Airline – Wikipedia
With the term plug All the electronic equipment installed on board the aircraft and in charge of piloting are indicated.
The Avionics includes navigation and communication systems, self -cilots and flight conduct systems.
The International Authority for Civil Aviation defines Avionics ” Any electronic device, including its electrical part, used in an aircraft, including devices for radio communications, automatic flight systems and instrumentation ” [first] .
Sometimes electronic systems are also considered Avionics not concerning piloting activity, such as video systems in which the information and flight parameters are presented to drivers on display (CRT or LCD) instead of traditional analog tools (Glass Cockpit). Most of these devices are part of the category of embedded systems and critical systems. Examples of this type of avionics are the equipment installed on military aircraft, where the missions to be made are entrusted in an inseparable way to dedicated avionics components, such as tactical display, Hud, tactical data links, transponder off, tacan, discovery radar, of Attack and guide missiles, acquisition and aim telemeters, infrared sensors, disturbing and electronic war receivers, altimetric radar, antennas both transmitting and receiving of variety and frequency bandwidth etc. Everything is usually coordinated by one (or more, perhaps in redundancy) Mission Computer (“Mission Computer”), also to be considered as part of the Viponic, being designed specifically for that particular type and version of a aircraft.
In certain aircraft it may happen that some dedicated avionics modules are replaced at the moment with others, depending on the particular mission to be carried out. The term plug It is also used with reference to the electronic installations of space vehicles.
The term ” avionics “(made” avionica “in Italian) was coined by the journalist Philip J. Klass as a contraction of the English term avi ation electr ONICTS (“Electronics for aviation”) [2] [3] , and in general recognized as an on -board instrumentation.
Many of the modern avionic systems originated with technological developments following the Second World War. For example, the self -cilot systems, which are very popular today, have been designed to help the bombers fly in a sufficiently stable and constant way to be able to accurately affect their objectives while remaining at high altitudes [4] . It is known that the radar was developed in the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States in the same period [5] . RadioTelefonia systems were installed in aircraft before the Second World War and were used for the coordination of missions and air traffic control. The first systems used the electronic valves and, given their weight and size, were installed remotely with the only control mounted in the piloting cabin. The standardization of the frequencies in VHF took place immediately after the Second World War, and the transistor radio communication systems replaced the systems based on the electronic valves almost immediately after. Until 1960 these systems were only made of minor variations. The first navigation systems required that the pilot or navigator wore the headphones and pay attention to the relative volume of the tones in each ear to determine the direction and govern on course.
In 1992 the DO-178B standard was published for the software development of the avionic components, which then became the de-phacto standard for the certification of the computerized aircraft systems. The standard was then replaced by the new DO-178C version in 2011.
After the 1960s, with the advent of microelectronics and then digital, the navigation systems developed five different routes:
| Mast | System | Field of use | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADF | Automatic Direction Finder | Aerial navigation | Tool equipped with antenna and electronic components for the reception and demoding of signals emitted by stations on the ground NDB (Non-Directional Beacon). Provides the direction and direction of origin of the NDB signal (and therefore indicates the angular position of the issuing station) by means of the principle of electromagnetic induction |
| BEFORE | VHF Omnidirectional Range | Aerial navigation | Since 1949 ICAO has defined it as a standard for short and medium -range navigations, replacing previous low frequency functioning systems. A Earth station Vor, also called radiofaro , transmits radio waves to VHF who are captured by a receiver on board that processes them and provides useful information to the pilot to understand its position compared to the radiofaro itself |
| THEY | Instrument Landing System | Instrumental landing | Designed to allow an instrumental landing, it is an electronic land and on -board system designed to drive the aircraft in the final phase of an instrumental precision approach to the airport track. The system is particularly important in carrying out operations in low visibility conditions (especially due to fog), allowing you to complete landing with a horizontal visibility reduced to less than 100 meters |
| DME | Distance Measuring Equipment | Aerial navigation | Provides constant reading in nautical miles of the oblique distance called Slant Range (and not a horizontal distance) of the aircraft compared to the DME station of the earth. The greater the difference between the oblique and the horizontal distance, the more the plane approaches the earth station |
| GPS | Global Positioning System | Aerial navigation | It is a system of positioning and civil satellite navigation that, through a dedicated network of artificial satellites in orbit, provides a mobile terminal or GPS receiver information on its geographical and hourly coordinates, in all meteorological condition, everywhere on earth or in its immediate vicinity Where there is a contact without obstacles with at least four system satellites. The location takes place through the transmission of a radio signal by each satellite and the elaboration of the signals received by the receiver |
Importance of the Vinic in the cost of a plane [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
Modern Avionics is a substantial part of the expenditure for military planes. About 20% of the cost of planes such as the F-15E and the F-14 (now no longer in active service) is due to their avionics.
The civil market also saw a growth in the costs of the Vipica. Flight control systems (Fly-by-Wire) and the new navigation needs required by closer air spaces have increased development costs. The main change was the recent boom in mass flight: since more and more people begin to use planes as the main means of transport, increasingly elaborate methods have been invented to safely control the aircraft in these extremely narrow air spaces.
Typical of the Viponic, especially of the military type, is that the electronics are separated in distinct functional modules (normally, aluminum league boxes shielded by disorders), each dedicated to a “macro functionality”, housed and set in compartments dedicated to inside the fuselage (perhaps accessible from external doors for inspection and maintenance on the ground), interconnected with each other by means of standardized digital communication buses (e.g. Mil-Std-1553b [6] , Can-Bus, Arinc …), making the connections between modules with specific cables and multipolar connectors.
In this way, the task of maintenance is easier, which in the first place can quickly replace, also on the field, an entire form in which a breakdown has occurred with a “twin” spare “, and then intervene in the laboratory for his repair.
NDB/ADF [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
Non -directional radiofaro combination and automatic radiogonometer ( Non Directional Beacon e Automatic Direction Finder ) was the first widely spread radionavigation system. The original radiofaro stations were high power systems and followed the night routes previously outlined by the colored light headlights. RDF systems ( Radio Direction-Finder/radiogoniometro ) e ADF ( Automatic Direction Finder ) receive signals from these stations. A hand shows the pilot the relative bow to the station. Radiofari use low and medium frequency radio bands and are used on short/medium long distances such as support systems to other navigation systems (especially the vor) for their good coverage characteristics. Generally they are not used alone, for their poor precision (which further degrades in adverse weather conditions).
VHF and VOR system [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The word VHF, acronym of IN ery H igh F requency , identifies the radio frequency equipment that operate in the frequency band 30/300 MHz. The propagation characteristics of this frequency band are ideal for short -distance communications. The ionosphere does not reflect VHF radio waves, so the propagation takes place in an optical line, making the systems operating in VHF particularly suitable for navigation.
Normal use occurs in 88/108 MHz band radio communications, and in television broadcasts. In the aeronautical field it is used, for navigation the VOR systems, acronym of IN hf O mni-directional radio R ange , and the VHF transmitters receivers for terra-air/air-air communications.
The VOR system is a system that is not very sensitive to weather interference and ensures excellent navigation services. The system allows the pilot to introduce a radial in the on -board equipment, with origin in the aircraft and with a desired corner compared to the magnetic north. An indicator of the CDI route, acronym of Course Deviation Indicator , indicates the measurement of the corner of which the aircraft deflects from the specified route. DME devices, acronym for D istance M easuring AND quipment , are sometimes combined with a vor and allow to establish and indicate the distance of the aircraft from the earth station.
THEY [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The ILS system, acronym of Instrumental Landing System , it is a set of used equipment to guide the aircraft instrumentally in the final approach to the start of track and during landing. The system consists of earth and on -board installations. It consists of a locator for the lateral guide (Localizer), a descent path for vertical guide (Glide Slope), and a series of vertical radiosegnators for spacer signals. Optional components include the DME and a RadioFaro lessor, a name given to a NDB system placed at the beginning of the final approach route.
Transponder [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The transponder is a transceiver that can be questioned by the secondary radar (SSR) of the air traffic control system, to which it responds in digital code. This response provides a first identification of the aircraft and allows the secondary surveillance radar to locate the aircraft more carefully and higher distances than possible with the use of the primary radar only. This secondary radar system, composed of a transponder on board and a questioner on the ground, is known as “RadioFaro system on demand and response to control of air traffic” or ATCRBS.
A transpontator to respond with a four -digit code, each variable from 0 to 7. This transpontator is known as the “Transpontator Code 4096”. The pilot sets the code according to the type and status of the flight, or as arranged by the air traffic control.
A transponder of way C also indicates the barometric share expressed in hundreds of feet (about 30 meters) and coded with the code 4096.
Modern transponders in a S -way can respond with a longer and more unique digital identification code for each aircraft (which allows the individual identification of the aircraft even in the absence of radio control between the aircraft and control) and can receive information on air traffic e show them to the pilot.
A transponder IFF, of friendly or enemy identification, is used on military aircraft to distinguish “friends” planes on the radar from the “enemies” on the radar. These devices have additional operational ways to those used in the control of civil air traffic.
DME [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The DME device ( Distance Measuring Equipment ) is used to inform the pilot of the distance of its aircraft from the VOR station; So with a bow detection and a distance from a particular vor, a pilot can establish its exact position. These combined systems are given the name of Before/dme .
The DME system is also part of a military navigation system widely used in the United States, the Tacan (Tactical Air Navigation). A land station that combines the Vor and the Tacan is known as Vortac. The frequencies of the VOR/DME or Vortac have appeared from an international standard. As soon as the pilot tunes on to a particular VOR frequency, the on -board equipment will automatically tune in to the DME or on the tacan placed in the same location as the vor.
LORAN [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The Loran system ( IT of GO OUT by N avigation ) is a navigation system that uses low frequency radio transmitters and that uses the time interval between radio signals received, from three or more stations (a main synchronization station and more synchronized secondary stations), to establish the position of a plane or ship. Loran systems provide for navigation needs on large areas and were particularly used by civil aviation. With the commercial availability of the GPS performance and the inertial IS navigation systems, this system is now little used.
Diagnostic systems [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The commercial aircraft are expensive and make only when they are in flight. For this reason, the most skilled operators carry out as many checks as possible and during the parking time in the terminals deal with the higher maintenance operations.
To make all this implemeable, computers have been incorporated that control the systems of the aircraft and who record the failures. Sometimes the data relating to the failures are communicated in advance to accelerate the order of the spare parts. Although this procedure would be the ideal one, these automatic control systems are often not counted among the critical equipment for flight safety, therefore their reliability is limited. It is relying on them only to indicate that equipment needs maintenance.
Since the time of the aircraft is precious, the majority of the vipos is designed as “replaceable unit in line”. In the violinic sector these units are literally “black boxes”, of standard size, with standard supports and connections for power and cooling of the standard. The connectors also include the space for system cablating which are different for devices of different manufacture, but which still adapt to standard connectors.
The line units are removable and relocable very quickly. A pair of retention screws is vanished and the entire box is extracted with a suitable extractor. Then the replacement pushes in place, accurately fixing the connectors and heating and tightening the screws. This reduces the re -enact time of the vipos to a few seconds. The removed units are then sent to the deposit for repair with suitable and specific test bench. Most panel tools have standard derivations and are designed to allow repair.
The Lru standards ( Line Replaceable Unit – the components replaced by line maintenance staff) are normally established by the Arinc, “Aeronautical Radios incorporated”, a subsidiary company owned in common by several airlines. The Arinc standards suggested the criteria of repairing even of non -electric engines, fuselage and cabin systems. The Arinc also administers the navigation radio rods in geographical locations that lack governments capable of maintaining radiophares.
Radioaltimetro [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The radioaltimeter measures the altitude of the flown soil. This type of altimeter provides the pilot with the actual distance between the aircraft and the ground, while the barometric altimeter provides a distance from a reference isobaric surface (sea level, airport or standard-1013.25). The radioaltimeter has a certain criticality in low -altitude flights. It is frequently used on commercial aircraft for the approach and landing, especially in conditions of poor visibility (see the rules of instrumental flight), as well as in military aircraft that fly extremely low to avoid radar detection.
The Avionics has changed significantly after the advent of GPS and the interior visual systems.
GPS [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The use of the GPS system ( Global Positioning System ) has changed navigation both by cruise and in the stages of approach and landing. The aircraft traditionally flew from a navigation radiofaro to the next (i.e. from a vor to a vor). The routes of course between RadioFari are called Aerovie. The routes traveled on the aerovies are rarely the shortest routes between two airports. However, the use of aerovies was necessary because they represented the only way to navigation in instrumental flight conditions. The use of the GPS has changed all this, allowing direct unit, that is, allowing the aircraft to navigate directly from point to point, without the need for radio assistance to navigation from the ground. This has the potential to significantly reduce navigation time and fuel consumption along the routes.
However, the direct unstracting cause of the non -trivial difficulties for the ATC air traffic control system. The main purpose is to maintain adequate vertical and horizontal separation between the aircraft. The use of direct training makes the maintenance of separation more difficult. A good analogy would be vehicular traffic: the roads are comparable to the aerovies. If there were no roads and drivers simply went directly to their destinations, it would be a significant chaos. Occasionally the ATC grants approval to direct, but very limited toleously.
Projects such as the “free flight” propose to computerize the ATCs and to allow greater use of direct indating with the identification of potential conflicts and with the suggestion of suitable maneuvers to maintain separation. This is very similar to the system of ancient, but on a higher scale, and would look more on the time.
The GPS also clearly changed navigation in the approach and landing phase. When horizontal visibility and cloudy roof are below the minimums of visible flight (VFR), the aircraft must fly according to the rules of instrumental flight (IFR). Under IFR, the aircraft must use the navigation equipment for the horizontal and vertical guide. This is particularly important in the flight and landing flight phases.
The approaching in IFR normally require the use of Radioassistances to the ground, such as VOR, NDB and ILS. The GPS offers an important advantage on traditional systems since no equipment is required on the ground, with consequent reduction in costs.
Libiny with viewers [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
The increase in calculating computers and the quality of LCD visualization on a flat front made possible the concreteization of piloting places with viewers. The piloting seats, improperly defined as “aircraft flight bridges”, have the information available on one or more electronic viewers. They offer workloads of the decidedly lower pilot and better awareness of the situation with reference to the traditional on -board consoles with “boiler cloaks”.
The passenger compartment with viewers (Glass Cockpit) was first made on aerolinee aircraft and military aircraft. Recently they also appeared on civil aviation aircraft such as the SR20 aircraft of the “Cirrus Design Corporation” and in the projects of aircraft of the “Lancair International, inc”.
SATCOM (High-gain Satcom Antenna System) [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]
System for satellite communication services. Allows the simultaneous transfer of data and vocal signals and also includes a system for managing navigation data and air traffic. The system consists of a high gain antenna, a phase meter and a amplifier. It is particularly used in the exchange of information between the plane and entities beyond the horizon, the satellite is therefore used as a “bridge” to allow the transmission of data and signals at a great distance.
- ( IN ) In Memoriam: Philip J. Klass: A UFO (Ufologist Friend’s Obituary) . are skeptic.com , Skeptic, 26 Agosto 3005. URL consulted on April 26, 2012 .
- ( IN ) Robert Shaffer, ‘Unexplained Cases’–Only If You Ignore All Explanations , Skeptical Inquirer, 2011.
- ( IN ) Reginald Victor Jones, Most Secret War , 1998, ISBN 978-1-85326-699-7.
- ( IN ) Jeffrey L. Rodengen, The Legend of Honeywell , Write Stuff Syndicate, 1955, ISBN 0-945903-25-1.
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