebdan i, Syria, for his cooperation in the construction of the slide rule.

* French-English-German list of the used technical words concerning air traffic control

niveau de vol a lt itude QNH hauteur Q FE

fl ig ht level QNH alti tude Q FE heigh t tr a nsi tion a lti tude

transi tion level transit ion layer

Flugfloche QNH-Hohe QFE-Hohe Obergangshohe Obergangsflugfloche Obergangssch icht

al t itude de transition

niveou de vol de transit i o n couche de transition

Literature

p) E. Roessger, G. Rae.iikc Some Remarks Concerning the Possibilities of Calibrating the Sub­scale of an Altimeter in Terms of Altitude, The Controller 1 (1962) 3

[2] E. Roessger, G. Roenike Zur Systematik der borometrischen Hohenmessung, Zeitsch rif t fur Fic•gwissenschoftcn 11 (1963) 8

[3] E Roessger, G . Raenike Ei.n einfacher Q FE· und QNH. Jndikator sowie ein Rechenstab zur Ermittlung des QNH aus dem QFE, Der Flugle1ter 8 (1961) 4

(4) G Roenikc · f f h . ·. f I . und lnstrumente zur QNH ·Best 1mmung, Lu t a rf · E1n1ge Vero11en

technik - Roumfohrttechnik 9 (1963) 3

(SI E R gcr G Roenike . · aess .k ' J" ·h teoralogischen Grund logen der borometrischen

Die physi 0

ISC z-m.~ h "ft !U r Flugwissenschoften 10 (1962) 1 Hohenmcssung, e1 sc " I . I p . . I f

' r G Roenike, The Physico-meteoro og1co rinc1p es o (E. Rocssge H. . 1 t M urement _ A ltimetry, Ministry of Av1ot 1on, Barometric e19' eas · I · N

. bi " h nt Farnborough , Library Trans a t 1an a . Royal Aircraft Esta is me 1018, November 1962)

28

Gleichzeiti·g mit der Hannover-Messe (26. April bis 5. Mai) veranstaltet der Bundesverband der Deut­schen Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie e. V., Bad G.odes­berg1 vom 24. April bis 3. Mai auf dem Flughafen Hannover die Deutsche Luftfahrtschau 1964. Die organisatorische Durchtuhrung dieser zum fUnften­mal stattfindenden Ausstellung liegt in den Handen der Deutschen Messe- und Ausstellungs-AG1 Hanno­ver-Messegelande. Auf einer erheblich erweiterten Ausstellungsflache zeigt die in- und auslandische Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie ein umfassendes Ange­bot an Luftfahrtgerat, Triebwerken, Luftfahrt-Aus­rustungs- und -Zulieferer-Erzeugnissen. Zurn Aus­stellungsprogramm der Deutschen Luftfahrtschau 1964 gehoren tagliche Flugvorfl.ihrungen der aus­gestellten Flugzeuge. Wir laden Sie ein, sich durch einen Besuch der Deutschen Luftfahrtschau 1964 von dem hohen technischen Stand des Angebots und der Leistungstahigkeit der ausstellenden lndustrie­gruppen zu uberzeugen.

Deutsche Luftfahrtschau 1964 Flughafen Hannover Publikumstage

24. April - 3. Mai 26. April - 3. Mai

Transradar FAB 6072 FAB 6072 is the code number of a new type of elec­

tronic equipment which has been developed by Standard Elektrik Lorenz AG (SEL)* for long distance remoting of radar information on telephone or broadcast lines. The FAB 6072 enables the transmission of radar data up to a distance of 1 OOO km.

By eliminating the existing redundancies contained in the radar signal, and by the application of a capacitor storage device, the original video band, which is in the order of some Megacycles/sec., can be essentially reduced in bandwidth.

The advantages are obvious. Siting problems can easily be overcome, as there is practically no distance limita­tion between radar receiver and display console. Thus Transradar offers itself readily for a variety of civil and military applications. The evaluation of the PPl-display, for instance, is no longer restricted to be carried out at the radar station proper, but can take place at the most suitable location, which may also be furnished with infor­mation derived from other radar stations. In that way it will be possible to establish a mosaic display, enabling at a central station, the assessment of the air traffic situa­tion in a rather large area. This is equally advantageous for air defense purposes as well as for the control of air traffic, particularly fast flying jet aircraft.

Besides technical advantages the FAB 6072 offers con­siderable cost savings. The ruggedly constructed equip­ment takes up only two small racks. It is fully transisto­rized, allows for easy maintenance, and is compatable with all existing airspace surveillance radar and PPls. The com­pressed video information may be recorded on tape for documentation or training purposes.

As mentioned above, bandwidth compression enables easy transfer of radar data and makes it possible to dis­play radar information derived from several sources on a common radar screen. Thus an essential improve­ment of detection probability may be achieved, when the coverage areas overlap; as the same target will be de­tected from different radars and, possibly, with different frequencies. Applying different elevation angles at diffe­rent distances from the target, it will be possible to look behind the optical horizon, behind shadowing obstacles, and into the dead sector above the radar stations. Thus the presentation of targets on the radar display can be essen­

tially improved.

The Principle of SEL-Bandwidth Compression The Transradar, type FAB 6072, provides a capacitor

storage device between the output of the radar r~ceiver and the input of the transmission line. The equipment requires the same connections to the rad~r system as a normal PPL Consequently, it may be considered to con­stitute an extension of the connecting cable normally used between radar receiver and PPls. Compared with a pic­ture-storage tube, which is able to cause inaccuracies, mis­interpretations, pattern disturbances, scanning interfer~n­ces and a loss in resolution, the capacitor store cons~sts of a number of discrete capacitors (e. g. 500), depending on the required range resolution. The FAB system uses

Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Federal Republic af Germany. (Tronsradar

is an displuy at Hannover airshow.)

digitally driven gate circuits instead of tolerance-sensitive scanning by electron beams, and galvanic connections instead of coupling by secondary emission. Based par­tially on analogue and partially on digital technique, a maximum of reliability, highest accuracy, and easiest main­tenance is obtained by application of a capacitor store. The scanning cycle can be started and stopped as required (radar systems with non-constant pulse frequency) and the scanning speed may be changed instantaneously (change of range or transmission bandwidth). The main problem, the signal-to-noise ratio, is essentially improved by the effect of the SEL integration storage device. The coherent echo signals of a target add almost linearly, while the incoherent noise signals only run up approximately in roots of the number of echo pulses. At "n" echo pulses per target the signal-to-noise ratio is, therefore, improved by a value of Jin. When tested in freld operation, there was no indication of jamming or interference at the remote PPI after transmission of the bandwidth-compressed video signal, when compared with the display of the master PPI at the radar station, which was not free of disturbances_ SEL's bandwidth compression principle practically ex­cludes geometry distortions and avoids voltage and tem­perature influences.

Design of the Transradar, FAB 6072 The signals (video, trigger, rotation) arriving from the

radar equipment are frrst passed through adaptation net­works where they are matched to the operating require­ments of the bandwidth compression device. Free selection of one out of three video signals, e. g. normal, MTI, loga­rithmic video, is possible, and another signal of smaller amplitude produced in synchronism, map, IFF, etc, may then be superposed on the selected video signal. The rota­tion signals (e. g. selsyn) are converted into angular pul­ses, which are needed in the bandwidth compression equipment for controlling the integration sector and are added within the encoder to the narrow band signal (FAB video) to be transmitted.

The bandwidth compression is performed by the spe­cial integrating store. The storage medium normally com­prises a line of 500 capacitors with electronic write and read gates, one capacitor being provided for each dis­tance element (m = 500). A writing timer synchronized by the radar trigger distributes the video signals of conse­cutive scan periods (n) over the storage capacitors (m) that are arranged in a line. The writing timer may be se­lected, as required, for range resolution in the storage unit. The reading timer is dependent on the integrated angular sector (according to radar antenna pattern) and the bandwidth of the transmission path (range resolution determined by transient time of the transmission line). The charges stored in the capacitors are removed via reading gates and delivered to the transmission device via a low­pass filter. The narrowband FAB video signal, the reading trigger and the rotation pulses are first added to form a composite signal at the input of the carrier equipment and then translated to the transm1ss1on frequency range by vestigial sideband signal technique with double conver­sion and a Nyquist filter inserted, corresponding approxi­mately to well proved conditions in television. The time characteristics are similar to those of a TV signal with

29

positive modulation, i. e . large carrier amplitude for bright pictu re points and blanking of the carrier during syn­chronizing pulses. The FAB system may be operated with two parallel carrier frequency equipments preferably for separate transmission channels, e. g. 3.4 Keis and 1 O Keis) so as to allow changeover to a standby in case of disturb­ance or emergency.

The narrow band signal is fed to connecting boxes matching the input of the selected transmission channel (term inating resistance, spectrum limits, balance). To avoid interference by "crosstolking " dial pulses and mechanical shocks of the relay contacts in selector bays, the long dis­tance lines should, if possible, not be passed through switching offices. The transmission distance depends on the quality of the transmission line. In normal transmission networks, a distance of up to 1 000 km may be covered. Along the transmission line, the FAB signal may be branch­ed by means of standard carrier equipments so that con­nection of several remote evaluation centres is possible.

At the remote receive end terminal the signal passes from the input via connecting boxes to variable delay equalizers and then to the carrier equipment. The signa l is demodulated and splitted up into its three components, video, trigger and rotation. Video and trigger can be passed on directly if a special slow-scan PPI is available. As this will seldom be the case, a capacitor storage device is installed, which is simila r in design to the one at the transmit side but with inverse operation mode.

The incoming video signal is w ritten into the storage unit at slow speed and subseque ntly read out at high speed one or severa l times. This method allows the use of conventional fast scan PPl's. If the store is read out only once an extremely long dead time occurs. This dead time permits time sharing of OF lines, marking symbols or other

·- · -· - •. . ~_ J. J[:f:

•

FABEG 6072 fo r ins tallation at PPI site .

30

radar signals if PPl's with interscan facility are used. Vari­ous facilities are provided to adapt the transmitted rota­tion signals to the rotation deflection of the PPI sysems (selsyne with normal gear ratios or rotating shafts or sine/ cosine voltages varying with the azimuth). An automatic faci lity ensures fast realignment to north after line inter­ruptions or other disturbances of synchronous operation. The regained rotation signal may also be used for syn­chronizing video mapping equipments or other equip­ments. Due to the provision of automatic monitoring for all important signals (video, trigger, rotation and special voltages), the equipment is suited for operation in un­attended stations. The FAB 6072 may be supplied with a remote control. A remote control panel installed in the PPI console allows various signals (e. g. video, map, test­signal, range, mains voltage) to be selected.

System features:

Relaying of radar signals over practically any distance. Possibility of branching the radar information of one or more radar sets. Adoption to all systems of airspace survei llance radars and PPI systems. More economical than equivalent wideband systems. Recording of radar signals by conventional audio fre­quency tape recorders in addition to speech communi­cation. Selection of different video signals by use of remote control. Combining of raw radar and synthetic information. Superposition of map, IFF or passive ly decoded secon­dary radar on the se lected video s ignal. Suitable for combination and interworking with a digi­tal radar network.

~· .f· . . . .....

FABEG 6072 for installation at radar site (SEL).

T-Bird Route Experience Flight

"AB 718" was on the aircraft. Actually he was calling ,,DC 382" because the bird was not yet re-painted and the radio set was quite a different one. I entered the air­craft, then I tried to strip over the parachute; it's difficult, I tell you. Finally I made it somehow. This was not the correct procedure, the pilot told me, I should have fit it on before entering. I'll think it over for the next time.

Now we called in for taxi - after about six minutes it arrived, that black cab, now we tried it again with the phrase: "taxi-clearance". It really did work out: "runway 25, climb out number seven. Weather on the VOR." -We had no VOR!

The beacon had no weather broadcast either, we found out. After we had been waiting for fifteen minutes, we still could not find out why we were put on number seven for climb out. We asked Tower about it - they know every­thing, it says in the book. - They did know it: They had been talking about "departure route number seven". We did not know, they had so many here. The pilot requested the complete departure to be read to him; after Tower finished, we cancelled IFR.

"Cleared into position and hold."

The pilot moved the bird and closed the canopy, and I tried to get the fingers out again. The Air Force needs a new pair of gloves, I think.

Now we'd been placed well in position and that arriv­ing 104 did an overshoot. - "Cleared for take-off, wind unchanged." - We never got the wind before. The pilot pushed the throttle and the bird, well, she didn't move a bit, beside shivering and shaking. I heard a soft voice in the intercomm: "Would you kindly release the parking brake!?" Now you tell me, where to put your feet in that tiny cabin, - okay, I took'em back. The bird jumped for­ward and the seat on my back. The seat won the game.

"Airborne 34, call back ten minutes prior returning, OUT." I should have liked to answer, at least to say ROGER, but that word OUT turned me down.

furthermore the Tower was busy with an after-burner departure of two F-104's. These birds look beautiful when they are closely passing by at a high speed. Now, after we had left the controlled danger area, I felt much more happier. Anyhow, we changed over to Approach for even­tual traffic information, because we had to brake the clouds to get "on-top". - "Now RADAR-target in your vicinity, perform cloud-braking-procedure." - All of a sudden I was on the back since the aircraft's nose went up. I"d rather call this a neck-breaking procedure. But my job is not to introduce a new procedure or phraseology, I just want to describe my flight. I don't know how they define "vicinity" down there, but I think the minima should be at least greater than normal separation minima.

"HEY - - - Approach, we just - - phii - rx - -keg - - - sssssstt ... " - Sorry, our transmitter did not quite work apparently. Meantime we didn't pass too many aircraft too close during flight on top and whilst braking the clouds. Beside switching off the oxygen, instead of tuning in another frequency - which almost killed the

pilot - but he was smart enough to notice it in time -nothing remarkable happened. Honestly, I really didn't do anything else.

Well, we are in the penetration again and on Tower·s frequency. "Traffic four F-104's in the GCA-pattern and several other jets approaching the field. Place yourself in the traffic given in the proper sequence." The only thing I knew was that one of the jets approaching the field was our junk. We placed ourselves on initial. The two F-84's slightly ahead of us must have been student pilots be­cause they did not f1t into the traffic. How do they want to land with a T-Bird 200 ft in behind them, I asked the pilot. He turned red in the face. Probably he was about to strangle himself with the intercom cable. 'Thank hea­ven, he didn't do it in the air!' - "Left pitch", he called out to Tower. The left wing-tip pointed directly to the earth. My head came to a sudden stop whilst hitting the stick. "Just 4 g, ha ha ha!!" the pilot laughed. In return I pushed the stick. Now he was too busy to laugh. Appa­rently he tried to strangle himself again because the time he turned around he looked like a ripe tomato. I prayed instantly that he would not do it. Somehow we managed to come on to final even for the right runway - I think. I was a great help to the pilot 'cause everytime I gripped the stick or pushed the pedals he started laughing.

It sounded like a nut's laugh, but I"m sure it was just the relief felt having someone like me for an assistant. All times during approach, Tower did not dare to interrupt us; those people simply must have been impressed by our daring manoeuvres. That also might have been the reason why they errected both jet barriers. The crash-crew was giving us a salute by spinning the blue lights. A really heartily welcome! Well, we made the first barrier but the second one caught us.

I asked the pilot whether this was a new procedure to stop the aircraft while clearing the "active" as fast as possible. Again he must have been working on that cable. Now he could do it, as we were on the ground. "No", he roared, "pneumatic failure." - I put my hands on to the brim of the cockpit, and got up to look at the wheels. "But there is still air in the tires." - Without answering he knocked the canopy on my fingers, then he pushed it up again and asked me to get out to the left. He took the right side, where there was the ladder. A pick-up brought us back to the squadron's room, where! changed clothing. Then I went to thank the pilot for this unique flight. He was gone already. Antyhow, it was quite an experience - - for the pilot! Donald McZoom

31

Sat co

Eflicienl transport means prosperity

Satco comprises the ground equipment to predict, coordi­nate, check and display the movements of air traffic en route and in terminal areas. It provides an extremely rapid method of calculating flight paths, for assessing potential conflicts and for coordination between Area Control Centres. Special features are includec:J for mi litary I civil coordination and for the control of jet­powered traffic.

The system has been ordered by The Netherlands Govern­ment and the first phase is in operational use.

Signaal N.V. HOLLANDSE SIGNAALAPPARATEN - HEN GE LO - NETHERLANDS

I say, Humphrey, look at that simply marvellous aeroplane. How madly fast it's Hying.

And there's another one over there- and there- and there

Do you suppose they know where they're going?

Crazy man. of course there's a frantic genius in that control tower place taking care of all that

Like poor Cuthbert, my controller cousin,

who was wafted screaming to a clinic?

You'd think there was an easier way ...

.. . There is!

The precise push-button

navigation system with

air traffic control data link

VISION Decca' s important contribution to Eurocontrol

AN IMPORTANT STEP To enab le them to study the prob lems of controlling high speed air t raffic, Eurocontrol -Europe's organisation for the safety of air navigation - has ordered a simulator from a con­sortium of t hree major electronic companies, Decca Radar of London , CSF of Paris and Tele­funken of Berlin . The design and manufacture of all display equip­ment will be the responsibility of Decca Radar - an indication of the confidence placed in the compan y's special ability in this field . A VITAL NEED As the speed of aircraft in­creases, so too, must the preci­sion and range of traffic control .

If traffic control cannot keep pace with increasing speeds then much of the advantage of high speed flight is lost, and of course, safety margins are reduced. With increasing speeds the human operator's task be­comes extremely difficult; not only has he an enormous amount of information to deal with, but the rate at which it changes is high. Dangerous situations could build up within a few seconds. It is for reasons such as these that automatic aids are essential. The new simulator wi ll enable Eurocontrol to investigate all methods of assisting the con­troller, and evaluate the safest and most effective procedures for the future.

COVERING WESTERN EUROPE An area some two thousand kilometers in diameter will be simulated, using 'data' from six primary and six secondary radars. The simulato r will take into account aircraft performance, flight plans, weather conditions, the layout and performance of navigational a ids , and the manoeuvres of the aircraft. Up to 600 aircraft can be simulated , 300 under full control and 300 flying pre-programmed routine tracks. As far as the operators are concerned display simulation wi ll be perfect; data will be pre­sented on standard A TC displays from the Decca Series 5. It is interesting to note that the Decca

transistor display system is so adaptable that much of the needs of this complex system will be provided by proven units that are already in quantity production.

DECCA COMPLETE RADAR SYSTEMS · Air surveillance radar Airfield control radar · Q-band ASMI radar Defence radar systems · Height-finding radar Weather and windfinding radar Transistorised display and data handling systems · Doppler radar.

DECCA RADAR LIMITED LONDON · ENGLAND

DECCA RADAR

~ DR275a