Post Graduate Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Courses in Australia

In Western Australia, there are around 450 aircraft maintenance engineers, most of whom work in the Perth metropolitan area. While only 5% of aircraft maintenance engineers are female.

Established in 1887, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology is a member of the Australian Technology Network and Global U8 Consortium.

The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University is one of Australia’s leading educational institutions, producing some of the country’s most employable graduates.
Located in the heart of Melbourne city, RMIT has an international reputation for excellence in work-relevant education an

Qualification: Graduate Certificates and Graduate Diplomas
Awarding body: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT)

Course Description: Program focuses on specialization of aircraft maintenance functions. Designed for both local and international students who require postgraduate in aircraft maintenance engineering management systems.

Program Integrates: the human factor and threat and error management issues into the technical aspects.
Program Includes: guidance of knowledge on development and skills to deal with organisational changes aimed at establishing a culture of society.

Graduate will learn outcome of decisions and competitively positioned for advancement with aerospace manufactures for example: Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Pratt and Whitney, Airbus, Bombardier, British Aerospace, airlines and maintenance and repair organizations (MRO), within a regional and international levels.

Requirements: Student must have a first degree or similar experience. Evidence of further professional development through in-house or external run training.

Study level – graduate in aircraft maintenance engineering certificate and graduate PG diploma’s in aircraft maintenance management.
Study category – Aircraft Maintenance Engineering courses
Study mode – Full time, Distance/Online, Part time
Duration – one year/six months

Venue address:
RMIT University
City Campus
GPO Box 2476
MELBOURNE
Victoria

RMIT University Review: The academic program is designed with up to date content. The lecturers consist of highly experience.
Overall experience: The academic program for aircraft maintenance engineering is designed with up to date content. Make sure you speak to lecturers before applying, at open days. Don’t go into the course thinking that you are the best, lecturers will put you in your place very quickly.

d high quality research, and engagement with the needs of industry and community.A vibrant alumni community now stretches across more than 100 countries.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering License issued by the DGCA , is recognized in Middle East Countries?

A student of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering in India and want to work in Emirates Airlines or GAMCO or Saudi Arabia any other Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Companies. Is DGCA recognized in middle east countries?

This is the common query, all AME students has,

” I am currently undergoing an apprentice program in India. will my license be recognized or do i have to appear for examinations there”?
The U.A.E GCAA will almost certainly not validate it, and they also have a policy where they

reserve the right not to validate any aircraft maintenance engineering license that is under 5
years old. So even if you do finish you apprenticeship, and even if they were to have a goodday

and accept an aircraft maintenance enginering license from India you may yet fall into the 5
years license holder rules.

If you do want to work in say Dubai and look for a position with Emirates I would suggest that
you may want to look for a technicians position there and sit you GCAA exams as you can.

I don’t want to sound too harsh or mean here but I would also suggest that you brush up on you
written English. If you were to answer an exam question in English using the standard you demonstrate above you really will fail, regardless of the content of the answer.

That said good luck in making your way into the bigger world

Requirements for GCAA exams – experience …if any?

To eligible the GCAA exams, have 3.5 years experience appropriate to the category that you have applied for, be over 21 and pay 200dhs for the exam.
When you apply they will ask for your training certificates and a record of experience,logbook

and make sure DGCA is recognized there, because ON JOB TRAINING has to be done at a DGCA recognised country.

Online Bsc in Aviation

Online Aviation Degrees | Online Aviation | Degrees in Aviation | Bsc in Aviation
Bachelor of Science in Aviation
Do You posses Commercial Pilot’s Certificate then apply for Degree in Aviation

Liberty University Online offers a unique, online opportunity to earn your Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics. This program is designed for students who possess a commercial pilot’s certificate but have not earned a bachelor’s degree. Liberty offers seven advanced online aviation courses that combine with the credits received for a commercial certificate to complete the required aeronautical classes. If a student has not previously completed the required general education and investigative studies, those courses are also conveniently offered through Liberty University Online. This degree will prepare students to become commercial pilots, corporate pilots and missionary pilots. This unique degree enables Liberty University Online to fulfill a need for an online aeronautics degree for students worldwide.

Liberty University’s Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics equips students with a practical understanding of aviation and effective aeronautical decision-making skills necessary to serve as a commercial, military or missionary pilot. As a student of the largest flight school in Virginia, you will develop a comprehensive knowledge for safe and effective flight operations subject to weather, aero-medical issues and legal responsibilities.

Students interested in pursuing this degree must possess a commercial pilot’s certificate or be an Air Transport Pilot.

Liberty has become the world’s largest evangelical university and has never lost sight of its mission – equipping men and women with Christ-centered education to impact their world and workplace. Liberty is the World’s Largest Christian University.

Liberty University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral degrees.

Potential Career Options

Commercial Pilot

Missionary Pilot

Military Pilot

Corporate Pilot

Certified Flight Instructor

Rolls-Royce will Supply Trent 700 Engines to Singapore Airlines

Rolls-Royce Wins $1BN Order From Singapore Airlines

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won a $1bn order from Singapore Airlines to supply Trent 700 engines to power 15 Airbus A330 aircraft, Along with TotalCare® services support.

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has won a $1bn order from Singapore Airlines to supply Trent 700 engines to power 15 Airbus A330 aircraft, Along with TotalCare® services support.

Singapore Airlines already operates 19 Trent 700-powered A330s, the first of which was delivered in 2009.

The Trent 700 is the most fuel efficient, cleanest and quietest engine on the A330. Since it entered service in 1995, Rolls-Royce has continued to improve its performance by incorporating advanced technology from the Trent 900 and Trent 1000. These enhancements have delivered a one per cent reduction in fuel consumption, which saves 800 tonnes of CO2 per aircraft, per year.

Nick Devall, Rolls-Royce, Chief Commercial Officer – Civil Aerospace, said: “The Trent 700 has proven itself to be the most efficient engine for the Airbus A330. Our continuous investment in the improvement of our products has ensured that the Trent 700 is the clear leader in the market. Singapore Airlines has been a great partner and we are delighted to extend this relationship further.”

The Trent 700, the only engine designed specifically for the A330, has won more than 75 per cent of orders in the last three years. More than 1,300 Trent 700 engines are now in service or on order.

Best Airport in the World: Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International AirportBest Airport in the World: Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

Hyderabad, Delhi Airports Ranked Best

New Delhi: Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has been ranked first and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport the fourth in an international ranking of the best airports in the world, GMR Group, which operates these airports, said on Wednesday.

The company said its Hyderabad and Delhi airports have been ranked first and the fourth best in their respective categories in the latest ASQ rankings of the Airports Council International (ACI).

The rankings were determined through a survey of over three lakh passengers at participating ASQ airports, based on customer feedback measured on a range of services and customer experience at an airport from the moment of arrival to departure gate.

While Hyderabad retained its number one position for the second year in a row, the ranking features some of the well-known airports of the world like Incheon airport in Seoul, South Korea, Changi airport in Singapore, and Shanghai Pudong airport in China.

Aerostat System Capable of carrying Electro-Optic and COMINT payloads for Surveillance – DRDO

DRDO Demonstrates Indigenous Aerostat System

The DRDO demonstrated its indigenously designed and developed aerostat system capable of carrying electro-optic and COMINT payloads for surveillance. Trials of the system have been concluded on Saturday, December 25, 2010. These included surveillance all over Agra and interception of variety of communications. ELINT and RADAR payloads are also being developed indigenously. This platform is a result of development of a number of high end technologies in the field of aerodynamic design of balloon, fabrics, fabrication, hydraulic winch, electro-optic tether, high pressure helium cylinder manifold, active pressure control system etc in association with large and medium sized Industrial partners.

The system has been designed, developed and integrated by the Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra Cantt, a premier laboratory under the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) working in the field of parachutes, lighter than air systems, floatation systems and aircraft arrester barriers. ADRDE has developed and supplied various types of parachutes for wide range of applications viz. Paradropping men, weapons, Combat Vehicles, Stores etc, braking of fighter Aircraft and Recovery of payloads pertaining to missiles, UAV and space missions. Over the last few years, ADRDE has diversified into the field of lighter-than-Air (LTA) technologies and developed small and medium size Aerostats. Recently, ADRDE has developed a state-of-the-art medium size helium filled Aerostat and successfully test flown up to one km altitude at Agra.

Dr. Prahlada, DS & CC R&D (Aerospace & Services Interaction) congratulated the team and brought out the facts that ADRDE had graduated from a laboratory designing and developing balloons, parachutes and heavy air-drop systems to developing systems of systems. The complete balloons systems, ground based command and control systems, and payloads have been integrated for full exploitation. The gimbals, with 360 degree azimuth freedom and high degree freedom in elevation is highly stabilized and can carry out steering, scanning and tracking with high precision. The payload also carries thermal camera for surveillance during night and in low visibility condition. The electronic intelligence payload carries a communication intelligence system for capturing and analyzing all types of communications in air. 

Health monitoring of aerostat and simultaneous command and controlling of payload from ground control station has been demonstrated. The system will be useful for three services, paramilitary forces as well as have civilian applications including disaster management. This milestone comes in the wake of new generation high altitude aerostats/airships that will be developed by DRDO.

Masters in Aviation at Gulf Center for Aviation Studies (abu dhabi aviation)

GCAS is endorsed by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

abu dhabi Aviation | Courses in Aviation | Diploma in Aviation | Degree in Aviation | Aviation Management Courses | Masters in Aviation | Civil Aviation Course | University of Aviation

Gulf Center for Aviation Studies (abu dhabi aviation)
College name:   Gulf Center for Aviation Studies
Director’s name:    Mohammed Al Bulooki (General Manager)
Executive body or owner:     Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC)
Date founded:     December 2008
Type of institute:     private college
College location / area:   Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Bateen Airport
Postal address     PO Box 94449, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone     +971-2-5053560
Fax     +971-2-5758300
Email   training@gcas.ae
Website     www.gcas.ae
Curriculum:  UAE/International
Qualifications:     Masters, aviation short courses

Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies degrees, programs, and training courses

* Masters Degree in Aviation Management Courses and Airport (Masters in Aviation)
* Short courses in civil aviation course, aviation regulations, airport management and operations, cargo operations, aviation security and safety, diploma in aviation, degree in aviation, etc

 Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Specialization Singapore(CAAS)

Emirates International Airline

Aviation Executive Programs:
* Airport Commercial Revenues
* Airport Economics, Charges and Regulation
* Airport Executive Leadership Programme (AELP)
* Airport Marketing
* Introduction to the Air Transport Industry
* Introduction to the Airline Business

Aviation Business Training Courses (Aviation Management Courses)

* ACI / ICAO Airport User Charges
* Airport Carbon Management
* Airport Certification and Standards
* Airport Energy Management
* Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme – AMPAP
* Airport Master Planning
* Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenues
* Airport Privatization
* Airport Security
* Airside Safety Training Course
* Auditing Techniques in Relation to Ground Operations
* Developing Customer Service Culture at Airports: Measuring and Benchmarking the Results
* Emergency Response Planning Workshop
* GASR Aerodrome Safety Training Course
* GSN Module 1 – Safety Management Systems
* GSN Module II – ACI Airside Safety and Operations
* GSN Module 3 – Emergency Planning and Crisis Management
* Human Factors in Aviation
* International Aviation Law and Policy Training
* Introduction to Accident and Incident Investigation
* Introduction to Air Traffic Control
* Introduction to the Air Transport Business
* Introduction to the Air Transport Industry
* Introduction to the Airline Management Business
* Introduction to the Airport Business
* ISAGO Training for Ground Service Providers
* Managing Airports Sustainability
* Managing Service Quality at Airports
* Management of Aviation Security
* PRM Training for Airport Management & PRM Project Managers
* PRM Training for Trainers Airport Facilities
* PRM Training for Trainers Check-in and Gate staff
* Quality Management – Principles and Practice in an Aviation Environment
* Regulatory Auditing Techniques
* Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft
* Safety Management Systems
* Security Risk and Crisis Management
* Station Ground Handling Management
* Understanding ICAO Annex 14
* Victim Support and Media Management
* Wildlife Hazard and Prevention Management

* The Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS) was awarded certification on 29 June 2010 by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to provide civil aviation security courses at its Al Bateen Executive Airport airport, in line with training guidelines legislated by UAE Civil Aviation Law (press release 30 June 2010).

* GCAS is an aviation training center in Abu Dhabi, owned by the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), offering short courses, executive programs, and with plans to offer degree programs in association with international universities.

* GCAS partnerships include the Airport Council International (ACI), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Joint Aviation Authorities of Europe Training Organization (JAA-TO), and the Airport Council International (ACI).

* GCAS facilities include training rooms, conference and lecture rooms, WiFi wireless internet, business center, library, dining and catering facilities.

* Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies (GCAS) established in partnership with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) – press release 20 December 2008.

Note:

  1.  Fees, facilities, education quality varies widely. Allow extra fees for visa, transport, accommodation.
  2. Salaries, accommodation, other benefits for lecturer jobs vary substantially. Check contracts carefully for medical, housing, flight allowances, etc.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering 3-Spool-Engine Concept

Aircraft Engine Maintenance 3-Spool-Engine Concepts

What is triple spool design on the RB211? what are the advantages/disadvantages?

A 3 spool engine is one that has three sets of compressors before the combustor and three sets of turbines behind it.

A spool is made up of a compressor and a corresponding turbine used to extract the power from the exhaust gasses to turn the compressor.

Each spool is given a name. N1, N2, and N3. N1 is the large fan section in front of the engine. N2 is the low pressure compressor section. And N3 is the high pressure compressor section. Some engines incorporate N2 And N3 into one rotating mass and call it N2. Hence the double spool engine.

Each section of the compressor wants to rotate at it’s own speed, and if allowed to do so as in a triple spool engine, it is able to operate more efficiently. It can turn at it’s optimum speed, and not have to compromise between the optimum speed for the N2 and N3 sections when attached in the double spool engine.

All modern engine have 2 sets of compressors (HP and LP) and a fan section providing a vast majority of the thrust.

In a 2 spool motor the HP section and the LP section are joined. The number of spools in an engine tells how many sets of compressor blades and corresponding sets of turbine blades the engine has. A single spool engine has one set of each, a double spool engine has two sets of each, and a triple spool engine has three sets of each.

3 Spool Engine advantages and disadvantages:

  • More sets of blades results in a greater engine weight, but the corresponding increase in thrust possible more than offsets the weight increase.

The drawbacks of a 3 spool engine are increased weight, complexity, and cost to purchase and overhaul, but they are the most efficient engine flying.

Aero Engine Triple Spool Design minimize Engine Surges is the majar advantage of 3 Spool Concept

Major advantage of triple spool design is it’s ability to minimize engine surges thus they are the most efficient engine flying.


As mentioned by JETPILOT, namely that the more spools you have, the better because then they will be allowed to spin at their own speed given their spool mass.

Let’s say you’re at takeoff power with for example a double spool engine. The heavy N1 spool is turning at it’s own RPM and so is the lighter N2. Now you chop off the power. The lighter N2 will drop in RPM much quicker then the heavy N1 with it’s huge fan. So what happens is that the N1 compressors are feeding way too much air to the second (HP) compressor.

Where is all that excess air gonna go ?
Well in extreme cases you can have a very damaging engine surge in which air will flow in the wrong way through the engine. Most of todays engines have very sophisticated computer controlled “bypass doors” that let the air escape from the compressor casing.
But the chance of engine surges always remains. If you have three spools, the weight difference is spread over 3 spools thus drastically reducing the chance of engine surges.

Tips for Proper Aircraft Tire Maintenance – Goodyear Expert

Aircraft tire/wheel assemblies can lose up to 5 percent of their pressure each day.
When it comes to aircraft tire maintenance, few people in the industry have visited more hangars and seen all manner of service work and maintenance procedures than Goodyear Aviation’s Rob Robson.

Robson is a Product Support Manager for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and for more than 10 years he’s been immersed in aircraft tire product support for everything from piston singles to helicopters and fighter jets.

By his own count, Robson has witnessed numerous aircraft tire maintenance procedures and has inspected hundreds of worn tires. He has seen firsthand the ill effects of improper maintenance. As a result, Robson can offer valuable advice for those who wish to better understand how proper aircraft tire maintenance can help to deliver more landings.

The most important factor of any aircraft tire maintenance program is maintaining proper inflation pressure.

According to Robson, the problems created by incorrect inflation can be severe. Over inflation often leads to uneven tread wear and reduced traction, makes the tread more susceptible to cutting, and places greater stress on aircraft wheels. Under inflation creates faster tread wear on the shoulders, damages the tire’s innerliner, and greatly increases the stress and flex heating in the tire that can lead to tire failure.

“Because aircraft tire/wheel assemblies can lose up to 5 percent of their pressure each day, they need to be checked daily, or before each flight, with a calibrated pressure gauge when the tire is at ambient temperature (not heated by taxiing). Any tire that’s been run more than 10 percent underinflated should be removed from service,” Robson said. The industry veteran also recommends filling tubeless assemblies with nitrogen instead of air because it’s dry and non-combustible.

Another key area of aircraft tire maintenance:

  • Lookout for no harmful chemicals are used or spilled on the tires.
  • Keep hangar floors clean of all debris to avoid foreign object damage to the tires.
  • It is also important to inspect the tires closely, in addition to checking tire pressure, during pre-flights to check for any damage to the tires from service.

“Pratt & Whitney provides Singapore Airlines Cargo with EcoPower® Engine Wash- Reduce Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and Fuel burn.”

Singapore Airlines Cargo continually improving Environmental performance.

Tan Kai Ping, president of Singapore Airlines Cargo said, “We Strengthens Commitment to Environment With Pratt & Whitney EcoPower® Engine Wash- reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel burn.

MRO ASIA – Singapore, – Singapore Airlines Cargo has signed a three-year agreement for Pratt & Whitney’s environmentally friendly EcoPower engine wash service. The washes will be performed by Eagle Services ASIA, a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Singapore Airlines Engineering Company, for the airline’s PW4000-94” engines powering its fleet of Boeing 747-400 freighter aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

Singapore Airlines Cargo, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines formed in 2001, is one of the world’s largest operators of B747-400 freighters. Singapore Airlines Cargo flies more than 600 flights a week throughout its network of over 70 cities in more than 30 countries around the world.

“Pratt & Whitney is to provide Singapore Airlines Cargo with a quick and effective way to further advance its environmental performance,” said Andrew Tanner, vice president, Product Line Management, Pratt & Whitney. “EcoPower engine wash provides quantifiable environmental and economical benefits. This is demonstrated by the more than 15,200 washes performed on 54 different engine models.”

Pratt & Whitney’s EcoPower Engine Environmental and Economical benefits:
  • Engine wash system reduces fuel burn by as much as 1.2 percent, eliminating approximately three pounds of carbon dioxide emissions for every pound of fuel
  • Also decreasing engine gas temperature thus increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

EcoPower is a registered trademark of United Technologies Corporation.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Specialization in one year Approved By Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore(CAAS) Cat A1

If you are interested in a career in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and would rise to the challenge of maintaining a plane, and Looking for Specialization in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or a B.Eng(Hons) in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or Higher Certification in Aerospace Maintenance( Aircraft Maintenance), then the below courses are for you:

Air Transport Training College(ATTC) is a one stop professinal solutions for Aviation Training. AATC is a professional development centre of the sigapore institute of aerospace engineers. Air Transport Training College(ATTC) provides professinal training in aerospace engineering and aviation management. The college awards Diplomas, Masters and Specialization degrees.

ATTC COURSE:

Specialist Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering (SAME)

Course Description: The SAME Programme fully meets the requirements of skills required for the Aerospace industry as well as providing you with the basic knowledge needed to be employed in an aircraft line maintenance environment.

Course Duration: Full-Time one year (2 semesters)

CAREER PROSPECT: Students who graduate with the diploma and obtained the CAAS SAR-66 Cat A1 License* will find prospect for employment in the Aerospace industry locally and internationally. one year of additional relevant Aircraft Maintenance Experience is required

COURSE FEES: SGD(Singapore Dollar) 18500 + 7% GST*

Foundation Degree in Aircraft Engineering (FdEng)

Course Objectives: This is a 2 year full-time degree programme designed to cover the basic knowledge requirements for the SAR Part 66 Cat B 1.1 license and the FdEng requirements of Kingston University London. Successful Graduates from this FdEng programme will have the option to proceed to a 3rd year at  Kingston University London towards a BEng(Hons) in Aircraft Engineering.

CAREER PROSPECT: Students who graduate with the B.Eng(Hons) and obtained the CAAS SAR-66 Cat A1 License* will find prospect for employment in the Aerospace industry locally and internationally.

Course Duration: Two years Full-Time

COURSE FEES: Course Fee : SGD (Singapore Dollar) 22,500 (per year) + 7% GST*

Professional Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering (PAME)

Course Objectives: The PAME programme is built on an established programme with a leading university in the United Kingdom, and the course delivered is base knowledge requirements of the SAR Part 66 Category A syllabus of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore(CAAS).

CAREER PROSPECT: Students find for employment in the Aerospace industry locally and internationally.

Course Duration: Part-time one year (2 semesters)

COURSE FEES: SGD (Singapore Dollar) 3,145.80 payable in 1 instalment

More information visit: http://www.attc.edu.sg/

Besides the above courses Air Transport Training College(ATTC) also conducts:

Bachelor Of Engineering Science in Aerospace Operations(B.Eng Sc AeroOPS)
Higher Certificate In Aerospace Maintenance (Aircraft Maintenance – Engine/Engine Component Repair & Overhaul) Course
Professional Certificate in Aerospace Workshop Operations (Electives) course

WSQ Aerospace: Basic Aviation Skills (Gas Turbine) Course


History of Aviation: Leonardo da Vinci made the First Real Studies of Flight in the 1480′s – The Ornithopter

 

1485 Leonardo da Vinci – The Ornithopter

Leonardo da Vinci made the first real studies of flight in the 1480′s. He had over 100 drawings that illustrated his theories on flight.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Ornithopter
The Ornithopter flying machine was never actually created. It was a design that Leonardo da Vinci created to show how man could fly. The modern day helicopter is based on this concept.

Early Efforts of Flight

Around 400 BC – China
The discovery of the kite that could fly in the air by the Chinese started humans thinking about flying. Kites were used by the Chinese in religious ceremonies. They built many colorful kites for fun, also. More sophisticated kites were used to test weather conditions. Kites have been important to the invention of flight as they were the forerunner to balloons and gliders.

Humans try to fly like birds
For many centuries, humans have tried to fly just like the birds. Wings made of feathers or light weight wood have been attached to arms to test their ability to fly. The results were often disastrous as the muscles of the human arms are not like a birds and can not move with the strength of a bird.

Hero and the Aeolipile
Aeolipile The ancient Greek engineer, Hero of Alexandria, worked with air pressure and steam to create sources of power. One experiment that he developed was the aeolipile which used jets of steam to create rotary motion.
Hero mounted a sphere on top of a water kettle. A fire below the kettle turned the water into steam, and the gas traveled through pipes to the sphere. Two L-shaped tubes on opposite sides of the sphere allowed the gas to escape, which gave a thrust to the sphere that caused it to rotate.

Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier- the First Hot Air Balloon -1783
The brothers, Joseph Michel and Jacques Etienne Montgolfier, were inventors of the first hot air balloon. They used the smoke from a fire to blow hot air into a silk bag. The silk bag was attached to a basket. The hot air then rose and allowed the balloon to be lighter-than-air.

In 1783, the first passengers in the colorful balloon were a sheep, rooster and duck. It climbed to a height of about 6,000 feet and traveled more than 1 mile. After this first success, the brothers began to send men up in balloons. The first manned flight was on November 21, 1783, the passengers were Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent.

George Cayley – 1799 – 1850′s
Over 50 years he made improvements to the gliders. He changed the shape of the wings so that the air would flow over the wings correctly. He designed a tail for the gliders to help with the stability. He tried a biplane design to add strength to the glider. He also recognized that there would be a need for power if the flight was to be in the air for a long time.
George Cayley worked to discover a way that man could fly. He designed many different versions of gliders that used the movements of the body to control. A young boy, whose name is not known, was the first to fly one of his gliders.

19th And 20th Century Efforts
Otto Lilienthal 1891
German engineer, Otto Lilienthal, studied aerodynamics and worked to design a glider that would fly. He was the first person to design a glider that could fly a person and was able to fly long distances.

He was fascinated by the idea of flight. Based on his studies of birds and how they fly, he wrote a book on aerodynamics that was published in 1889 and this text was used by the Wright Brothers as the basis for their designs.After more than 2500 flights, he was killed when he lost control because of a sudden strong wind and crashed into the ground.

Samuel P. Langley 1891
Samuel Langley was an astronomer, who realized that power was needed to help man fly. He built a model of a plane, which he called an aerodrome, that included a steam-powered engine. In 1891, his model flew for 3/4s of a mile before running out of fuel.

Langley received a $50,000 grant to build a full sized aerodrome. It was too heavy to fly and it crashed. He was very disappointed. He gave up trying to fly. His major contributions to flight involved attempts at adding a power plant to a glider. He was also well known as the director of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC

Orville and Wilbur Wright and the First Flight 1903
Orville and Wilbur Wright were very deliberate in their quest for flight. First, they spent many years learning about all the early developments of flight. They completed detailed research of what other early inventors had done. They read all the literature that was published up to that time. Then, they began to test the early theories with balloons and kites. They learned about how the wind would help with the flight and how it could affect the surfaces once up in the air.
The next step was to test the shapes of gliders much like George Cayley did when he was testing the many different shapes that would fly. They spent much time testing and learning about how gliders could be controlled.

They designed and used a wind tunnel to test the shapes of the wings and the tails of the gliders. After they found a glider shape that consistently would fly in the tests in the North Carolina Outer Banks dunes, then they turned their attention to how to create a propulsion system that would create the lift needed to fly.
The early engine that they used generated almost 12 horsepower.

The Wright Brother’s Flyer

The “Flyer” lifted from level ground to the north of Big Kill Devil Hill, at 10:35 a.m., on December 17, 1903. Orville piloted the plane which weighed six hundred and five pounds..


Actual Flight of The Flyer at Kitty Hawk
The first heavier-than-air flight traveled one hundred twenty feet in twelve seconds. The two brothers took turns during the test flights. It was Orville’s turn to test the plane, so he is the brother that is credited with the first flight.

Humankind was now able to fly! During the next century, many new airplanes and engines were developed to help transport people, luggage, cargo, military personnel and weapons. The 20th century’s advances were all based on this first flight at Kitty Hawk by the American Brothers from Ohio.

Aviation Management Programs includes Airport Management and Engineering

Career Opportunities with a BBA/MBA degree in the Aviation sector

Students with aviation/airport management degree seek careers in airline operations includes:

  • Flight dispatch
  • Station management
  • Air cargo administration
  • Flight schedule coordination

  • Public relations
  • Marketing or customer service

and even seek positions with state or government aviation agencies. If you are not interested a career in aviation sector, you can transferable to many other business and engineering related industries such as events management, hospitality and tourism.

Airport Manager Fresher salary: Freshers earn a salary package of 200000 – 300000 per year in domestic airlines, while as a fresher in international aviation the salary package may even go to 400000 – 600000 per year.

Size of the Indian Aviation Industry?

Passenger growth has grown from 40m to 110m in the last 5 yrs and is expected to grow to 150m by 2020. Indian carriers have 480 aircraft on order for delivery by 2012, which compares with a fleet size of 310 aircraft operating in the country today.

Approx 2.5 – 5 lakhs jobs in the Indian Aviation Industry.

Positions available in the Aviation Sector

  • Airport Services Manager/ Airport Manager
  • International Logistics Manager
  • Airport Services Supervisor
  • In-Flight Instructor
  • Guest Services Manager
  • Procurement Consultants
  • Transportation Manager

 

Schools of Aviation Management:

Institute of Logistics & Aviation Management
offer programs :
BBA in Aviation and Travel Tourism

Logistic and Aviation Management
Avalon Academy of Aviation – An Aptech brand
Offer University Diplomas and MBA Degrees in Airport Management
certified professional in Ground Staff Services
certified professional in Cabin Crew Services
certified professional in Travel & Tourism
The Singapore Aviation Academy(SAA)
offer programs:
School of Aviation Management
School of Aviation Safety & Security
School of Air Traffic Services
School of Airport Emergency Services

Fellowships
The Singapore Aviation Academy has tie-ups with international funding agencies and works closely with the Singapore Government  to secure training fellowships for developing countries.

Is Aeronautical Engineering is a Branch of Aerospace Engineering? Do you know First Airplane was designed by a Pair of Bicycle Makers?

What is Aeronautical Engineering?
Aeronautical Engineering is a sub-branch of aerospace engineering. Though few people often interchange these two terms. Basically aeronautical involve activity of designing, developing and constructing of machine planes that can fly, as commonly know by aircraft.

The aeronautical engineers primarily responsible for creation of safer and more energy efficient economical methods for travelling including aircraft, helicopters, satellites, missiles and spacecrafts.
These includes science of propulsion and aerodynamics, even it covers the development and selection of materials and equipment that are utilized in aircraft.

Aero Engineer’s are part of the designing process to make the fastest vehicle. Eg: Airplanes that weighs over a million pounds can ease into the air and spacecraft travels 17.000 miles an hour.

What do Aeronautical Engineers do?
Aero engineers bring concept into reality by emphasising on the design of aerofoils(wings). Propulsion is another aspect in aeronautical engineering. The force of propulsion helps an airplane to remain in flight, and encompasses the design and development of engines. These two basic principles are considered when choice of material for aircraft design, strenght and weight. Selection of material is a crucial area of specialization for the aeronautical engineering

As a Aero graduates you can specialize in any areas including:
Structural designing, Flight mechanic and control system, Aerodynamics, Instrumentation and communication, Manufacturing and maintenance.

Wright Brothers bicycle

Aeronautical Engineering Career Opportunities:
Commercial aviation industry
Government defence forces
Flight crew in both commercial and defence aviation
Research institutes
Space exploration centres.

Aeronautical Engineers Employers includes:
Aer Lingus, Airbus the Air Corps, FLS Aerospace, Rolls Royce and Ryanair to name but a few.

Aeronautical Engineering Future Prospects:
Create new, innovative methods of transportation to meet future demands.
Improve safety of an aircraft travel with more energy-efficient, economical methods
Develop and manufactures rockets and satellites.
Research and development formula one racing cars.
Perform and supervising the design of military aircraft.

Aeronautical Engineering salary: The average aeronautical engineer earns over $90,000 a year.

The first airplane was designed by a pair of bicycle makers, who worked on it largely as a hobby.
Wright Brothers bicycle on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

Chosen Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering As A Profession, Then Be An AeroModeller

Are you a student of aerospace engineering or aircraft maintenance engineering, then take Aeromodeling as a hobby and model aviation as a extra curriculum subject.
DSC_9096
Aeromodeling introduces flying theory in a wide spectrum-

  • Better understanding of theory regarding the flight characteristics
  • Knowledge of the terms lift, drag, angle of attack, stall
  • Practical hands on experience, how a modern aircraft fly?
  • Above all you will get recognize the sophisticated technology regarding today’s aviation.

Go with model aeroplanes. Take aeromodeling as a hobby and i assure the above, model aviation will provide immense skills and sufficient knowledge on all technical aspects of aircraft and aircraft basic assemble and construction.

Why Aeromodeling?

  • Aerodeling takes you more closer to aviation.
  • Assembling,construction and flying model aeroplanes is very educational experience.
  • Flying models construction techniques are replica and borrowed from vintage full-sized aircraft(although models rarely use metal structures)

These construction consists:

  • Forming and framing of the model planes using thin strips of light wood such as balsa.
  • Covering model plane with fabric and subsequently doping the fabric to form a light and sturdy frame airtight.
  • Model with high scale construction techniques consists of using formers and longerons, for the fuselage and spars and ribs for the wings and tail surfaces.

The aeromodeling involves design,building and flying of model airplanes or helicopters. It also gives a primary introduction to the world of aerodynamics, designing,electronics engined technology includes both piston and jet engines,wood crafting and the technology of new materials.

Most importantly you will brush up and get revision of paper-2 and paper-3 of aircraft maintenance engineering licensed examinations and lots of semester portion will be covered for aerospace engineering.

You will come to know:

  • Basics of assembling,construction and flying which covers syllabus for Paper-II(Aircraft General Engineering And Maintenance Practices) and Paper-III Category A(Light and Heavy Aircraft)
  • Calculation of C.G position

Now,i hope they are good reasons for you to take aeromodling as a hobby.As you progress in aeromodeling and before you undergo on-job training or apprenticeship in last semester, you will have real technical data and real feel of aircraft.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering is not a glamor profession and with passion if you have chosen this as a career then you need to make ways to come closer to it.Aeromodeling is one of the best way to do that..

Believe you will start loving your profession either as a student of aerospace engineering or aircraft maintenance engineering or as an on-job training.

Be a AeroModeller! Loads of creativity is involved in it. You’ll say “I’m loving it”.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post, in coming series of aeromodeling i will try to put more insights on history of aeromodeling.

Online Data Entry Work From Home Most Profitible and Easiest to Make Money

 

Data Entry Work

Data Entry Work From Home
Doing part time data entry jobs from home is just right platform for students to earn those extra money.

  • No need to wait for those Money Orders from Home.
  • Those little earned money reliefs you and your family.
  • You will have your own pocket money i.e better living expenses.

If you are one of the thousands of people looking to work in an online data entry position there is no need to worry.

The field of online data entry positions is taking a turn for the better with a promising future that lies ahead.

Types of online data entry positions that you could look into include word processors, typists, transcribers, encoders and more. There are several websites that offer these positions in all different forms.

On the other hand, if you like the idea of working for yourself, choosing when and how long you will work today. If you want the freedom to take a nap at 3:30 pm and begin your work day at 1:00 am in the morning, you should look into this type of work at home opportunity. Here are some of the

Benefits of working from your home.

More economical:

Most people who add up the true cost of going out to a job are appalled at how little of the earnings actually can be applied against their living expenses.

Prerequisites:

All that is required are a computer, internet connectivity, knowledge to operate the computer, little bit of typing skills as it requires to process and manage large number of data and last but not the least aptitude to take up data entry jobs.

Good communication, data organizing skills, and as said typing skills add value to the work performed.

They may have to edit the information; proof read the content for accuracy and update databases ensure the documents are error free. Also, there are many types of data entry jobs like the attorney’s legal briefs to be entered,medical records or medical transcriptions where the data will be in the form of voice which have to be converted into records, court or legal documents etc.

Remember that if you are searching for a legitimate data entry at home job, you will not be asked to give any cash for sort of placement fee. You should keep in mind that you are looking for a job and that this company should be the ones who will pay you instead of you giving out cash. By entering this opportunity, it would probably open doors for you to a wider and greater opportunity for working for job at home.

Data entry jobs online:

Many freelance job sites on the net that offer data entry jobs online.There is no registration fee charged for registering as the main purpose is to get the information of the person who is going to do data entry jobs like name, address, areas of interest etc.The job is offered to the person who bids for the lowest amount. Thus data entry jobs can be got online. The time spent on such data entry jobs is very valuable as every second makes the person earn money.

Twitter Entries
Twitter has fast become one of the biggest online communities where people connect with each other and share information with one another. This is the reason why more and more people want to be on Twitter but when they do join, they don’t really know what to post. This is where you can come in. You can get paid to maintain a Twitter account and online data entry jobs like this are one in a million. Just think how easy it is to place in 140 character entries including links just to direct people to other websites!

There are people making $2000 – $3000 per month through Data entry work.

Never Late. Just google search, find best data entry projects and earn those extra cash :-)

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering is NOT a Glamor Profession like Other Aviation Career’s

The fascination for aviation made you to choose Aircraft Maintenance Engineering as your profession and is why millions of people work in aviation.

But the hard part is many students lose interest as they get understand insight professionalism of maintenance engineer in aviation and to added employment opportunities are less.

If you are unhappy with the choice of doing aircraft maintenance engineering license course and tired for not things going in your way, then make an early exits.

Better late than never, take a decision and wind up things. Start a new career.

Say frankly you might be got lost passion in aircraft maintenance engineering, but aviation isn’t just aircraft maintenance, or “piloting.” Aviation is an entire world above and beyond the cockpit.

Aviation is aircraft design, systems engineering, test piloting, search and rescue, human factors, air traffic control, jet mechanics, electrical engineering, computer systems, airport management, space exploration, customer service, and much more!

Be in aviation they are better options in aviation sector. But the sad part is we never encourage our self to do so and get diversified to new horizons of opportunities.

As said take decision and they are good number of universities and colleges across India and in abroad to count aircraft maintenance engineering experience and based on that experience you can earn a aircraft maintenance license degree or a B.Tech degree in aeronautical engineering.

Now neither nor less to say having a b.tech degree in hands have a lot many career options than just being an AME engineer with 10+2 qualification.

My sincere advice is to do degree on distance education and if you had completed your aircraft maintenance engineering course and has some aviation working experience, then find out colleges and universities providing aviation related degree programs.

Mean while, in coming articles i will come up with information on universities and colleges providing aviation programs based on aircraft maintenance engineering license.
Hope you all enjoyed the post.

Happy AME!


Free Aircraft and Aeronautical Technician and Aerospace Engineering Education Consultancy – from an Expert

Free Education Consultancy on Bachelors Engineering Degree in Aircraft Engineering, Bachelors of Science (B.Sc), and Degree in Aeronautical & Aerospace Engineering after Intermediate Studies.

Anyone interested in Free Consultancy for getting admissions in Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AMEs) please feel free to contact Dr. Singh. His guidance and consultancy can help you get admissions for AMEs approved by Director General of Civil Aviation (D.G.C.A).

Wernher von Braun, with the F-1 engines of the...Dr.Singh is a leading Consultant in Aeronautical and Aircraft Engineering Education for Colleges and Universities in Northern India.For the first time in the history of Consultancy in Education one can rely only upon Dr. D Singh. In times of tough competition and career race we have so many options to choose from, but the right ones to guide us are very rare.

The beauty of the details is that it also provides you with future job prospects worldwide, in addition to case studies of individual and other information on Aircraft and Aeronautical Technician & Engineers.

All you need to do is, just send in your requests to Dr. Singh through this website.

http://iiaeuttaranchal.org/

Airbus A380 WOW! The World’s only twin-deck, two-decaisle Airliner,Largest Aircraft makes first Commercial Landing in India

The Indira Gandhi International Airpot Terminal 3 has witnessed the largest aircraft of the world, the airbus A380 first commercial landing. T3 terminal is A380-compatible runway and passenger boarding bridges.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering

Here on Thursday at IGI Airport rain held up the landing for about half an hour.Aircraft supposed to land at 255 p.m., landed at roughly 3.35 p.m.

An Emirates official said: “We organised this flight to promote the A380 in India and give an idea to people about what it is like.” However, India will have to wait before Emirates commences regular A380 operations in the country as the airline has no such immediate plans.

Incidentally, it was the Kingfisher Airlines which first flew in the A380 to India in 2007.

The A380, which is the world’s only twin-deck, two-aisle airliner, is to be less polluting to the environment compared to other aircraft of same cader. It offers better fuel economy per passenger mile than most hybrid passenger cars and also produces less noise.

The aircraft has two decks. The business and first class seats are on the upper deck of the Emirates A380 while economy seats are on the lower or main deck.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Apprenticeship.”You learn as you work”.

As a first step after coming out of maintenance technical schools. Completing of 2  1/2 years of theory cum practical on light aircraft, now you need to get onjob aircraft maintenance training for further heavy aeroplane experience to eligible for ame paper 3 examinations.

Aircraft Maintenance Apprenticeship

Have you ever put yourself a genuine question, what is Apprenticeship?
Well, apprentice will be employed to undertake education and training within a company that prepares for your progression  career.

Companies provides the skills and knowledge that you will use in your future career. Apprenticeships in the engineering industry enable you to progress as quickly as you are able.

Here are some online websites assuring you providing APPRENTICESHIP:

  • A GTO is a group training organization – a one stop shop for all your apprenticeship and traineeship needs.
  • The Web site where Engineering employers and apprentices meet

An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer(AME) is a blend of mechanical aptitude and technical skills

An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) is a person authorized to maintain and certify in written airworthiness standards of an aircraft. An AME should possess high degree of responsibility and accuracy of mechanical aptitude and technical skills to undertake such responsibility and uplift that kind of maintenance work on any aircraft.

AMEs Responsibilities:

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME)
  •  Certifying the airworthiness of airframe, piston and turbine engines, electrical/electronics systems, propellers and rotary systems
  • To carry out periodic inspections and troubleshooting aircraft structural, mechanical or electrical systems to identify problems
  • Repairing systems within the tolerance limits according to specifications, technical drawings, manuals and established procedures
  • Repairing and overhauling aircraft structural, mechanical or electrical systems
  • Installing or modifying aircraft engines, mechanical, hydraulic,electrical, flight control, fuel and pneumatic systems
  • Dismantling airframes, aircraft engines or other aircraft systems for repair, overhaul, inspection and reassembly
  • Supervising, performing and documenting routine maintenance
  • AMEs generally work regular office hours, but may sometimes work overtime hours when deadlines arise.
AMEs Personal Characteristics:
  •  Good eyesight and hearing
  •  Good observation skills and an ability to concentrate for longer periods of time and strong problem-solving skills
  •  Good hand-eye coordination along with accurate to the smallest details
  •  Good team work coordination and make decisions independently, often under pressure
  • A must physical fitness and stamina to work for extended period of times
  • The ability to get hold of situation and to follow instructions provided in written or blueprint form, and to interpret the same
  • Good management and organizational skills
  • A self motivator, a keen interest on latest trends in Aviation is appreciable
  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineers should be able to visualize problems in three dimensions form and have the knack of selecting the right kind of tools, equipments and machinery to perform task requiring high degree of precision, analyzing data and troubleshooting snags and organized methods for theirs work.
AMEs Pay Check:

An AME plays a vital role in engineering discipline in aviation organization and by virtue of big responsibilities involved in maintaining aircraft, an AME is high ranked, drawing excellent pay and perks (usually between$45,000 and $55,000 plus per year) and enjoying good facilities. A well structured career progression is ensured for an AME. With a type of rated license and experience, an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer assumes very high positions like Chief Managers Maintenance Dept., Chief Manager Quality Control and General Managers, and finally can be positioned as a Head of the Engineering services and they receive pay between $120,000 and $145,000 plus per year.

Here the dreams are unlimited. Give your dreams a wing to catch and soar into new heights of success.
Up Up All The Way …

Is it Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or Aeronautical Engineering or Commercial License Pilot?

Is it Aircraft Maintenance Engineering or Aeronautical Engineering or Commercial License Pilot?

1.who is paid most?
2.which is most glamorous profession?
3.who has most responsibility?
4.who is considered as no:1 in aviation?
5.who will be having most knowledge about airplanes?

Pilot

1.who is paid most?

A. Pilots: As a pilot, I know from first-hand experience that starting wages for civilian pilots are very poor. Typically a pilot’s first job fresh off the lot is a flight instructor (CFI, CFII, MEI) for a flight school, and they make about 12k a year. This is not because of the hourly wage is so low, but the fact that they are only paid when in two roles (flight time, and ground). Also, it is possible for someone to make a living flight instructing, but this is usually someone who has thousands of hours of experience who usually owns his or her own plane.

To further restrict the pilot’s income, they have daily time restrictions on the amount a flight instructor can fly Once a flight instructor builds up enough time to go to the airlines, they will usually get picked up at a regional with a starting salary of 18-20k a year with a raise to 26-30k. With that said, it takes several years for a pilot to see a financial gain for the thousands of dollars and astronomical amount of time and energy they invested, but eventually, the pay reaching in the 90-120k plus a year range.

B.Aeronautical Engineers: I do not have first-hand experience for the salaries of aeronautical engineers, but I found on the below listed website that the typical salaries start around 24-150k.

http://www.avjobs.com/salaries-wages-pay…

C.A&P (airframe and power plant) Mechanics as they are called in the US have an average salary range of 35k-85k. I have several friends who are A&P’s and their salaries reflect the data on the listed site.

http://www.avjobs.com/salaries-wages-pay…

2.which is most glamorous profession?

In comparative analysis, all three (designer, operator, repairer), play an equally role, and the absents of all three are detrimental the aviation industry, along side the rest of the elemental functions of aviation infrastructure, DESPITE what others say about their individual roles which they believe and portray to be most vital.

3.who has most responsibility?

Again, all three share equally
independent levels of responsibility,

4.who is considered as no:1 in aviation?

No one in my opinion, we are all part of and intricate system

5.who will be having most knowledge about airplanes?

There are different levels and understandings of knowledge, which again are equally important with respect to the common goal of safety and reliability. The pilots have a unique knowledge and understanding to the operation of the aircraft that goes beyond a computer generated representation of an aircraft design, where as the mechanic, has a different set of vital skills that also extend beyond the classroom.

Then there’s the engineer, who uses their knowledge of Science and mathematics to bring the idea to life and produce the next generation of airplanes.

Unfortunately there have been countless, misunderstandings between R&D and operations where there was something overlooked or not considered at all, which have let to catastrophic failures. This problem was alleviated when manufacturers started having the two departments work together where they could share their unique knowledge. On top of that, advanced computer software added to the reduction of abnormalities.

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEERING

In final words my personal note is in slight favor of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering.
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEERING IS GOOD AS YOU COULD KNOW MANY DIFFERENCE OF THE OPERATIONS IN MAINTENANCE. To be true this career is not so exiting.
The work of Aircraft Maintenance Engineer may not be exiting and glamorous but Aircraft Maintenance Engineers are just as vital to the aviation industry. Without AMEs you can’t even imagine to fly.  
Aircraft Maintenance Engineers are the nuts and bolts of aviation.
I hope this is helpful ..

Aircraft Maintenance Engineering as a career: Sky IsThe Limit

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s (AMEs) Career:

Maintaining aircraft is a highly specialized job that requires precise technical knowledge and mechanical skills.Depending upon license certification and experience you entry as a technician or as an AME.
Initially choosing carefully area of specialization is very important, you have option to choose mechanical or avionics stream.

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

By acquiring a variety of engine and/or avionic system licenses, an AME improves their prospects of employment.Further the AME’s are divided as a Line Maintenance Engineers and Flight Engineers depending on your type of license and expertise. Regular travel may not be part of the deal, but some aircraft maintenance engineers do lead an exciting life moving with aircraft, ensuring airworthy standards and safety of aircraft around flights.

Different Areas Of  AMEs Maintenance:

Depending on their area of specialization and rated license, an aircraft maintenance engineer will inspect, maintain and/or repair the airframe and engine systems, the electrical and instrument systems, or the body of the aircraft. Alternatively, they may choose to work on sections of the aircraft only (rather than on the aircraft as a whole) overhauling, repairing and modifying components in a workshop. These tradespeople are often referred to as ‘aircraft mechanics or technicians’ who, traditionally, have not been subject to licensing. Upon completion of license these trade mechanics ranked as senior AMEs. Over a period of time, AMEs are ranked as chief engineers and line maintenance managers, and are responsible of supervising and maintaining airworthy standards in and around work place.

AMEs Tasks:

On the aircraft, an aircraft maintenance engineer may maintain, inspect and rectifying the defects of landing gear, brakes, hydraulic systems, instrument and radio systems, autopilot, integrated flight or radar systems, environmental control systems or fire detection and prevention systems. Or they may carry out a variety of metal forming or joining processes using hand or power tools to produce or repair aircraft sheet-metal.

AMEs in workshop, will be overhauling, testing and modifying airframe and engine components, gas turbines or piston engines, pneumatic and hydraulic devices, power distribution systems, or radio communications and navigation system components.

‘There’s more variety in general aviation. You get to work on big and small, as well as new and old aircraft and there’s more happening in terms of new developments – small turbine engines are getting smaller and better, and in avionics (radio) things are really changing.’

Sky Is The Limit

Students have the opportunity to seek employment with various airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and repair/overhaul facilities in heavy maintenance hangers called as MRO’s(Maintenance Repair Overhaul).

The aviation industry is taking off, creating an unprecedented demand for trained Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.The work of aircraft maintenance engineer may not be exiting and glamorous but aircraft maintenance engineers are just as vital to the aviation industry. Without AMEs you can’t even imagine to fly. Aircraft Maintenance Engineers are the nuts and bolts of aviation.
Are you passionate about aviation and always questioned, how an object sustains in air and like challenges, then  you made the right choice.
Spread your Wings Sky Is The Limit …

In this article i made an effort to familiarize you, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering as a career and its nature of work.Next post relates to what it needs to be a successful AME and salary packages in industry.

Aircraft Mechanic CV Template

An aircraft mechanic is the person who is in charge of every mechanical detail relating to the aircraft and its operation. An aircraft mechanic has to be a highly expert person having adequate knowledge about the mechanical details required for the aircraft. This is because any faults in the mechanism of the aircraft can take away many lives. An aircraft mechanic CV template helps to provide professional as well as experience details of the person applying for the post.

Aircraft Mechanic CV Template

Carl Furman

Ellis Street 03980

Greece

Email- furman02@gmail.com

Objective

  • To find a rewarding position in the aircraft mechanical department and show expertise in the specific field.

Summary of Qualification

  • A trained expert in the maintenance, servicing and fixing problems for every nook and corner of the aircraft from tips to tail to wings to nose.
  • Knowledge and skill about the changing, replacement and removal of the component parts of the aircraft that are damaged or worn out.
  • Expert in landing gear, the exterior and interior, proper lubrication and refueling of the aircraft in time and in the proper way.
  • Certified in the field of powering the aircraft and matters relating to the aircraft engine.

Education

2000

Graduated 160 hours program

Technical Aircraft Maintenance School

UK

2002

Graduated 120 hour program

Fairchild Air Force Institute

Greece

2002-2006

Hill Force Institute of Aviation Technology

Aeronautical Engineering

Greece

Career Experience

  • Jet Airways- 2006-2008

[Deputy Mechanical Engineer]

  • British Airlines- Present

[Deputy Chief Aircraft Engineer]

Achievements

  • Achieved the best award for maintenance of the aircraft fuelling in 2007

Professional references upon request.

Sample Aviation GSE Mechanic CV Template

Aviation ground support equipment (GSE) mechanics work in airport hangars or in companies specializing in the maintenance and repair of aircrafts.  They are responsible for performing maintenance duties to keep aircrafts in excellent working condition.  GSE mechanics must be trained in handling mechanical parts of the aircraft and must be highly knowledgeable of the structure of different kinds of aircraft.  They should be capable of doing tasks such as painting and fixing or installing heating and electrical devices in aircrafts.  GSE mechanics should possess knowledge in propane fuel systems, complex hydraulic and electrical systems, as well as diesel and gasoline engines.

Sample Aviation GSE Mechanic CV Template

Fred Adams

Alwyne Place, Islington

London, N1 4NL

Phone:  123-4567-8901

fredadams@yahoo.com

Objective

Detail-oriented and skilled professional seeking a position as a ground service equipment mechanic for an airport where I can practice my abilities and have opportunities for career growth.

Summary of Qualification

  • Four years of work experience as a ground service equipment mechanic.
  • Sound understanding of schematic diagrams for trouble-shooting purposes.
  • Team player and can work with minimum supervision.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Capable of working in a demanding and stressful environment.
  • Excellent social and interpersonal skills.

Career Experience/Job History

2006 – Present:  Ground Service Equipment Mechanic, London Airport

  • Perform metal fabrication and welding jobs for aircrafts.
  • Inspect aircrafts and do needed repairs such as paint jobs, trouble-shooting engines, and fixing electrical systems.

Education

With a high school diploma and vocational training as an automotive service technician.

Professional reference will be furnished upon request.

Sample Airport Engineer CV Template

Airport engineers work in airports where they are responsible for engineering functions involving airport facilities and aircrafts.  They are responsible for planning and supervising efforts for expansion, development, and improvement of airports and their facilities.  Airport engineers must be knowledgeable of preparing engineering plans for facilities such as public parking, airport roadway systems, and ground transportation systems.  They must be adept in aviation industry policies and standards to ensure that airports are in compliance with these.  Airport engineers are highly specialized and they oversee the implementation of airport construction and development.

Sample Airport Engineer CV Template

Shawn Milton

Bignold Road, Forest Gate

London, E7 1EX

Phone:  123-4567-8901

shawnmilton@hotmail.com

Objective

Dynamic and highly knowledgeable licensed engineer seeking a challenging position as an airport engineer where my skills and knowledge can be maximized and honed.

 

Summary of Qualification

  • With six years of professional experience as an airport engineer.
  • Strong understanding of aviation standards and airport facilities mechanics.
  • Highly skilled in planning and managing staff to perform tasks.
  • Vast knowledge of aircrafts and airport facilities.
  • Excellent people management and time management skills.
  • Abreast of advances in aviation technology.
  • Willing to travel and work extended work hours.

Career Experience/Job History

2004 – Present:  Airport Engineer, London Airport

  • Coordinate engineering activities with state officials.
  • Prepare engineering plans to improve and develop airport.
  • Recommend ways to expand and redesign airport to suit passenger needs and be at par with latest technological advancements.

Education

1998 – 2003:  Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, London University

Professional reference will be furnished upon request.

ANA to receive first 787 on 26 September

Boeing will deliver the first 787 to launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA) on 26 September.

The aircraft will take off from Boeing facilities in Everett on 27 September, and arrive in Tokyo on 28 September, said the Star Alliance member in a statement.

“As launch customer, we are delighted to be taking delivery of our first 787 Dreamliner. This aircraft will enable us to offer new standards of service and comfort to our passengers and will play an important role in our international expansion strategy as we seek to become Asia’s number one airline,” said Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of ANA.

“The airplane is ready. ANA is ready. And, Boeing is ready,” said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This airplane begins a new chapter in aviation history.”

The first passenger flight of the new aircraft will be a special charter flight between Tokyo’s Narita airport and Hong Kong on 26 and 27 October.

ANA said earlier this week that it would begin regular flights with its Boeing 787 on 1 November, with daily services between Tokyo’s Haneda airport and the cities of Okayama and Hiroshima.

International operations will begin in December with a once-weekly Haneda-Beijing service. In January 2012, the 787 will be used on a three-times-weekly Haneda-Frankfurt service. More domestic services will be added by the end of the fiscal year.

The airline has ordered 55 787s, and it hopes to receive 11 by the end of this fiscal year and another 10 by the end of the next fiscal year.

Aircraft Systems engineering video lecture

Already have a passion for aircraft, space travel and want to know what kinds of job opportunities are offered? Never even thought about aerospace as a potential place for your career?

Whether a passionate aviator, or simply curious to know more, this section introduces you to key areas of aerospace and aviation where you may be able to apply your talents.

From aerospace engineering to flying, from air transport operations to air traffic control, there may be a place for you in aerospace.
For in-depth information and case studies please visit: www.careersinaerospace.com

Study and Apprenticeships

In this section, find out more about entering the aerospace industry via university study, college courses or apprenticeships.  As you will see, from aerospace design to aircraft maintenance, to space courses and aviation management, there are lots of college and undergraduate degree courses on offer in the UK which can help prepare you for a career in aerospace.

However, it doesn’t end there. If you prefer a hands-on route with the chance to ‘earn while you learn’, apprenticeship opportunities also exist.

And with so many specialist areas of aerospace, you can also consider postgraduate study to gain expertise in fields such as aerodynamics, propulsion, satellite systems, or air transport management.

Study routes into aerospace

With a variety of complex career paths, from aerospace engineering to space mission analysis and airline management, there are many specialist degrees at UK universities which can help you develop the skills and knowledge for a career in aerospace.  With a strong tradition in aerospace engineering, over 33 universities in the UK offer aerospace engineering-related degrees alone, with international reputations for excellence in research and teaching, and using facilities such as flight simulators!

Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering Study

This is about applying maths, science and technology to the research, design, manufacture and maintenance of airborne products and finding ways to continually improve existing models and create new concepts for clients such as airlines or aero-manufacturers.  Areas of study include aerodynamics, structures, fluid dynamics and avionics, and examining manufacturing processes or maintenance.  Traditionally, ‘aeronautical’ engineering has a mechanical focus, covering the various aspects of conventional flight in the atmosphere and the manufacture of aircraft. ‘Aerospace’ engineering encompasses aeronautical engineering together with other aspects, such as space, automated flight control systems and avionics. However, as courses are developed, the distinctions between the two are now disappearing, with course content often overlapping.

University Entry Requirements

Maths and Physics A levels/Scottish Highers, or equivalent, are a must for entry on to aerospace engineering courses. Grade requirements can be high, but vary between universities. You will also need a third subject and this could be another Science, or something complementary; Languages, for example, are very useful as so many aerospace companies have sites world-wide!

How long does it take?

A BEng is a Bachelor’s level degree, three years of full-time study, while the MEng involves an integrated additional year of study leading to a Master’s level qualification. The alternative is to study a separate Master’s (MSc) qualification after BEng level in a specialist subject field. Many universities offer work experience opportunities during the period of study, either through a one-year ‘industrial’ placement between the second and third year of the course, or through project work or summer placement schemes. Getting experience will really help you secure employment when you graduate!

Where can I study?

As the Royal Aeronautical Society provides an impartial service, we are unable recommend specific institutions. However, when making your selection, you are advised to look at the websites for universities with suitable courses and visit those which interest you the most. Take into consideration entry requirements aeronautical study facilities, employment rates for graduates and the institution’s links with industry, as well as practical concerns such as location and living expenses etc. In the case of entry requirements, you will need to contact institutions individually.

We have compiled lists of Further Education and Undergraduate courses relating to aerospace and aviation for you. Scroll down the page to download.

Accredited aerospace degrees

Some engineering degree courses are accredited by professional bodies such as the Royal Aeronautical Society. Engineers often work towards Chartered Engineering status during their career, in order to gain professional recognition. Accredited degrees assist engineers in this process.

Click here for our Accreditation Pages where you can find out about degrees currently accredited by the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Aircraft Engineering Study

In recent years, an increasing number of hands-on engineering courses have become available at university level. This is in addition to the courses available at Further Education (FE) level which often accompany apprenticeships and technician-based training.  Many courses incorporate work experience with aircraft maintenance suppliers, such as airlines or specialist maintenance companies, to help acquire the EASA licenses for aircraft maintenance engineers.

Scroll down the page to download a list of Further Education and Undergraduate courses relating to aerospace and aviation.

Other aerospace and aviation courses

In addition to the above, there are a number of specialist engineering courses which relate to the Space industry, many combine aeronautics with astronautics. Other relevant courses to aerospace engineering include mechanical, electronics/electrical and systems engineering degrees.

In addition, as specialist skills become necessary for increasingly complex aerospace business environment, degrees such as air transport management, aviation management and airline and airport management are now available focussing on the operational, regulatory and financial aspects of the industry.

And in both engineering and business disciplines, courses which combine pilot studies are also available, with the chance to gain a pilot’s licence (levels vary) at the same time as a degree.

Applying to university

UK students should apply for courses via UCAS www.ucas.ac.uk who manage the whole selection process for UK students entering undergraduate study. UCAS also organise a number of fairs across the country with study advice and the chance to meet universities as well as providing lots of advice on their website.  International students should contact UK universities directly for entry advice. Most universities have a specific International Office who can provide specialist advice about international qualifications and UK equivalencies for university entry. Look out also for British Council fairs throughout the world attended by UK universities.

Scholarships and Bursaries

Find out about the RAeS Centennial Scholarship Scheme at www.aerosociety.com/scholarships.

Going down the college route? The Engineering Technology Board (ETB) has teamed up with the Nuffield Foundation to launch a brand new Engineering Bursary Scheme for students at further education (FE) colleges. Find out more at www.nuffieldfoundation.org/go/grants/nsbsc/page_550.html

Centennial Scholarships

If you’ve got the talent and commitment to become an aerospace leader but need financial help, read on!!

In 2003, the Royal Aeronautical Society launched the Centennial Scholarship Fund in celebration of one hundred years of flight and to look forward to the next generation of aerospace pioneers and experts in the 21st Century.

Thanks to the generous support of the sponsors of the Fund, representing all areas of membership of the RAeS – from our Corporate Partners large and small, to individual members – the Fund has gone from strength to strength and we have been able to provide support to a number of outstanding students and team initiatives and will continue to do so in 2011 and beyond.

Awards made so far include support towards:

•Final year BEng and MEng students

•Postgraduate tuition fees to enable young people to undertake Master’s programmes such as Air Transport Management and Aerospace Vehicle Design

•Completion of aerospace-related post-doctorate research projects

•National programmes to encourage young people’s interest in the aviation industry and aerospace engineering.

Since the awards began in 2003, over 100 awards have been made with a value of more than £365,000.00

Aviation Engineering & Aerospace Sciences modules listed

Diploma of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering – Mechanical

Content:
Module 1 – Mathematics
Module 2 – Physics
Module 3 – Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4 – Electronic Fundamentals
Module 5 – Digital Techniques/ Electronic Instrument Systems
Module 6 – Aircraft Materials and Hardware
Module 7 – Maintenance Practices
Module 8 – Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9 – Human Factors
Module 10 – Aviation Legislation
Module 11 – Aeroplane Aerodynamics Structures and Systems
Module 15 – Gas Turbine Engines
Module 17 – Propeller
Module AA-02 Aviation English (as required)
Module AA15 – New Supervisor

Dual Diploma of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering – Mechanical + Avionics


Content:
Module 1 – Mathematics
Module 2 – Physics
Module 3 – Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4 – Electronic Fundamentals
Module 5 – Digital Techniques/ Electronic Instrument Systems
Module 6 – Aircraft Materials and Hardware
Module 7 – Maintenance Practices
Module 8 – Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9 – Human Factors
Module 10 – Aviation Legislation
Module 11 – Aeroplane Aerodynamics Structures and Systems
Module 15 – Gas Turbine Engines
Module 17 – Propeller
Module AA-02 Aviation English (as required)
Module AA15 – New Supervisor
PLUS AVIONICS SUBJECTS IN SEMESTER 4:
Module 1 – Mathematics
Module 2 – Physics
Module 3 – Electrical Fundamentals
Module 4 – Electronic Fundamentals
Module 5 – Digital Techniques/ Electronic Instrument Systems
Module 6 – Aircraft Materials and Hardware
Module 7 – Maintenance Practices
Module 8 – Basic Aerodynamics
Module 9 – Human Factors
Module 10 – Aviation Legislation
Module 13 – Aircraft Aerodynamics Structures and Systems
Module 14 – Propulsion

Studying in Australia

Why Study In Australia?
Here is a list of reasons that our students have chosen to study in Australia.
LIFESTYLE – Australia is famous for its fresh, active, relaxed lifestyle. Choose from quiet countryside locations to busy inner-cities.
SAFETY – Australia is safe from most world threats and environmental dangers such as earthquakes. Carrying guns is prohibited.
CLEAN – Australia enjoys very low levels of pollution and has extremely clean air, roads, parks and beaches.
MODERN – The infrastructure, education, services, communications systems and lifestyle are very progressive and modern.
NATURAL BEAUTY – Australia has among the most spectacular, beautiful natural features, forests and beaches in the world.
MULTICULTURAL – Our mixture of cultures, foods and religions makes Australia the most multicultural country in the world.
LANGUAGE – Neutral English is the national language and is well taught and understood throughout the country.
SUPPORT – Australia supports overseas visiting students in many ways including special laws and institutional services.

Education in Australia for visitors from overseas is highly regulated and controlled by the Australian government to ensure the highest possible level of quality and service. The majority of our programmes including Flight Attendant, Cabin Crew, AirlinePilot and Aviation Engineer programmes are within the university and VET education systems. This page will assist you to learn more about Australian education (the education system in Australia).

Universities
There are forty-three Australian universities. They are teaching and research institutions. A full range of academic and professional disciplines is offered with awards ranging from associate diplomas to doctorates.
Many universities have a multi-campus structure, with each campus specialising in particular disciplines. Regional universities, some offering specialised courses, provide a full tertiary experience with students residing on campus and participating in local activities. The standard, design and diversity of education offered by Australian universities are among the most effective in the world. Typically an undergraduate degree takes at least three years to complete, longer for honours or double degrees. For more information on Australian universities, please ask your Aviation Education Centre counsellor.

Vocational ( “technical & further” ) Education
Vocational Education and Training (VET) / Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions, such as Aviation Australia provide courses with a strong vocational focus and application such as aircraft engineering, travel, tourism, graphic design and many others. Fees are charged for these courses and vary between institutions and states. Some VET / TAFE courses are offered at degree level with the majority being at diploma or associate diploma level. For more information on the VET / TAFE system and tuition fees, please ask your Aviation Education Centre counsellor.

The ESOS Act
The provision of education and training services to overseas students in Australia is regulated by the Department of Education, Science and Training through the “Education Services for Overseas Students Act” and associated legislation. The purpose of the legislation is to protect the interests of people coming to Australia on student visas, by providing tuition and financial assurance and by ensuring a nationally consistent approach to provider registration. The legislation also seeks to ensure the integrity of the industry through visa-related reporting requirements. Under an established “Code of Practice” education providers in Australia are required to provide a consistant, high level of education and support to international students.

Delta orders 100 Boeing 737-900ERs

Delta Air Lines has confirmed that it has placed an order for 100 Boeing 737-900ERs to replace its older aircraft.

The aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2013 and 2018.

The order will enable Delta to replace “on a capacity-neutral basis older technology aircraft that will be retired from the fleet”, said the carrier.

Delta will take delivery of 12 737-900ERs in the second half of 2013. A further 19 aircraft a year will be delivered between 2014 and 2017, and the remaining 12 aircraft will join its fleet in 2018.

The aircraft, which will feature Boeing’s Sky Interior, will be equipped with CFM International CFM56-7B engines.

Certification flight testing complete, the 787 fleet is still busy

All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner N1006F ZA102

Six-hundred and six days after it first began on a cold and rainy December day, it’s done. Mostly.
The certification flight trials for Boeing’s first 787 variant were completed in the afternoon hours of August 13, rounding out a half-day’s worth of testing that took ZA102 to Salt Lake City, Utah and Billings, Montana before returning to Paine Field in Everett.
It would be the last of the required certification flight testing required for the FAA’s system functionality and reliability (F&R) testing, which began in late June.
On Sunday, ZA102 flew with a plane-load of passengers to put the the aircraft’s IFE and environmental control systems to the test, with final F&R ground tests afterward, say program sources, a test for Boeing, not the FAA.
The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-powered test fleet has flown nearly 3,800h since ZA001′s maiden flight on December 15, 2009 and along with two General Electric GEnx test aircraft, visited 14* countries, and faced high altitudes, freezing and  sweltering temperatures, high winds, water and one very important trial by fire.
The 20 months of testing, was significantly longer than the company’s first planned eight months, at one point in late 2007 estimating that 787′s certification would take as little as five, employing its 24h test methodology to fly 2,430 hours to certify the Rolls-Royce powered 787.

787FTpatch.jpg

Monday will likely bring the formal announcement by Boeing of the completion of 787′s certification flight tests with Trent 1000 Package A engines.
While this first extraordinary chapter in the life of the 787′s test program comes to a close, there are still major milestones left to secure, including final US and Japanese regulatory approval and certification of the airframe pairing with 70,000lb Trent 1000 Package B and General Electric GEnx-1B engines still being tested on  ZA005 and ZA006, is expected later this year.
The first four deliveries to ANA will be powered by Package A engines and will live their lives rated at 64,000lbs of thrust for short and medium-haul international missions, before the Package B engines – which are being tested in Yuma by ZA004 – advance to within 1% of promised specific fuel consumption.
Notably the 1% SFC is for the engine only, and its yet unclear how close the updated engine gets to the aircraft-wide fuel burn target when integrated, though ANA has said the 787-8 is still capable of reaching to US East Coast from Japan, when they begin international operations in early 2012.
While the Package A certification is a crucial first step to establish the 787′s base type certificate, the Package B and GEnx-1B certifications will clear the way for the next 823 ordered by the world’s airlines.

Boeing closes in on 66-inch Leap-X for 737-7, -8 and -9

Firefly Boeing 737-800 9M-FFF

Boeing appears to be nearing a final decision on the fan size of re-engined 737, settling on a powerplant that will not require any modification to the aircraft’s landing gear, confirm company and industry sources.

As the airframer moves closer to a vote by the board of directors later this month, a 66in CFM International Leap-X fan is gaining consensus internally as the final configuration of the re-engined jet which is likely to enter service in 2016 or 2017.
Further, the updated aircraft is expected harmonize the type’s brand in line with the 787 and 747, changing the 737-700/800/900ER to the 737-7, -8 and -9.
Boeing declined official comment on fan size deliberation.
The updated jet is also expected to feature  external nacelle chevrons for noise reduction, similar to those featured on the 787 and 747-8, and detailed assessments are underway to incorporate a revised tail cone, natural laminar flow nacelle and hybrid laminar flow vertical stabilizer for additional drag and fuel burn reduction.
Boeing is seeking to strike a balance with its design, delivering 10-12% fuel burn improvement with the update engine without changing the 737 too significantly to break fleet commonality with its current models, in turn giving existing customers the flexibility to evaluate the Airbus A320neo without consideration of the switching costs.
Compromise is a central tenet of aircraft design, balancing engineering, manufacturing, certification and cost consideraitons to create a product that best meets customer requirements.
While Boeing’s 66in fan will have a lower bypass ratio and higher specific fuel consumption (SFC) than the 78in Leap-X and 81in Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine options for the A320neo, the smaller engine will weigh less and create less drag on the 737′s airframe.
According to one industry assessment of the engine’s performance, the SFC improvement of a 66in fan places its SFC improvement around 13-14% over the 61in CFM56-7B engine that powers the 737 today, and once integrated onto the aircraft would deliver a fuel burn benefit of 10-12%.
The narrowing consideration of a 66in fan for the re-negined 737 was first reported by Leeham Co. in an August 10 posting and the study of 65 or 66in fan was reported by Bloomberg in July.
A design shelved earlier this year, designated the 737RE, featured a 70in fan, which required an 8in nose gear extension to meet the required 17in engine nacelle ground clearance to avoid hitting taxiway lighting.
The 737 could have accommodated up to a 67in fan before requiring any changes to the landing gear.
According to that now-defunct plan, the longer nose landing gear would have prompted a redesign in the  lower lobe of the forward 41 section would requiring Boeing to modify the electrical equipment (EE) bay to find new routing for wiring and equipment racks.
The changes would have also likely necessitated widespread changes to the aircraft’s empennage and fuselage.
Boeing is seeking to avoid repeating the troubles it encountered when developing the 747-8 freighter and Intercontinental, which began its design life as a “simple” re-engine with  General Electric GEnx-2B powerplants.
The mounting of the 747′s engines and stretching of the fuselage, prompted significant changes to the aircraft’s wing and flight control systems that caused a ripple effect across the jumbo’s design. In turn, this drove up the extensiveness and cost of the change required to deliver on the jet’s performance targets.
Once Boeing receives the go-ahead to offer the 737-7, -8 and -9 to customers, it will be able to begin taking orders for the updated narrowbody, including firming a commitment for 100 of the type from American Airlines, announced on July 20.

Photos of Note: United’s first 787 heads to final assembly

Earlier this month, the last parts for United Airlines’ (formerly Continental Airlines) first 787 arrived at Boeing’s Everett, Washington facility to begin final assembly. The aircraft’s center fuselage arrived at Paine Field  aboard the Dreamlifter just before All Nippon Airways first 787 was unveiled on August 6, and the forward fuselage arrived from Wichitaon August 4.

I managed to capture this particular aircraft at both ends of the supply chain, having photographed the aircraft’s  43 Section at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Nagoya last September before it was shipped to Charleston for integration. In the overnight hours Tuesday, the fuselage sections are expected to be loaded into final body join at position one inside the factory.
This aircraft, Airplane 45, is expected to inaugurate service between the carrier’s Houston hub and Auckland, New Zealand after it is delivered in early 2012. The 6444nm journey will be the first route for the 787 to take advantage of the 330 minute ETOPS certification that will be available when the fuel quantity indication system software is updated early next year.
Continental has said they will outfit the aircraft with 228 seats – 38 business and 192 economy – but this announcement was made well before the merger with United. Delivery will happen after the carriers receive its single operating certificate, and may represent the single airline’s new long-haul product combining features of both.

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA285

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA285

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA285

United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner ZA285

Airbus A320 flies with Aviation Partners blended winglets

AIRBUS UNDERTAKES BLENDED-WINGLET EVALUATION ON A320
Airbus has started flight-testing of Blended Winglet devices on an Airbus A320. The Blended Winglet technology, developed by Aviation Partners​ Inc. (API), has been specially adapted for these tests on the A320 Family.

Airbus A320 – MSN001 – F-WWBA

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More photos of the wingletted A320 taking flight after the jump.

Spiroid Wingtip Technology: The best kept secret in aviation?

Imagine an improvement in aerodynamics that might just have the potential to transform aviation.
spiroidmainpic.jpg
Joe Clark, CEO of Aviation Partners, believes he’s got just the thing.

Spiroid tipped wing technology has the potential to save airlines a lot of fuel. Rather than the blended winglet, which has become the standard for all new Boeing 737s coming off the line, a Spiroid tipped wing differs by curving over to create a loop at the end of the wingtip.

According to Aviation Partners, “The Spiroid eliminates concentrated wingtip vortices, which represent nearly half the induced drag generated during cruise.”

The technology isn’t new. In fact, Dr. Louis Gratzer, Vice President of Technology for Aviation Partners has held the patent on the Spiroid tipped wings since 1992. When the winglets first flew on a Gulfstream II​, Aviation Partners yielded a 10% improvement in fuel burn.

Spiroid_tipped_wing.jpgIn a short-haul environment, a 10% improvement with Spiroid tipped wings could be the stepping-stone to the next-generation in fuel efficiency.

For example, the new Pratt & Whitney​  Geared Turbofan has touted a 12-15% improvement in SFC (specific fuel consumption). Pratt & Whitney has always affirmed that the 12-15% improvement is separate from whatever gains in efficiency are delivered through aerodynamic refinement of the aircraft.

The coupling of these two technologies could deliver fuel burn improvements up to 22-25%, exceeding even the most optimistic of forecasts without radical changes in engine technology or aircraft configuration that might be required with an unducted fan or blended wing body for example.

From an aerodynamic standpoint, Clark added that the Spiroids are compatible for any swept wing aircraft. Testing on a Falcon 50 will begin in 3-4 months to further validate the technology.

“We need to get out and do the full flight test realm. We don’t know what they are going to do in icing and in flutter,” said Clark.

Following the Falcon 50 Spiroid flight tests later this year, Clark wants to test the technology on a Boeing 777​. On the longer-range 777s, this would require the removal of the raked wing tips. Boeing’s raked winglets provide a 5.5% improvement in fuel burn over the original 777-200/200ER/300 aircraft.

Boeing has estimated that for every 1% improvement in fuel burn, the 777 would gain 75 nm in range, 10 more passengers or 2,400 pounds of cargo.

A doubling in wingtip efficiency with Spiroids could open the door for new routes for airlines. The famed ‘Kangaroo Route’, the non-stop flight between Sydney and London could finally be in reach. The 777-200LR is able to make the journey one-way, but the route has never been economically viable because of the prevailing winds that limit payload capacity. A 4.5% improvement in fuel burn could, once and for all, open up the route.

Breaking: American Airlines orders 460 narrowbody aircraft, including 100 re-engined 737s and 160 A320neos

AA-737NEO_800.jpgAA-A320_neo.jpg
UPDATE 8:56 AM CT: Central to Boeing moving forward in developing this new 737 variant is Boeing’s own tendency to make too much change all at once. Boeing’s Jim Albaugh discussed this over a year ago, and the phase “requirements creep” us going to be one you’ll be hearing a lot about in the coming months.


Also, this order is a big win for Renton, Washington, which in recent months saw the evaluations of the new single aisle (NSA) and wondered whether or not it would play a roll in building what came next for Boeing’s single aisle offering.

UPDATE 6:53 AM CT: Strong indication now coming from the airframers that narrowbody production rate increases as a result of this deal are likely.
Boeing says that the re-engined 737 – a product currently in its conceptual phase – will likely be launched by the Boeing Board of Directors sometime this fall, placing the formal authority to offer the aircraft sometime between late September and late December.

UPDATE 6:37 AM CT: AMR said it will “benefit from approximately $13 billion of committed financing from the manufacturers through lease transactions” to reduce risk and covers the first 230 aircraft.

Deliveries will begin in 2013 and run through 2022, with American Airlines​ anticipating it have the youngest US fleet within five years.

Of the 260 Airbus aircraft, 100 will be for current generation A320 family aircraft, with 160 more A320neos beginning in 2017, plus an additional 365 options and purchase rights.

American Airlines leadership will hold a 7:30 AM CT conference call on the massive order, followed by a 10 AM CT press conference with Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh and Airbus CEO Tom Enders.
6:01 AM CT: AMR, parent corporation of American Airlines, has placed an order for 460 aircraft, including 260 Airbus A320s and 100 Next Generation Boeing 737 and 100 yet-to-be-launched re-engined 737s, powered by CFM Leap-X engines.

The agreement with Boeing is for up to 300 aircraft, with the addition of 40 options on current model 737s and 60 options on the re-engined model.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.

A new generation of Airbus A330 Beluga Super Transporters?

beluga winglets-3.jpg
beluga winglets-2.jpg
beluga winglets.jpgAt first glance, this looks like one of the five heavily modified  Airbus A300-600 Beluga Super Transporter, right? Now look again. That is the unmistakable shape of an A330 wing and winglet.
The photos, which appear on the Airbus website and photo gallery (page 15), illustrate an A330-300 heavily modified to a next generation Beluga Super Transporter. A quick back-of-the-napkin calculation places an A330 Beluga about 18% longer than the A300-600.
For its coming production increases, Airbus hopes to eventually achieve a rate of 13 A350s per month, but it would appear more likely that narrowbody production would benefit the most if Airbus uses the A330 as a means to advance beyond 42 A320 family aircraft per month.

From a production ramp up point of view, this fits well into Airbus’s Red  modus operandi within the Piepenbrock framework. The production system doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but takes the existing beluga design and adapts it for an aircraft that already has a fuselage the same width as the A300-600.

UPDATE 1:38 PM ET: The official line from Airbus on the photos is: “it is indeed a mistake”. The European airframer said it wasn’t sure where the graphics came from or why they were posted.
The mistaken publication or creation of the graphics aside, the key question is how far could such an aircraft fly? And more importantly, could it connect central Europe to the southern United States to a city like Mobile, Alabama for example? Toulouse is 4,159 nm, 3,802nm from Broughton and 4,224nm from Hamburg.
As a reference point, an A330-200F has a 4,000nm range with 70t of payload and today’s A300-600ST has a range of 1,500nm with 40t and 2,500nm range with 26t.
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Photos Credit Airbus

American deal is first stop on Airbus road to a US A320 final assembly line

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DALLAS — While the hours count down to a final early morning board meeting of AMR corp, parent company of American Airlines, industry sources briefed on Airbus’s North America strategy say the sales play by the European airframer is the opening salvo of the coming fleet replacement battles with US airlines that may eventually push Airbus production to record rates as high 60 A320 family aircraft per month after 2016 to meet the replacement demand.

The announcement, now expected in Wednesday’s early morning hours, is to split some portion of a 300 to 400 aircraft order between rivals Boeing and Airbus, with suggestions the number could rise even higher.

Industry analyst consensus, as well as prevailing wisdom inside Boeing concludes that the European airframer cannot achieve 60 A320s per month without major expansions of its Toulouse, Hamburg or Tianjin, China lines and opens the door to a US based final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, current site of an Airbus engineering center sometime late in the decade to meet the replacement demand in North America, while its other lines are devoted to meeting growth demand in the rest of the world.

The strategy assumes at least a partial win with American Airlines by Airbus, delivering A321neos to replace the aging fleet of 757s, which serve as the workhorse of the carrier’s fleet. And more broadly a supply chain that can handle the record rates.

Key to Airbus sales strategy is the commoditization of narrowbody travel in the US, guiding consumers selecting travel based on the fare price rather than differentiated product that can be leveraged for a higher price tag.

Wielding a nearly 25% improvement in seat mile costs, according to an AirInsight report comparing the A321neo to the 757, American Airlines would gain a significant upper hand in crowded and price sensitive markets.

The result Airbus is banking on is American’s legacy US competitors, Delta Air Lines​, United Airlines and US Airways​, all following suit with major orders to secure delivery positions to replace their own aging fleets of 737 Classics, MD-80s and 757s with A320neos.

Airbus was aiming to capitalize on Boeing’s perceived indecisiveness on the future of the 737, though news of a re-engined 737, or at least some version of it, offered to American Airlines may stave off a mass exodus of customers to the A320neo, say those familiar with the European airframer’s thinking.

Though a split but, say industry watchers, allows American to compete Boeing and Airbus on an airframe by airframe basis, forcing both to trade margins for marketshare.

Mobile Rising

When it first bid on the US Air Force KC-X tanker contract, Airbus and then-partner Northrop Grumman​ said it would establish an A330/KC-45A final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama after the initial test articles were produced in Toulouse.

To reduce its risk further, Airbus was to build A330-200 freighters in Mobile as well, providing the airframer an expansion of its industrial footprint at Boeing’s doorstep, as well as providing its business access to non-Euro Zone based production costs.

Boeing was able to block that foothold at the end of the protracted and winding tanker competition, with its KC-X win that will see it build the Air Force’s new KC-46A, though the Air Force now says the cost of the project is now forecast to be a billion dollars higher than the company’s winning bid.

Though despite its victory in the strategic deal, Airbus may look to Mobile to build A320neos to serve the demands of US fleets.

The European airframer has been expanding its footprint in the US with approximately 200 engineering jobs at the Mobile facility focusing on cabin engineering for its widebody aircraft, says Airbus.

While Japanese car-maker Toyota built its first Kentucky plants in 1988 because of import tariffs intended to protect US car makers on their home turf, Airbus faces no such barrier with the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft (ATCA), says Teal Group vice president of analysis Richard Aboulafia, which has afforded equal market access to Airbus and Boeing onto the opposition’s home turf.

Though the Toyota comparison may be even more apt, fitting within Piepenbrock’s Red-Blue, steadily advancing production rates in worldwide markets, incrementally advancing production rather than leaping forward, only to cut production later.

Airbus CEO Tom Enders said July 15, the airframer was looking into additional production rate increases on the A320 family, examining the capability of suppliers to meet the anticipated demand for the A320neo production ramp up, adding that increases would be “in notches” and “not big jumps.”

Narrowbody production is set to reach 42 aircraft per month by the fourth quarter of 2012, with increases to 44 being explored, which follows increases from 18 to 22 A320 family aircraft at the turn of the decade to a near doubling today, all incrementally increased over the past ten years.

As it heads to a rate of 42 narrowbody 737s per month by the first half of 2014, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh said last week that his company was distantly exploring what it would take to build 60 competing 737s per month, echoing a sentiment reflected in Airbus own strategy: ”It’ll be a while before we go that high, but I tell you what if they can build them I think we can sell them.”

Hamburg Recruits And Trains For The Future

The aging aviation workforce is a global problem, even in a high-tech hub like Hamburg. But the city is trying harder than ever to attract young workers to northern Germany before next-generation aircraft roll off the production line. That’s why Hamburg engaged in a public-private partnership with Airbus and Lufthansa Technical Training to develop the Hamburg Centre of Aviation Training, which opened in late May.

The 3,000-sq.-meter facility houses mechanic classes for 800 vocational students as well as engineering courses for more than 2,000 university students in aerospace engineering. Instructors from Airbus and Lufthansa Technical Training will offer classes to students through private and public institutions while they continue their separate training programs. Many of the courses encourage students to practice hands-on cabin modifications and design components—an opportunity made possible by an Airbus A300 fuselage section donated by Airbus.

Cristoph Meyerrose, managing director of Lufthansa Technical Training, says that his company is designing new courses especially for cabin component specialists. Although suppliers will provide some cabin systems for students to practice installing in the aircraft, the center will go a step further to teach them how to construct new prototypes.

“The purpose of the students being in the center is that they’re doing their own design and not getting material from companies,” says Meyerrose. The center also will offer extensive opportunities for both new and seasoned technicians to work with new materials like carbon fiber composites, which will make up much of future aircraft. Other courses on avionics and inflight entertainment devices will provide training on new types of electronic systems.

The team of aviation companies and institutions went to aviation clusters such as Toulouse, Montreal, and Seattle to draw inspiration for how to attract younger workers to the aviation industry. Meyerrose says it is important that Hamburg look beyond Germany for new students and focus on attracting interest from all over Europe.

“Companies need to understand the demographic situation is something we have to face and find methods to work against it,” says Meyerrose. “We have to open borders to let people come from other countries.”

CFM International Statement on Boeing 737 New Engine Family Launch

WEST CHESTER, Ohio – 30 August 2011 – This morning, The Boeing Company made the announcement below regarding the Board of Director’s approval to launch the new engine variant of the Boeing 737 powered by CFM International’s LEAP-1B engine.

“Our relationship with Boeing goes back more than 30 years and even we could not have predicted the phenomenal success the CFM-powered Boeing 737 program has enjoyed,” said CFM President and CEO Jean-Paul Ebanga. “This is the best-selling aircraft/engine combination in aviation history. I believe we have achieved that status because we have consistently worked together to refine and improve the airplane/engine combination. This new airplane will provides exceptional operating economics and provide customers with unprecedented levels of efficiency and environmental responsibility while maintaining the legacy of aviation’s most reliable product line.

“The CFM-powered 737 aircraft being delivered today represents three decades of leading-edge technical innovation and we look forward to taking that technology to a whole new level with the LEAP-powered 737.”

The LEAP-1B will be the exclusive powerplant for the new 737 variant, with the engine uniquely optimized for the airplane. CFM has been collaborating with Boeing on various engine options for either a new or re-engined 737 aircraft since 2005. The two companies are now working to define the final LEAP-1B engine configuration.
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Since 1984, CFM has provided the sole powerplant for all Boeing 737 models from the Classic 737-300/-400/-500 to the Next-Generation 737-600/-700/-800/-900/-900ER and the BBJ. To date, more than 8,900 737s have been ordered, of which more than 7,700 are powered by CFM.

First 777-200LR for Air Austral

Reunion Island-based Air Austral received its first Boeing 777-200LR at a ceremony on August 26, 2011.


Boeing

The 777-200LR is one of the newest members of the 777 family and has the capability to connect non-stop virtually any two cities in the world. Air Austral’s 777-200LR will enable the airline to fly non-stop from Mayotte, a French Department north of Madagascar, to Paris.

Air Austral currently operates a fleet of six 777-300ERs and 777-200ERs. With this delivery, Air Austral becomes the second carrier in Africa to take delivery of the 777-200LR.

 

Dreamliner Receives FAA, EASA Certification

Boeing received certification for the 787 Dreamliner from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) during a ceremony at its Everett, Washington facility. 


Boeing

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt presented the U.S. Type Certificate, which verifies that the 787 has been tested and found to be in compliance with all federal regulations, to 787 Chief Pilot Mike Carriker and 787 Vice President and Chief Project Engineer Mike Sinnett, both of whom have worked on the program since the day it began.

Babbitt presented the amended Production Certificate 700 to John Cornish, vice president of 787 Final Assembly & Delivery, and Barb O’Dell, vice president of Quality for the 787 program. The Production Certificate adds the 787 to the list of Boeing Commercial Airplane production systems that have been found to be compliant with all federal regulations.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh said, “Certification is a milestone that validates what we have promised the world since we started talking about this airplane. This airplane embodies the hopes and dreams of everyone fortunate enough to work on it. Their dreams are now coming true.”

Patrick Goudou, executive director of EASA, presented Dan Mooney, vice president of 787-8 Development, and Terry Beezhold, former leader of the 787 Airplane Level Integration Team, with the European Type Certificate for the 787.

 

Southwest Airlines The Making of Florida One

Southwest Airlines The Making of Florida One

Boeing learns lessons for 737 from 787 overruns

Boeing’s cautious approach on the programme envisages a timescale that ranges between 64 and 76 months, depending on its first delivery in 2017 considerably longer than the airframer’s original 48 month launch-to-delivery plan for the clean-sheet 787.

“One of things we’ve learned on the 747 and 787 programmes is we want to make sure that any date that we quote is the date that we can meet. And I’d rather under-promise and over-deliver, rather than over-promise and under-deliver,” said Jim Albaugh, Boeing Commercial Airplanes ceo.

 

 © Boeing
The model incorporates Boeing’s minimum change to the family, but integrates the new higher bypass engine

With 496 commitments mostly from non-US customers, but including 100 from American Airlines Boeing is off to a later, but galloping start in the narrowbody market share battle against Airbus, with 1,200 commitments for the Airbus A320neo family.

Boeing says it is armed with a 16% fuel burn advantage over today’s A320 and 4% advantage over the A320neo, providing a 7% edge in operating costs.

FAMILY AFFAIR

The aircraft, now a family of three, replacing the 737-700, -800 and -900 with the the re-designated 737-7, -8 and -9, will be powered by CFM International’s Leap-1B engine, maintaining the engine-maker’s exclusivity on the type held since the 737-300 received its first order in March 1981.

That engine and its final fan size will guide the performance of the updated jet, as it goes head-to-head against the 78in and 81in fans offered by the Leap-X1A and Pratt & Whitney PW1100G, respectively, on the A320neo.

Boeing has narrowed its choices to two 168cm or 173cm (66in or 68in) and a final decision is expected in the “next several weeks”, Albaugh said.

At issue, the airframer must maintain a 43cm (17in) ground clearance underneath its nacelles to avoid contact with taxiway lighting. Boeing’s current CFM56-7BE engine, at 156cm (61in), provides 15cm of margin, before requiring changes to the aircraft’s nose gear, prompting changes across the airframe.

“Certainly with the 66 [inches] there’s no modifications, and I think even with the 68 [inches] a very low probability we’ll have to touch the front gear,” said Albaugh, who added that the Leap-1B is 1012% more efficient than the CFM56-7BE it will replace.

The balancing act for Boeing is minimising the amount of change to the 737 family to integrate the new higher bypass engine.

“With a bigger fan you get more efficiency because of the bypass ratio. But also what you find with the bigger fan is what you find is you get more weight and more drag,” he added.

As it fully develops its final schedule, Boeing’s fan size decision, and the resulting airframe design changes, are factored into its plan. If it chooses the largest fan, said Albaugh, “we have that built into our reserve for the development of this programme”.

TAKING THE LEAD

At the helm of the programme is Bob Feldmann, who most recently ran Boeing’s Surveillance and Engagement unit on the defence side of its business, where he guided the P-8A Poseidon’s development, itself a heavily modified 737-800.

The programme’s deputy and chief engineer Michael Teal, formerly chief engineer on the 747-8 re-engining programme, is tasked with limiting the scope of work on the Max to only those changes related to the engine, limiting any change in certification.

Albaugh said Boeing has no plans to change the flight deck, a direct request from customers, but as he sought to “make this the simplest re-engine possible”, he said the aircraft will for the first time feature limited fly-by-wire elements, a traditionally costly undertaking in both dollars and certification requirements.

 

 © Boeing
The trio 737-7, -8 and -9 are powered by the Leap 1B engine

The challenge then for Boeing, is to rein in on its own culture, where big technological leaps on the 787 and 747-8 lead to the company’s resulting schedule woes.

“The one thing we do want to make sure we have with this airplane is compatibility with the [737NG], compatibility with airplanes we’ve already delivered,” Albaugh said.

As it attempts to keep its design limited, the airframer is simultaneously looking at transforming its final assembly operations for the updated jet, potentially moving it to a facility other than its Renton, Washington site – home to every 737 built since 1968.

Boeing to deliver first 747-8F to Cargolux on 19 Sept

Boeing will deliver the first 747-8 freighter to launch customer Cargolux on 19 September, followed by delivery of the second aircraft to the cargo carrier two days later on 21 September.

Cargolux will fly its first 747-8F on the morning of 19 September and put it into revenue service after the delivery at Paine Field in Everett, Washington. The airline has 13 747-8Fs on order.

“It’s so exciting to be able to deliver two of these amazing airplanes to Cargolux in one week,” said Elizabeth Lund, vice president and general manager of the 747 programme. “Cargolux has been a great partner for many years, and we so appreciate its deep commitment to this program.”

Cargolux’s president and CEO Frank Reimen said: “We were pioneering the cargo industry when we put the first 747-400 freighter into revenue service in 1993. This is what we do once again with the 747-8 freighter, which is ultimately a testimony of our good and long-standing partnership with Boeing.”

NTSB: Emirates 777 continued flight after loud bang, messages

The US National Transportation Safety Board revealed in a preliminary report issued 30 August that an Emirates Boeing 777-200ER crew continued a 5h flight from Moscow’s Domodedovo airport to Dubai on 5 March after hearing a “loud bang” and receiving several error messages on departure.

Pilots of Flight 132 (A6-EMH) reported the incident after landing at Dubai, according to the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates, the authority handling the investigation.

“Following the bang a number of status messages were annunciated, these messages occurred over a 16 minute time as per the Boeing AHM (airplane health management) data,” the report stated.

Messages indicated a problem with the right Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engine, and included a thrust asymmetry compensation message that is issued when the flight control computer automatically uses rudder input counter the yaw effects of a failed engine.

Four additional messages were received on departure, followed by two AHM messages after landing.

Flightglobal’s ACAS database shows that the 14-year-old aircraft is owned by Veling and has Trent 884-17 engines, members of the Trent 800 family. As of 31 May, the aircraft had accumulated 61,581 hours and 12,945 cycles, according to ACAS.

Inspection of the aircraft in Dubai revealed “a large section” of the right engine’s inboard fan duct and thrust reverser were missing, starting at the trailing edge and ripping forward.

Overall, officials estimated that 2.8-3.7m2 (30-40ft2) section of engine covering to be missing, along with the primary exhaust nozzle outer skin. The primary nozzle inner skin had been “holed in several locations at the 12 to 1 o’clock position,” the report stated.

External to the engine, the one tyre on the main landing gear “was observed to have a large cut to the sideway” of approximately 36cm (14in), officials said. Examination of the aircraft and engine was to continue but the results have not yet been posted.

The report does not discuss what procedures the Emirates crew followed after hearing the bang and receiving the AHM annunciations or whether the aircraft should have been returned to Domodedovo.

Boeing officially launches re-engined 737

Boeing will proceed with development of the re-engined 737 after its board of directors approved its launch based on order commitments for 496 aircraft from five airlines.

Boeing said that it has seen “overwhelming demand” for the new aircraft. It promised a fuel burn 4% lower than the Airbus A320neo.

 

 

 © Boeing

The new 737-family will be powered by CFM International LEAP-1B engines.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017.

 

 © Boeing

Boeing has named Bob Feldmann vice-president and general manager of the programme and Michael Teal has been named vice-president, chief project engineer and deputy programme manager.

Boeing Introduces the 737 MAX

Boeing Introduces the 737 MAX

Boeing has unveiled the 737 MAX, the name of the new engine variant of the 737.

 


Boeing

The new aircraft family – 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 – builds on the Next-Generation 737 and will consist of the of the Boeing Sky Interior.

According to Boeing the 737 MAX will deliver big fuel savings and a 7 percent advantage in operating costs over future competing aircraft as a result of optimised CFM International LEAP-1B engines, more efficient structural design and lower maintenance requirements.

The 737 has more than 9,000 orders to date and Boeing forecasts global demand for more than 23,000 aircraft in the 737′s market segment over the next 20 years at a value of nearly $2 trillion.

New Q400 for SpiceJet

Bombardier Aerospace announced on August 27, 2011 that India’s low-cost carrier, SpiceJet has taken delivery of the first two of 15 Q400 NextGen turboprops ordered in December 2010.

 


Bombardier

“SpiceJet’s order was a breakthrough for our Q400 NextGen turboprop in the Indian market, and Bombardier’s portfolio of commercial aircraft and customer services continues to be well positioned to support the development of India’s airline network,” said Chet Fuller, Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Asset Management, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, during a ceremony held yesterday at Bombardier Aerospace’s Toronto facility, where the Q400 NextGen aircraft is manufactured.

The airline will use the aircraft for high-frequency, point-to-point services to regional cities, complementing its larger jet aircraft fleet that connect major Indian cities. SpiceJet currently serves 22 destinations in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

SpiceJet has also signed a 10-year agreement under Bombardier’s comprehensive SmartParts program that will provide a wide spectrum of cost-per-flight-hour maintenance for the airline’s full fleet of Q400 NextGen aircraft.

Airlines Testing iPads as EFBs

Airlines Testing iPads as EFBs

Airlines are taking their paperless cockpits a step further, deploying Apple iPads to operate as electronic flight bags (EFB) to display operating manuals, nav charts, flight checklists and more.

A number of airlines, including United, Continental, British Airways and Alaska Airlines, over the last six months have been a part of this digital conversion of using the 1.5-pound iPad to replace traditional flight manuals.

Several companies are designing apps for the iPad, to convert the tablet to a Class 1 or Class 2 EFB. Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen developed the Mobile FliteDeck, which includes interactive data-driven en route navigation information and worldwide geo-referenced terminal charts. Additionally, the tablet will eliminate a pilot’s luggage load, which will reduce the risk of injury while on duty by carrying less and easing lifting hazards.

United Continental Holdings distributed 11,000 iPads, with the Jeppesen app, to all United and Continental pilots Aug. 23, a first for major network carriers. All pilots will have the device by the end of the year.

“The paperless flight deck represents the next generation of flying,” said Capt. Fred Abbott, United’s senior vice president of flight operations. “The introduction of iPads ensures our pilots have essential and real-time information at their fingertips at all times throughout the flight.”

British Airways says the iPad will help cabin crew as well as pilots.

“It gives cabin crew a whole library of information at their fingertips including timetables, safety manuals and customer service updates,” the airline said in an Aug. 17 statement. “It also means any issues can be logged with ground-based colleagues around the network prior to departure so solutions can be delivered while the flight is airborne.”

The iPad is being trialed with 100 British Airline cabin crews, with an aim to roll it out to all senior crewmembers across the airline in the coming months.

FAA issued regulations for use the iPad and other suitable tablet computing devices as EFBs, in InFO AFS-430, issued May 13, 2011. The FAA authorized a certificated operator to use an iPad as a Class 1 EFB a few months prior to the InFo’s release.

The iPad is not approved or certified by the FAA, as it is a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) electronic hardware, however, it can be authorized for use by a principal operations inspector if it meets the EFB criteria discussed in the Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS), volume 4, chapter 15, section 1 and AC-120-76A.

9/11 Changed Commercial Aviation

Related Content

  • The author with his corporate jet.The author with his corporate jet.

Yahoo! is asking Americans how September 11 changed them. Below is an account from a reader.

As a professional pilot, my life has been strongly impacted by the attacks on 9/11. On September 11, 2001, I was a flight instructor for a training academy in Florida. That morning, I was in the school’s computer lab when the Internet connection went down.

A short time later, a student said he had heard on the news that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center. My first assumption was that it had been an accident involving a small general aviation aircraft. When reports of a second airplane hitting the WTC came in, I realized that it was a deliberate attack.

[Your story: How has September 11 changed you?]

I went to the cafeteria, where a television was showing news coverage of the attacks in New York, as well as the attack on the Pentagon. There were rumors of more hijackings and another plane crash in Pennsylvania.

I distinctly remember that many of the school’s Saudi students were also in the cafeteria that day. While the Americans were somber and angry, the Saudis seemed almost enthusiastic. They were speaking excitedly in Arabic, which was causing the Americans in the crowd to become even more angry.

In the days that followed, the school was shut down for almost a week as the government kept private airplanes grounded. The local newspaper reported FBI raids on houses occupied by several of the Saudi students and their families. I saw Army soldiers with automatic weapons in the terminal the next time that I flew home.

The following year, I was hired by the airlines. By then, the armed guards were gone, replaced by TSA screeners. In our new-hire ground school, the subject of hijackings and security figured prominently. Where the old strategy was to comply with a hijacker’s demands, the new strategy was now to land the airplane before the Air Force shot us down. In an act of self-preservation and defiance of al-Qaida, I became one of the pilots trained to carry a pistol in the cockpit.

The years of upheaval in the airline industry that followed wreaked havoc on my career. The post-9/11 recession led to airline bankruptcies and mergers. I was furloughed from my first airline job before the company went out of business. I found a new job at a second airline, but industry stagnation and another impending bankruptcy made me rethink my career goals. I left the company to start flying corporate jets.

Ten years and two kids later, my career goal has changed from flying heavy airliners to maintaining financial stability and quality life. Part of this is due to growing more mature, but a large part is also due to the fact that the world has changed since 2001. Even as we are distracted by the failing economy, there are still legions of terrorists who want to inflict the maximum death and destruction possible upon us.

Pressurization

Digital Cabin Pressure Control System (DCPCS)

The aircraft is pressurised by bleed air supplied to the packs and controlled by outflow valves.

The auto system will fail if either:

  1. Cabin altitude exceeds 13,875ft CPCS; 15,800ft DCPCS.
  2. Cabin rate of climb or descent exceeds 1890 sea level fpm CPCS; 2000 sea level fpm DCPCS.
  3. Loss of AC power (transfer bus 1) to auto computer for more than 3 secs CPCS. Loss of DC power (DC bus 1/2) to auto computer DCPCS.
  4. Differential pressure exceeds 8.3 psi CPCS, 8.75 psi DCPCS.
  5. Other fault in pressurisation controller.

Cabin Pressure Control System (CPCS) installed in a 737-200C. Notice the extra SMOKE CLEARANCE controls.

Digital pressurisation controllers have two automatic systems (AUTO & ALTN) instead of a standby system, these alternate every flight. If the auto system fails, the standby / alternate system will automatically take over. The AUTO FAIL light will remain illuminated until the mode selector is moved to STBY / ALTN (tidy but not necessary). On CPCS panels, the cabin rate selector, for use in standby mode, adjusts cabin rate of change of altitude between 50 and 2000fpm, the index is approx 300fpm.

If you have to return to your departure airfield, do not adjust the pressurisation panel. You will get the OFF SCHD DESC light, but the controller will program the cabin to land at the take-off field elevation. If the flight alt selector is pressed, this facility will be lost.

In manual mode, you drive the outflow valve directly. The sense of the spring-loaded switch can be remembered by:

“Moving the switch towards the centre of the aircraft keeps the air inside.”

The 737NG pressurization schedule is designed to meet FAR requirements as well as maximize cabin structure service life. The pressurization system uses a variable cabin pressure differential schedule based on airplane cruise altitude to meet these design requirements. At cruise altitudes at or below FL 280, the max differential is 7.45 PSI. which will result in a cabin altitude of 8000’ at FL280. At cruise altitudes above FL280 but below FL370, the max differential is 7.80 PSI. which will result in a cabin altitude of 8000’ at FL370. At cruise altitudes above FL 370, the max differential is 8.35 PSI. which will result in a cabin altitude of 8000’ at FL410. This functionality is different from other Boeing models which generally use a fixed max differential schedule thus can maintain lower cabin altitudes at cruise altitudes below the maximum certified altitude.

In all 737′s the pressurisation system ensures that the cabin altitude does not climb above approx 8,000ft in normal operation. However in 2005 the BBJ will be certified to a reduced cabin altitude of 6,500ft at 41,000ft thereby increasing passenger comfort. The payback for this is a 20% reduction in airframe life cycles, ie from the standard 75,000 down to 60,000 cycles. This is not a problem for a low utilisation business jet but would be unacceptable in airline operation where some aircraft are operating 10 sectors a day.

 

Cabin Altitude Warning

The cabin altitude warning horn will sound when the cabin altitude exceeds 10,000ft. It is an intermittent horn which sounds like the take-off config warning horn. It can be inhibited by pressing the ALT HORN CUTOUT button. Note the pax oxygen masks will not drop until 14,000ft cabin altitude although they can be dropped manually at any time.

Following the Helios accident where the crew did not correctly identify the cabin altitude warning horn, new red “CABIN ALTITUDE” and “TAKEOFF CONFIG” warning lights were fitted to the P1 & P3 panels to supplement the existing aural warning system.

Cabin altitude light

Photo – Frode Lund

High Altitude Landing System

This is a customer option for operations into airfields with elevation of up to 14,500ft (12,000ft on some versions). There are also enhancements to the DCPS, an extra hour of emergency oxygen and the cabin altitude warning horn is inhibited.

 

Limitations

Max differential pressure:

Series Max Diff
1/200′s 7.5psi
200Adv’s 7.8psi
Classics 8.65psi
NG’s 9.1psi

Max differential pressure for takeoff & landing: 0.125 psi

Max negative differential pressure: -0.1 psi


 

Pressurisation Valves

Main Outflow Valve

Controlled by the pressurisation system. Regulates the cabin pressure by adjusting the outflow of cabin air.

Early outflow valves (shown here) opened into the fuselage.

Later outflow valves opened out from the fuselage.

From Dec 2003 onwards, the main outflow valve was given teeth to reduce aerodynamic noise. Its frightening appearance should also help to deter people from putting their hands in the opening.

Pressure (Safety) Relief Valves

These two valves, located above and below the main outflow valve, protect the aircraft structure against overpressure if the pressurisation control system fails. they are set at Originals 8.5psi, Classics: 8.65psi , NG’s: 8.95psi.

Negative Pressure Relief Valve

Prevents vacuum damage to aircraft during a rapid descent. It is a spring loaded flapper valve that opens inwards at -1.0psid. You can check this on a walkaround by pressing it in like a letterbox.

Flow Control Valve (Classic) / Overboard Exhaust Valve(NG)

Open on the ground (check this on a walkaround) to provide E&E bay cooling and also in-flight at less than 2psi differential pressure. You can often hear this valve opening on descent when the differential pressure passes 2psi. The OEV also opens when the recirculation fan (R recirc fan on the 8/900) is switched off to assist in smoke clearance.

Strictly speaking, this is an exhaust port. The actual Flow Control Valve / Overboard Exhaust Valve is located further upstream.

Forward Outflow Valve – Classics only

This is is a vent for the E & E bay air after it has been circulated around the forward cargo compartment when in-flight (The E & E bay air is exhausted from the flow control valve when in the ground). The valve opens when the recirculation fan (R recirc fan on the 400) is off (smoke clearance mode) or when the main outflow valve is not completely closed (ie low diff pressure). It is located just below and aft of the fwd passenger door.

Note the NG’s do not have a FOV. In-flight, equipment air is circulated around the forward cargo compartment and discharged from the main outflow valve

Digital Cabin Pressure Control System (DCPCS)

The aircraft is pressurised by bleed air supplied to the packs and controlled by outflow valves.

The auto system will fail if either:

  1. Cabin altitude exceeds 13,875ft CPCS; 15,800ft DCPCS.
  2. Cabin rate of climb or descent exceeds 1890 sea level fpm CPCS; 2000 sea level fpm DCPCS.
  3. Loss of AC power (transfer bus 1) to auto computer for more than 3 secs CPCS. Loss of DC power (DC bus 1/2) to auto computer DCPCS.
  4. Differential pressure exceeds 8.3 psi CPCS, 8.75 psi DCPCS.
  5. Other fault in pressurisation controller.

Cabin Pressure Control System (CPCS) installed in a 737-200C. Notice the extra SMOKE CLEARANCE controls.

Digital pressurisation controllers have two automatic systems (AUTO & ALTN) instead of a standby system, these alternate every flight. If the auto system fails, the standby / alternate system will automatically take over. The AUTO FAIL light will remain illuminated until the mode selector is moved to STBY / ALTN (tidy but not necessary). On CPCS panels, the cabin rate selector, for use in standby mode, adjusts cabin rate of change of altitude between 50 and 2000fpm, the index is approx 300fpm.

If you have to return to your departure airfield, do not adjust the pressurisation panel. You will get the OFF SCHD DESC light, but the controller will program the cabin to land at the take-off field elevation. If the flight alt selector is pressed, this facility will be lost.

In manual mode, you drive the outflow valve directly. The sense of the spring-loaded switch can be remembered by:

“Moving the switch towards the centre of the aircraft keeps the air inside.”

The 737NG pressurization schedule is designed to meet FAR requirements as well as maximize cabin structure service life. The pressurization system uses a variable cabin pressure differential schedule based on airplane cruise altitude to meet these design requirements. At cruise altitudes at or below FL 280, the max differential is 7.45 PSI. which will result in a cabin altitude of 8000’ at FL280. At cruise altitudes above FL280 but below FL370, the max differential is 7.80 PSI. which will result in a cabin altitude of 8000’ at FL370. At cruise altitudes above FL 370, the max differential is 8.35 PSI. which will result in a cabin altitude of 8000’ at FL410. This functionality is different from other Boeing models which generally use a fixed max differential schedule thus can maintain lower cabin altitudes at cruise altitudes below the maximum certified altitude.

In all 737′s the pressurisation system ensures that the cabin altitude does not climb above approx 8,000ft in normal operation. However in 2005 the BBJ will be certified to a reduced cabin altitude of 6,500ft at 41,000ft thereby increasing passenger comfort. The payback for this is a 20% reduction in airframe life cycles, ie from the standard 75,000 down to 60,000 cycles. This is not a problem for a low utilisation business jet but would be unacceptable in airline operation where some aircraft are operating 10 sectors a day.

Cabin Altitude Warning

The cabin altitude warning horn will sound when the cabin altitude exceeds 10,000ft. It is an intermittent horn which sounds like the take-off config warning horn. It can be inhibited by pressing the ALT HORN CUTOUT button. Note the pax oxygen masks will not drop until 14,000ft cabin altitude although they can be dropped manually at any time.

Following the Helios accident where the crew did not correctly identify the cabin altitude warning horn, new red “CABIN ALTITUDE” and “TAKEOFF CONFIG” warning lights were fitted to the P1 & P3 panels to supplement the existing aural warning system.

Cabin altitude light

Photo – Frode Lund

High Altitude Landing System

This is a customer option for operations into airfields with elevation of up to 14,500ft (12,000ft on some versions). There are also enhancements to the DCPS, an extra hour of emergency oxygen and the cabin altitude warning horn is inhibited.

Limitations

Max differential pressure:

Series Max Diff
1/200′s 7.5psi
200Adv’s 7.8psi
Classics 8.65psi
NG’s 9.1psi

Max differential pressure for takeoff & landing: 0.125 psi

Max negative differential pressure: -0.1 psi


Pressurisation Valves

Main Outflow Valve

Controlled by the pressurisation system. Regulates the cabin pressure by adjusting the outflow of cabin air.

Early outflow valves (shown here) opened into the fuselage.

Later outflow valves opened out from the fuselage.

From Dec 2003 onwards, the main outflow valve was given teeth to reduce aerodynamic noise. Its frightening appearance should also help to deter people from putting their hands in the opening.

Pressure (Safety) Relief Valves

These two valves, located above and below the main outflow valve, protect the aircraft structure against overpressure if the pressurisation control system fails. they are set at Originals 8.5psi, Classics: 8.65psi , NG’s: 8.95psi.

Negative Pressure Relief Valve

Prevents vacuum damage to aircraft during a rapid descent. It is a spring loaded flapper valve that opens inwards at -1.0psid. You can check this on a walkaround by pressing it in like a letterbox.

Flow Control Valve (Classic) / Overboard Exhaust Valve(NG)

Open on the ground (check this on a walkaround) to provide E&E bay cooling and also in-flight at less than 2psi differential pressure. You can often hear this valve opening on descent when the differential pressure passes 2psi. The OEV also opens when the recirculation fan (R recirc fan on the 8/900) is switched off to assist in smoke clearance.

Strictly speaking, this is an exhaust port. The actual Flow Control Valve / Overboard Exhaust Valve is located further upstream.

Forward Outflow Valve – Classics only

This is is a vent for the E & E bay air after it has been circulated around the forward cargo compartment when in-flight (The E & E bay air is exhausted from the flow control valve when in the ground). The valve opens when the recirculation fan (R recirc fan on the 400) is off (smoke clearance mode) or when the main outflow valve is not completely closed (ie low diff pressure). It is located just below and aft of the fwd passenger door.

Note the NG’s do not have a FOV. In-flight, equipment air is circulated around the forward cargo compartment and discharged from the main outflow valve

Communication

Audio Control Panel

This type of ACP has cylindrical button volume controls, others have sliders.

Radio/Int works in the same way as the rocker switch on the control column. ie in the INT position bypasses the mic selector to transmit on the flt interphone.

The filter switch, Voice-Both-Range, allows better reception of either voice or morse identifiers on NAV & ADF radios. Check that this switch has not been left in the V position if you can’t get an ident.

Mask/Boom simply selects either mask or boom mic. Check this if nobody can hear you transmit – especially after your oxy mask mic check!

Alt/Norm in the ALT position puts the ACP into degraded mode. If the Capts ACP is in degraded mode, he can only transmit on VHF1 through mask or boom and can only receive VHF1 at a preset level. The F/O’s ACP in degraded mode is the same but uses VHF2. Note aural warnings will still be heard over the speaker.

 

-200 ACP ACP with sliders

VHF Radio

Most 737′s have three VHF radios and at least one HF radio. This unit allows for selection of any of those at this station. The TEST button is a squelch and is used to hear faint stations that do not have the strength to breakthrough. If you switch the panel OFF at the same time as TEST is applied this holds the test condition thereby allowing you to hear faint stations without having to hold down the test button – very useful for copying distant weather!


MMR PanelPhoto Niklas Andreae

Nav Radio

There are very many different Nav radio boxes in the worlds 737′s the second shown here is teh new Multi-mode nav panel which is used to tune VORs, ILS, & GLS. More details about their use in the Navigation section.

 


Marker Beacons

The markers are pre-tuned to their 75MHz frequency and illuminate when overflown. The marker tone can also be heard if selected on the ACP.


Selective Calling, SELCAL

The SELCAL light will illuminate and a two-tone chime sounds if the aircraft is being selcal’d on either HF or VHF.

This particular panel is a very old unit and most operators have had to improvise the method of radio connections to it. Typically, in the past, diodes would be used to “OR” the VHFs together to illuminate one of the lights.  Over the last 15 years, the vast majority of the SELCAL panels have a light for each of the radios (VHF-1, VHF-2, VHF-3, HF-1, HF-2) and in some cases, include the Attendant call, and SATCOM call.


 

Cockpit Voice Recorder

The CVR records the headset and microphone of all 3 ASP’s and the ambient cockpit sounds all on separate channels. The recordings start with the first rise in engine oil pressure and go onto a 120 or 30min (as fitted) continuous loop tape until 5mins after last engine shutdown. In the event of an incident crews are advised to pull the CVR c/b after final stop to avoid automatic erasure. It is illegal to stop the CVR in flight. The CVR is located in the aft cargo hold.

 


The External Power Hatch is located beneath the F/O’s DV window. It is used by groundcrew to connect the Ground Power Unit and headset for pushback communications with Flight Interphone.

The service interphone is used by engineers to communicate with the service interphone stations inside the aircraft. Note that the Service Interphone switch on the aft overhead panel must be switched ON for this use.

There is also a pilot call button and a nose-wheelwell light switch to assist the groundcrew to insert the steering bypass pin.


Service Interphone

The switch on the aft overhead panel activates the external jacks to the service interphone system. Normal internal service interphone operation is unaffected by switch position.


Transponder with integrated TCAS.

 

Number pad transponder.Note: Mode S transponders will be mandatory in Europe after March 2007.

ELT


The blue CALL light on the overhead panel illuminates and a single-tone chime sounds when either the cabin crew (service interphone) or ground crew (flight or service interphone) are calling the flight deck.


ACARS


Aircraft Data Loader – Used to load FMC database, download flight data eg FLIDRAS, etc.


IFE BITE panel. Located above door 2R

Antennae

Antenna and static discharge wicks should be inspected carefully on the walkaround for integrity and burns, especially if lightning or St Elmo’s fire has been observed.

Please note that the above location diagrams are only a guide as the antenna fitted depends upon the customer avionics options. Eg some NG’s do not have ADF but do have SATCOM or IFTS/Airphone.

Limitations

There are various frequencies listed in the limitations section as not to be used. These are due to interference from other systems. For instance the EEC’s affect VHF 120.00Mhz, there is a service bulletin (SB 737-73-1010) which will eliminate this. The HF frequency limitations are the result of interference caused by cabin entertainment systems.

Emergency Equipment – B737

Flight Crew Oxygen

When conducting the oxygen mask flow & intercom check, monitor the crew oxygen pressure gauge to ensure a steady flow as any fluctuations may be due to an obstruction in the system. Give a long check of the flow on the first flight of the day in case the crew oxygen shut off valve has been closed. A short check may sound OK but you may be hearing the residual oxygen left in the lines rather than fresh oxygen from the bottle.

Oxygen Panel -300+ Oxygen Panel -1/200

 

  Crew Oxygen Shutoff Valve (Not installed on NG’s)

The F/O should ensure that the crew oxygen shutoff valve, located at the bottom outside of the P6 panel, is open (anticlockwise) and ideally backed off by half a turn to avoid damage to the seal. This should be done during the cockpit preparation, particularly in airlines where it is the practice to close this valve overnight.

Minimum Crew Oxygen Dispatch Pressure (FPPM 2.2.14)
Temp Number of Crew
O2 Bottle Size C 2 3 4
39 cu ft 0 1130 1645
15 1190 1735
30 1250 1825
76 cu ft 0 620 890 1155
15 655 940 1220
30 690 990 1280
114 cu ft 0 445 620 800
15 470 655 840
30 495 690 885
 

 

Crew oxygen pressure on aft overhead panel should be checked against MEL 35-1 or FPPM 2.2.14. The minimum despatch quantity varies with size of bottle, bottle temp and number of flightdeck crew.

The minimum amount of oxygen is based upon one hour of normal flight at a cabin altitude of 8000ft for one pilot with the diluter set to NORMAL (76 cu ft bottle).

Crew oxygen is stored in a bottle in the forward hold. On older aircraft (pre 1990 ish) there is a servicing point on the outside (see photo below) however on most access is gained through the forward hold.

All aircraft have a green discharge disc on the outside to warn crews if the bottle has discharged from overpressure. This should be checked on every walkaround.

Oxygen Servicing Point on Lower Fwd Fuselage

 

737-1/500 Oxygen Mask Deployed

 

Flight Crew Oxygen Mask

The oxygen regulator has three modes:

Normal: Red latch on left is up – Gives air/oxygen mix on demand. Use if no fumes are present eg decompression.

100%: Push red latch on left down – Gives 100& oxygen on demand. Use if smoke or fumes are present.

Emergency: Rotate red knob clockwise – Gives 100% oxygen under pressure. Used to clear mask & goggles of fumes and should also be used if aircraft is depressurised above 39,000ft.

737-200 crew oxy panel
Passenger Service Unit – PSU

 

Passenger Oxygen

Classics & NG’s: Will deploy automatically above 14,000ft cabin alt or when switched on from the aft overhead panel. No oxygen will flow in a PSU until a mask in that PSU has been pulled. Passenger oxygen should not be used as smoke hoods as the air inhaled is a mixture of oxygen and cabin air and there is a significant fire hazard with oxygen in the cabin.

There is 12 minutes supply of oxygen in each PSU, this is based upon:

  • 0.3 min delay at 37,000ft
  • 3.1 min descent to 14,000ft
  • 7.6 min hold at 14,000ft
  • 1.0 min descent to 10,000ft

Passenger oxygen on 737-1/200′s is supplied by two oxygen bottles in the forward hold. The capacity varies with operator but is typically 76.5 cu ft each. Oxygen bottle pressure is indicated on the aft overhead panel.

Aft Attendant Panel

 

Emergency Exit Lights

When armed, will illuminate if power is lost to DC bus 1. They can also be switched on from the aft flight attendant panel. Whenever these lights are on, they are being powered from their own individual Ni-Cad batteries and will only last for 10mins.

Smoke Hood (Drager)

After pulling the toggle, the oxygen generator will operate for less than 30 secs. Don’t worry! The oxygen remains in a closed loop system within the mask and filter to prevent contamination from the outside air. It is filtered twice, on inhalation and again on exhalation, and is breathable for approximately 20mins.

Life Jacket

Do not inflate until you are outside the aircraft as it will impede your exit and you could puncture it as you leave.

 

Cockpit Fire Extinguisher

Is BCF and works by removing oxygen from the fire triangle of oxygen – heat – fuel. As it does not directly cool the fire, when oxygen returns, so could the fire. To operate, remove ring and press down on top lever. Hold upright and beware, BCF fumes are toxic.

Slide

Serviceability check includes the pressure gauge.

Tip: Be extremely careful to remember to disarm any door slides you may have armed on flights without cabin crew eg ferry flights or air-tests.

Note that the slides are not certified as emergency floatation equipment although Boeing say that an inflated slide could be buoyant, and useful as a floatation device and handgrips are positioned along the sides of the slide.

Flight Crew Oxygen

When conducting the oxygen mask flow & intercom check, monitor the crew oxygen pressure gauge to ensure a steady flow as any fluctuations may be due to an obstruction in the system. Give a long check of the flow on the first flight of the day in case the crew oxygen shut off valve has been closed. A short check may sound OK but you may be hearing the residual oxygen left in the lines rather than fresh oxygen from the bottle.

Oxygen Panel -300+ Oxygen Panel -1/200
  Crew Oxygen Shutoff Valve (Not installed on NG’s)

The F/O should ensure that the crew oxygen shutoff valve, located at the bottom outside of the P6 panel, is open (anticlockwise) and ideally backed off by half a turn to avoid damage to the seal. This should be done during the cockpit preparation, particularly in airlines where it is the practice to close this valve overnight.

Minimum Crew Oxygen Dispatch Pressure (FPPM 2.2.14)
Temp Number of Crew
O2 Bottle Size C 2 3 4
39 cu ft 0 1130 1645
15 1190 1735
30 1250 1825
76 cu ft 0 620 890 1155
15 655 940 1220
30 690 990 1280
114 cu ft 0 445 620 800
15 470 655 840
30 495 690 885
Crew oxygen pressure on aft overhead panel should be checked against MEL 35-1 or FPPM 2.2.14. The minimum despatch quantity varies with size of bottle, bottle temp and number of flightdeck crew.

The minimum amount of oxygen is based upon one hour of normal flight at a cabin altitude of 8000ft for one pilot with the diluter set to NORMAL (76 cu ft bottle).

Crew oxygen is stored in a bottle in the forward hold. On older aircraft (pre 1990 ish) there is a servicing point on the outside (see photo below) however on most access is gained through the forward hold.

All aircraft have a green discharge disc on the outside to warn crews if the bottle has discharged from overpressure. This should be checked on every walkaround.

Oxygen Servicing Point on Lower Fwd Fuselage

737-1/500 Oxygen Mask Deployed

Flight Crew Oxygen Mask

The oxygen regulator has three modes:

Normal: Red latch on left is up – Gives air/oxygen mix on demand. Use if no fumes are present eg decompression.

100%: Push red latch on left down – Gives 100& oxygen on demand. Use if smoke or fumes are present.

Emergency: Rotate red knob clockwise – Gives 100% oxygen under pressure. Used to clear mask & goggles of fumes and should also be used if aircraft is depressurised above 39,000ft.

737-200 crew oxy panel
Passenger Service Unit – PSU

Passenger Oxygen

Classics & NG’s: Will deploy automatically above 14,000ft cabin alt or when switched on from the aft overhead panel. No oxygen will flow in a PSU until a mask in that PSU has been pulled. Passenger oxygen should not be used as smoke hoods as the air inhaled is a mixture of oxygen and cabin air and there is a significant fire hazard with oxygen in the cabin.

There is 12 minutes supply of oxygen in each PSU, this is based upon:

  • 0.3 min delay at 37,000ft
  • 3.1 min descent to 14,000ft
  • 7.6 min hold at 14,000ft
  • 1.0 min descent to 10,000ft

Passenger oxygen on 737-1/200′s is supplied by two oxygen bottles in the forward hold. The capacity varies with operator but is typically 76.5 cu ft each. Oxygen bottle pressure is indicated on the aft overhead panel.

Aft Attendant Panel

Emergency Exit Lights

When armed, will illuminate if power is lost to DC bus 1. They can also be switched on from the aft flight attendant panel. Whenever these lights are on, they are being powered from their own individual Ni-Cad batteries and will only last for 10mins.

Smoke Hood (Drager)

After pulling the toggle, the oxygen generator will operate for less than 30 secs. Don’t worry! The oxygen remains in a closed loop system within the mask and filter to prevent contamination from the outside air. It is filtered twice, on inhalation and again on exhalation, and is breathable for approximately 20mins.

Life Jacket

Do not inflate until you are outside the aircraft as it will impede your exit and you could puncture it as you leave.

Cockpit Fire Extinguisher

Is BCF and works by removing oxygen from the fire triangle of oxygen – heat – fuel. As it does not directly cool the fire, when oxygen returns, so could the fire. To operate, remove ring and press down on top lever. Hold upright and beware, BCF fumes are toxic.

Slide

Serviceability check includes the pressure gauge.

Tip: Be extremely careful to remember to disarm any door slides you may have armed on flights without cabin crew eg ferry flights or air-tests.

Note that the slides are not certified as emergency floatation equipment although Boeing say that an inflated slide could be buoyant, and useful as a floatation device and handgrips are positioned along the sides of the slide.

Fire Protection – B737

Engines

Overheat / Fire Protection Panel  3-900 series

Overheat / Fire Protection Panel  -200C series. Notice fwd & aft cargo smoke detectors.

Engine & APU fire detection – Battery bus

Engine, APU & Cargo fire extinguishing – Hot battery bus.

There are two fire detection loops in each engine. Failure of both loops in one engine will illuminate the FAULT light. The individual loops can be checked by selecting A or B on the OVHT DET switches.

Fire switches will unlock in the following situations:

  1. Overheat detected
  2. Fire detected
  3. During an OVHT/FIRE test
  4. Pressing manual override buttons

Pulling a fire switch will do the following:

  1. Arm firing circuits
  2. Allow fire switch to be rotated for discharge
  3. Close engine fuel shut-off valve.
  4. Trip the associated GCR (i.e. switches off the generator)
  5. Close hydraulic supply to EDP & disarms its LP light (Not if APU)
  6. Close engine bleed air valve (If APU will also close air inlet door)
  7. Close thrust reverser isolation valve (Not if APU)

The engine fire bottles (NG)

 

Wheel-Well

There is a wheel-well fire detection system but although the engine fire bottles are located in the wheel-well, there is no extinguishing system for a wheel-well fire. (Suggest extend gear & land ASAP).

 

APU

The APU only has one bottle. This may be checked externally by looking for the two discharge discs (red for thermal overpressure & yellow for extinguisher discharge) and the pressure sight glass (where fitted) on the aft stbd fuselage.

 

 

 

Cargo Compartment (Optional)

Cargo Fire Panel

Cargo Fire Panel – Alternative version

The cargo holds have dual-loop smoke detectors powered by DC bus 1 & 2. There is only one cargo fire bottle, it is powered by the hot battery bus and can be discharged into either the fwd or aft hold. On later 737NG’s the cargo fire smoke detector sends a signal to the cabin pressure control system. This triggers the cabin pressure to descend at 750 slfpm which helps prevent smoke penetration into the passenger cabin from the lower lobe. (This function is inhibited on the ground.)

Cargo Hold Smoke Detector

Lavatory Smoke Detection (Optional)

Some 737′s have a warning light on the flight deck to warn of smoke in the lavatory. If the smoker is in the forward lav you can usually smell it on the flight deck within seconds without a warning light.

 

Passenger Compartment (Optional)

The cargo 737′s had a pressurisation feature which allowed the crew to pressurise or unpressurise the passenger compartment for smoke clearance.

 


Engines

Overheat / Fire Protection Panel  3-900 series

Overheat / Fire Protection Panel  -200C series. Notice fwd & aft cargo smoke detectors.

Engine & APU fire detection – Battery bus

Engine, APU & Cargo fire extinguishing – Hot battery bus.

There are two fire detection loops in each engine. Failure of both loops in one engine will illuminate the FAULT light. The individual loops can be checked by selecting A or B on the OVHT DET switches.

Fire switches will unlock in the following situations:

  1. Overheat detected
  2. Fire detected
  3. During an OVHT/FIRE test
  4. Pressing manual override buttons

Pulling a fire switch will do the following:

  1. Arm firing circuits
  2. Allow fire switch to be rotated for discharge
  3. Close engine fuel shut-off valve.
  4. Trip the associated GCR (i.e. switches off the generator)
  5. Close hydraulic supply to EDP & disarms its LP light (Not if APU)
  6. Close engine bleed air valve (If APU will also close air inlet door)
  7. Close thrust reverser isolation valve (Not if APU)

The engine fire bottles (NG)

Wheel-Well

There is a wheel-well fire detection system but although the engine fire bottles are located in the wheel-well, there is no extinguishing system for a wheel-well fire. (Suggest extend gear & land ASAP).

APU

The APU only has one bottle. This may be checked externally by looking for the two discharge discs (red for thermal overpressure & yellow for extinguisher discharge) and the pressure sight glass (where fitted) on the aft stbd fuselage.

Cargo Compartment (Optional)

Cargo Fire Panel

Cargo Fire Panel – Alternative version

The cargo holds have dual-loop smoke detectors powered by DC bus 1 & 2. There is only one cargo fire bottle, it is powered by the hot battery bus and can be discharged into either the fwd or aft hold. On later 737NG’s the cargo fire smoke detector sends a signal to the cabin pressure control system. This triggers the cabin pressure to descend at 750 slfpm which helps prevent smoke penetration into the passenger cabin from the lower lobe. (This function is inhibited on the ground.)

Cargo Hold Smoke Detector

Lavatory Smoke Detection (Optional)

Some 737′s have a warning light on the flight deck to warn of smoke in the lavatory. If the smoker is in the forward lav you can usually smell it on the flight deck within seconds without a warning light.

Passenger Compartment (Optional)

The cargo 737′s had a pressurisation feature which allowed the crew to pressurise or unpressurise the passenger compartment for smoke clearance.

See also NG engineering notes by M Ferreira

Flight Instruments – B737

NG Flight Instruments

The NG’s have 6 Display Units (DU’s), these display the flight instruments; navigation, engine and some system displays. They are controlled by 2 computers – Display Electronics Units (DEU’s). Normally DEU 1 controls the Captains and the Upper DU‘s whilst DEU 2 controls the F/O’s and the lower DU’s. The whole system together is known as the Common Display System (CDS).

The DU’s normally display the PFD’s outboard, ND’s inboard, engine primary display centre (upper) and engine secondary display lower. Although they can be switched around into almost any other configuration with the DU selector (shown left).

The CDS FAULT annunciation will only occur on the ground prior to the second engine start, it is probably a DEU failure but is in any case a no-go item. If a DEU fails in-flight, the remaining DEU will automatically power all 6 DU’s and a DSPLY SOURCE annunciation will appear on both PFD’s. The nomenclature requirements for these annunciations were developed by Boeing Flight Deck Crew Operations engineers during the early design phase of the 737NG program. The intent of the design function is as follows:
· The CDS FAULT message is intended to be activated on ground to tell the maintenance crew or air crew that the airplane is in a non-dispatchable condition.
· The DISPLAY SOURCE message is annunciated in air to tell the crew that all the primary display information is from one source and should be compared with all other data sources (standby instruments, raw data, etc.) to validate its accuracy.
Since the DISPLAY SOURCE message is intended to be activated in air and CDS FAULT is intended to be activated on ground, air/ground logic is used by CDS to determine which message is appropriate. The air/ground logic system uses a number of inputs to determine airplane state. One of the inputs used is “engines running”. CDS uses the “engines running” logic as the primary trigger for changing the CDS FAULT message to its in-air counterpart. The “engines running” logic is used in case the air/ground data isn’t correct as a result of other air/ground sensing faults.

The DISPLAYS – SOURCE selector is only used on the ground for maintenance purposes (to make all 6 DU’s be powered by either DEU 1 or 2). This may be why the switch is a different shape to the other three; if not, it is still a good way to remember that this is a switch that pilots should not touch!

 

Instrument transfer switches – NG

The DISPLAYS CONTROL PANEL annunciation merely indicates that an EFIS control panel has failed. There is an additional, rather bizarre, attention getter because the altimeter will blank on the failed side, with an ALT flag, until the DISPLAYS – CONTROL PANEL switch is positioned to the good side. Note that this is not the same as the EFI switch on the -3/4/500′s which was used to switch symbol generators.

EFIS Control Panel – NG

PFD – Primary Flight Display – NG

The speed tape shows minimum and maximum operating speeds. The maximum operating speed provides a 0.3g manouvre margin to high speed buffet. The minimum operating speed is computed from the SMYD as follows: The SMYD has two flavours of Min manouvre speed. The first is identified as Vmnvr, the second as Vbl (low speed buffet). The transition from Vmnvr to Vbl is dependent on gross weight, but in general Vmnver is output below 22,000 feet and Vbl above that altitude. Although not used directly in the calculation of Vmnvr, once the airplane starts flying, gross weight becomes a factor indirectly (in the calculation of Vmnvr) via the load factor calculation. FMC Gross Weight is used by the SMYD in the switching logic from Vmnvr (min man speed) to Vbl.

One of the many customer PFD options is an analogue/digital angle of attack display. The red line is the angle for stick shaker activation, the green band is the range of approach AoA.

 

CDS Block Points

The 737NG Common Display System has had several software updates to incorporate additional features, improvements to existing features and bug fixes. Each new update is known as a Block Point. eg BP98 to BP06. A list of each of their features is given in the book.

 

New Approach Formats

With increased navigational accuracy available and hardware/software improvements on the 737, many new types of approaches have been developed. Cat IIIb, LNAV/VNAV, RNAV(GPS), RNAV(RNP), IAN, GLS.

Cat IIIB ILS Is very similar to the current ILS display except that rollout guidance will display as “ROLLOUT” (armed) underneath the VOR/LOC annunciation. A new MFD button labelled “C/R” (Clear/Recall) is required to display system messages on the upper display unit. These messages could be either “NO LAND 3″ or “NO AUTOLAND”. Note Cat IIIa is still possible with a NO LAND 3 advisory. In this case green “LAND 2″ annunciations will appear on both outboard display units.

LNAV/VNAV most non-precision approaches which are in the FMC database may be flown to MDA in LNAV/VNAV. Look for the coded GP angle in the LEGS pages.

NPS (Navigation Performance scales) combine the display of ANP/RNP with LNAV/VNAV deviation to give either a Cat I approach of its own or a transition to an approach. Note: NPS provides crew awareness of airplane position with respect to the intended path and RNP. They are not required for VNAV approaches, which may be flown with standard displays.

IAN (Integrated Approach Navigation) gives an ILS look-alike display and allows the pilot to fly the approach like an ILS, ie by selecting APP on the MCP. It is a Cat I only approach system which uses the FMC to transmit IAN deviations to the autopilot and display system. Flight path guidance is from navigation radios, FMC or a combination of both. The type of approach must first be selected in the FMC. The flight mode annunciations will vary depending upon the source of the navigation guidance as follows:

Approach FMA
Localiser based approaches:
IGS VOR/LOC & G/S
ILS with G/S out, LOC, LDA, SDF VOR/LOC & G/P
B/C LOC BCRS & G/P

If FMC is used for course guidance:

GPS, RNAV FAC & G/P
VOR, NDB, TACAN FAC & G/P

Where FAC = Final Approach Course and G/P = Glidepath.

GNSS Landing System (GLS) Approaches use GPS and a ground based augmentation system (GBAS) to give signals similar to ILS signals and will probably replace ILS in the future. Certified May 2005, it is initially Cat I but will become Cat IIIB and should have the capability for curved approaches.

Most of the above approaches require FMC U10.5+, CDS BP02+, FCC -709+ and DFDAU & EGPWS.


Classic Flight Instruments

737-300 Non-EFIS F/O flight instruments

The first 737-300′s were not fitted with EFIS and the flight instruments were almost identical to the 737-200Adv. The yellow warning lights above the ADI are the instrument comparator warnings. The FMA annunciations were all contained in the panel above the ASI

Non-EFIS FMA

 

The big Gotcha with SP-177 equipped 737-200Advs and non-EFIS Classics were the HSI source selectors, sometimes referred to as “Killer Switches”. These were located either side of the MCP and changed the HSI to show deviation either from the LNAV or ILS/VOR track. It is vitally important that these switches are set to VOR/ILS before commencing an approach otherwise you will still be indicating LNAV deviation rather than LLZ deviation.

HSI Source selector

HSI source selector switch

 

The 737-300′s were soon available with EFIS, an option which most operators took. The EADI included a speed tape, radio altimeter, groundspeed indicator, and FMA annunciations. The EHSI has a selectable display either to represent the old HSI or a moving map display. See navigation section for details.

737-300 EFIS Captains flight instruments

The flight instruments use information from 2 Air Data Computers -Classics / Inertial Reference Units -NG’s, which have separate pitot-static sources. The ADC/ADIRU’s are powered whenever the AC busses are powered.

Aspirated TAT probes can either be identified visually (see below) or by the presence of a TAT test button on the pitot-static panel. To get an approximate OAT indication on the ground an air-conditioning pack must be on, whereas unaspirated probes require the pitot heat to be off.

TAT Probe – UnaspiratedPerforated with large hole at rear TAT Probe – AspiratedUnperforated and no large hole at rear

The flight recorder starts when the first engine oil pressure rises. It will continue to record for as long as electrical power is available.

EFIS

If display unit cooling is lost, then after a short time the Electronic Attitude Display Indicator (EADI) colours will appear magenta and the WXR DSPY caption will be shown on the EHSI. This can be rectified by selecting ALTERNATE equip cooling supply and/or exhaust fans. The NG’s use Honeywell flat panel displays rather than the CRT’s of the classics and have the advantages of being lighter, more reliable and consume less power, although they are more expensive to produce.

The 737-3/4/500 EADI display, with fast/slow indicator.

 

EADI – Standard

The 737-3/4/500 EADI display, with speed tape.

 

EADI – Speed Tape
The 737-3/4/500 EADI display, with speed tape but no rolling digit curser.

 


Overheating of an individual display unit will cause that unit to blank until it cools down when it will return. If 2 display units on one side blank then the problem is with that symbol generator, SG FAIL will annunciate in the centre of both displays. The display can be restored by using the EFIS transfer switch. This will enable the remaining symbol generator to display onto both sides, the output is controlled through the EFIS control panel of the good side. Caution: the autopilot will disengage when the EFI switch is repositioned.

 

Instrument transfer switches – 3/4/500

 


Standby Flight Instruments

The standby airspeed indicator & altimeter uses aux pitot & alternate static sources and no ADC/ADIRU’s.

 

  

The Integrated Standby Flight Display started to appear in 2003 to replace the mechanical standby artificial horizon and ASI/Altimeter. Personally I find the new ASI & Altimeter much easier to read but the ILS more difficult. The + – buttons are just brightness controls.

The ISFD also sends inertial data to the FCCs which use the data during CAT IIIB approaches, landings and go-around.

Interestingly the ISFD cannot be switched off from the flightdeck – even by pulling the ISFD c/b on the p18 panel. It has its own dedicated battery and the ISFD c/b only removes power from the battery charger, so let us hope that one does not start to smoke in-flight! The battery will give 150 mins of power.

Standby Compass

Finally, if all else fails there is a standby magnetic compass!


Head-Up Display

Head-up Guidance System installed in the 737-NG

HGS was certified for the 737 by the US FAA in 1994 to allow Cat IIIA landings down to 200m RVR and take-offs in 90m. The first production 737 HGS was fitted to a 737-300 of Morris Air (later bought by Southwest) delivered September 1995. The 737 is still the only airliner to be production fitted with HUD.

HGS Panel
Primary Mode Display

 

Cat III at 50ft


Flight Data Recorder (FDR)

The FDR is located above the ceiling above the rear galley. There have been several different models of FDR in the life of the 737 which can collect anything from 30 minutes to hundreds of hours of data of 8 to hundreds of parameters.

Early FDR’s, as fitted to 737-200′s, comprised metal scribes which etched their data into a 150ft long roll of metal foil. These would last about 300hrs but only recorded vertical acceleration, heading, IAS and altitude, plus binary traces such as date, flight number and time of R/T transmissions. A gauge on the panel (see below) shows the recording hours remaining before the foil spool needs replacing.

737-200 FDR panel

Later Digital FDR’s (late 200′s & classics) record onto a 1/4-inch wide, 450 feet long magnetic tape and the newest Solid State FDR’s (later classics & NG’s) record data onto memory chips.

Late model 737-3/4/500 FDR’s record 25 hours of data. The protective casing includes an inner aluminium cover, isothermal protection shield, an outer stainless steel casing and an exterior stainless steel dust cover. This enables it to withstand a crush force of 20,000 pounds per axis, and provides impact protection of 1000 g’s for 5 msec. It is protected from heat by an isothermal insulation which maintains the inner chamber at a safe temperature. It also has an underwater location device that transmits under water for a minimum of 30 days.

The FDR of the 737-NG is similar to that described above but can withstand 3400 g’s of impact, 20,000ft depth of water and temperatures of 1,100C for 30mins.

The FDR starts recording as soon as the first engine oil pressure rises.


Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)

EFB is becoming the latest “must-have” device in the cockpit. They have the ability to do the following tasks:

  • Calculate take-off or landing performance.
  • Calculate weight & balance.
  • Contain the aircraft technical log.
  • Store navigation charts & plates.
  • Store company manuals, FCOMs, crew notices, etc.
  • Retrieve & display weather.
  • Display checklists.
  • Display on-board video surveillance cameras.

The advantages to crew are the accuracy of the data and ease of use. The advantages to the airlines are the cost benefits of a less paper cockpit and real time data transfer.

There are three classes of EFB:

  • Class 1: Fully portable. Eg a laptop.
  • Class 2: Portable but connected to the aircraft during normal operations. Eg tablet & docking station.
  • Class 3: Installed (non-removable) equipment.

BBJ Avionics

The Boeing Business Jet stands at a crossroads in avionics technology—exploiting all the flight deck systems available to airlines operating the 737, while serving as a showcase for advanced bizjet avionics that air carriers may one day want.

The BBJ often serves as a pathfinder for the latest systems that eventually could find their way onto commercial 737 flight decks.

Improved situational awareness is a case in point. Gulfstream, for example, pioneered the use of enhanced vision systems (EVS) with a forward-looking infrared (Flir) camera on large-cabin bizjets. This allows pilots to look through a head-up display (HUD) to see Flir imagery of a runway at night and in smoke, haze, rain and snow (but not in large-droplet fog).

The enhanced vision capability is more than just a safety feature. The FAA allows business jet pilots to use EVS images to fly as low as 100 ft. AGL (instead of 200 ft. during a Category-1 approach) before having to see the runway visually. Currently, airline pilots can’t do this. However, the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency are considering changing this rule to allow airlines to descend to 100 ft. with EVS, according to several avionics company officials. This could happen as early as next year.

There’s already substantial airline interest in enhanced vision, says Steve Taylor, the BBJ chief pilot. “I’ll wager if the FAA grants that OK to the airlines [for 100 ft. ], they will be beating on our door,” he adds.

Rockwell Collins is working with Boeing on the EVS program. And Max-Viz Inc., of Portland, Ore., is developing a multisensor, uncooled camera to meet a Rockwell Collins specification. It has both a short-wave and a long-wave infrared sensor and a visible-light camera in one unit.

The BBJ also will have a new version of the Rockwell Collins HGS-4000, called the -4000E. This modification of the head-up guidance system includes new hardware and software to allow the display of video imagery from the Flir camera. The BBJ has head-up guidance for the pilot as a standard feature, while the system is optional on the 737NG. Taylor says every avionics system that’s optional on the airline version of the 737 is standard on the BBJ.

Meanwhile, Rockwell Collins just began flight testing the BBJ enhanced vision system on its Sabreliner test­bed, and the EVS will be flown on a customer’s BBJ during the winter. Certification should occur in mid-2008. Should airlines become more interested in having it on a 737NG, it wouldn’t take much additional work to commercialize the system, says Taylor. “The aircraft certification rules are the same—Part 25,” he notes, so the certification effort on the BBJ should transfer easily to the 737NG.

The plan is to display the EVS imagery not only on the HGS for the pilot but also on one of the six Honeywell cockpit displays (the one on the pedestal so the copilot also can see the Flir imagery).

Taylor notes that head-up guidance systems made their first entry at Boeing on the BBJ and then moved to the commercial aircraft production line. But earlier, HUDs were already flying on existing airline aircraft because carriers such as Southwest and Alaska Airlines had installed them as retrofit items.

However, avionics is not the only area where technical innovation started in the BBJ program and was then incorporated on commercial transports. Winglets, a key fuel-saving device, is an example. “In a sense, we are a Skunk Works for commercial airplanes,” says Taylor.

As for the next big thing in business aviation, it will likely be another situational-awareness advance called synthetic vision. A 3D digital map of the terrain and obstacles ahead of the aircraft will be shown to the pilots of Gulfstream business jets soon, thanks to Honeywell. Rockwell Collins is developing a similar system for Bombardier. This Aviation Week & Space Technology pilot saw a Honeywell prototype last year on a Cessna Citation V (AW&ST Oct. 16, 2006, p. 66). Our night flight passed over the Phoenix area where I attended U.S. Air Force pilot training in the early 1970s. The view out the windscreen was often pitch-black, with mountains below shrouded in darkness. But I could see the “synthetic” terrain on the primary flight display created from a database that portrayed the scene ahead as if it were broad daylight. In 1971, a T-38 crashed into a nearby mountain in the era before synthetic vision.

A key question is, How long will it take for the huge safety advance of synthetic vision to show up on commercial flight decks? Since I no longer fly T-38s, I have to travel economy class on narrow- or wide-body jets. If airline pilots had EVS and SVS, I would feel safer as a passenger flying into airports surrounded by high terrain. But as with EVS and the possible FAA rule change on 100 ft., SVS will need a business case to earn its way onto an airline flight deck. At the moment, it’s not clear what that rationale will be.

Taylor says technology specialists at Boeing are looking at synthetic vision, and he believes its adaptation will follow a path similar to the one for enhanced vision. In the business jet market, “the customer base is much more interested in technology and willing to pay for it,” he notes.

Another way the BBJ benefits from 737 avionics is that the standard-fit radar is an airline-class system—Rockwell Collins’ multiscan WXR2100, which is flying with 100 airlines. It’s a more capable system than many of the radars currently installed in business jets. Keith Stover, Rockwell Collins’ radar marketing manager, says the main benefit for BBJ pilots is automatic adjustment of the radar as well as ground-clutter suppression.

In September, Rockwell Collins said it will provide a multiscan radar for bizjets to accommodate the smaller antenna sizes they need of 12 and 18 in. So this is an example of airline-class avionics technology flowing to business aviation by way of the BBJ flight deck. The airline version, which is already standard on the BBJ, has a 28-in. antenna and includes wind shear protection.

Last summer, I flew on a BBJ over the North Atlantic. During the flight, Rockwell Collins radar engineers were perfecting new software to allow the multiscan radar to improve its automatic detection of storms in a particular region (AW&ST July 9, p. 44). This new geographic-discrimination software will be available soon on the BBJ.

Additional fuel tanks are added after the aircraft leaves the factory and goes to DeCrane Aerospace at Sussex County Airport in Georgetown, Del. This is also where the new enhanced vision system will be fitted.

NG Flight Instruments

The NG’s have 6 Display Units (DU’s), these display the flight instruments; navigation, engine and some system displays. They are controlled by 2 computers – Display Electronics Units (DEU’s). Normally DEU 1 controls the Captains and the Upper DU‘s whilst DEU 2 controls the F/O’s and the lower DU’s. The whole system together is known as the Common Display System (CDS).

The DU’s normally display the PFD’s outboard, ND’s inboard, engine primary display centre (upper) and engine secondary display lower. Although they can be switched around into almost any other configuration with the DU selector (shown left).

The CDS FAULT annunciation will only occur on the ground prior to the second engine start, it is probably a DEU failure but is in any case a no-go item. If a DEU fails in-flight, the remaining DEU will automatically power all 6 DU’s and a DSPLY SOURCE annunciation will appear on both PFD’s. The nomenclature requirements for these annunciations were developed by Boeing Flight Deck Crew Operations engineers during the early design phase of the 737NG program. The intent of the design function is as follows:
· The CDS FAULT message is intended to be activated on ground to tell the maintenance crew or air crew that the airplane is in a non-dispatchable condition.
· The DISPLAY SOURCE message is annunciated in air to tell the crew that all the primary display information is from one source and should be compared with all other data sources (standby instruments, raw data, etc.) to validate its accuracy.
Since the DISPLAY SOURCE message is intended to be activated in air and CDS FAULT is intended to be activated on ground, air/ground logic is used by CDS to determine which message is appropriate. The air/ground logic system uses a number of inputs to determine airplane state. One of the inputs used is “engines running”. CDS uses the “engines running” logic as the primary trigger for changing the CDS FAULT message to its in-air counterpart. The “engines running” logic is used in case the air/ground data isn’t correct as a result of other air/ground sensing faults.

The DISPLAYS – SOURCE selector is only used on the ground for maintenance purposes (to make all 6 DU’s be powered by either DEU 1 or 2). This may be why the switch is a different shape to the other three; if not, it is still a good way to remember that this is a switch that pilots should not touch!

Instrument transfer switches – NG

The DISPLAYS CONTROL PANEL annunciation merely indicates that an EFIS control panel has failed. There is an additional, rather bizarre, attention getter because the altimeter will blank on the failed side, with an ALT flag, until the DISPLAYS – CONTROL PANEL switch is positioned to the good side. Note that this is not the same as the EFI switch on the -3/4/500′s which was used to switch symbol generators.

EFIS Control Panel – NG

PFD – Primary Flight Display – NG

The speed tape shows minimum and maximum operating speeds. The maximum operating speed provides a 0.3g manouvre margin to high speed buffet. The minimum operating speed is computed from the SMYD as follows: The SMYD has two flavours of Min manouvre speed. The first is identified as Vmnvr, the second as Vbl (low speed buffet). The transition from Vmnvr to Vbl is dependent on gross weight, but in general Vmnver is output below 22,000 feet and Vbl above that altitude. Although not used directly in the calculation of Vmnvr, once the airplane starts flying, gross weight becomes a factor indirectly (in the calculation of Vmnvr) via the load factor calculation. FMC Gross Weight is used by the SMYD in the switching logic from Vmnvr (min man speed) to Vbl.

One of the many customer PFD options is an analogue/digital angle of attack display. The red line is the angle for stick shaker activation, the green band is the range of approach AoA.

CDS Block Points

The 737NG Common Display System has had several software updates to incorporate additional features, improvements to existing features and bug fixes. Each new update is known as a Block Point. eg BP98 to BP06. A list of each of their features is given in the book.

New Approach Formats

With increased navigational accuracy available and hardware/software improvements on the 737, many new types of approaches have been developed. Cat IIIb, LNAV/VNAV, RNAV(GPS), RNAV(RNP), IAN, GLS.

Cat IIIB ILS Is very similar to the current ILS display except that rollout guidance will display as “ROLLOUT” (armed) underneath the VOR/LOC annunciation. A new MFD button labelled “C/R” (Clear/Recall) is required to display system messages on the upper display unit. These messages could be either “NO LAND 3″ or “NO AUTOLAND”. Note Cat IIIa is still possible with a NO LAND 3 advisory. In this case green “LAND 2″ annunciations will appear on both outboard display units.

LNAV/VNAV most non-precision approaches which are in the FMC database may be flown to MDA in LNAV/VNAV. Look for the coded GP angle in the LEGS pages.

NPS (Navigation Performance scales) combine the display of ANP/RNP with LNAV/VNAV deviation to give either a Cat I approach of its own or a transition to an approach. Note: NPS provides crew awareness of airplane position with respect to the intended path and RNP. They are not required for VNAV approaches, which may be flown with standard displays.

IAN (Integrated Approach Navigation) gives an ILS look-alike display and allows the pilot to fly the approach like an ILS, ie by selecting APP on the MCP. It is a Cat I only approach system which uses the FMC to transmit IAN deviations to the autopilot and display system. Flight path guidance is from navigation radios, FMC or a combination of both. The type of approach must first be selected in the FMC. The flight mode annunciations will vary depending upon the source of the navigation guidance as follows:

Approach FMA
Localiser based approaches:
IGS VOR/LOC & G/S
ILS with G/S out, LOC, LDA, SDF VOR/LOC & G/P
B/C LOC BCRS & G/P

If FMC is used for course guidance:

GPS, RNAV FAC & G/P
VOR, NDB, TACAN FAC & G/P

Where FAC = Final Approach Course and G/P = Glidepath.

GNSS Landing System (GLS) Approaches use GPS and a ground based augmentation system (GBAS) to give signals similar to ILS signals and will probably replace ILS in the future. Certified May 2005, it is initially Cat I but will become Cat IIIB and should have the capability for curved approaches.

Most of the above approaches require FMC U10.5+, CDS BP02+, FCC -709+ and DFDAU & EGPWS.


Classic Flight Instruments

737-300 Non-EFIS F/O flight instruments

The first 737-300′s were not fitted with EFIS and the flight instruments were almost identical to the 737-200Adv. The yellow warning lights above the ADI are the instrument comparator warnings. The FMA annunciations were all contained in the panel above the ASI

Non-EFIS FMA

The big Gotcha with SP-177 equipped 737-200Advs and non-EFIS Classics were the HSI source selectors, sometimes referred to as “Killer Switches”. These were located either side of the MCP and changed the HSI to show deviation either from the LNAV or ILS/VOR track. It is vitally important that these switches are set to VOR/ILS before commencing an approach otherwise you will still be indicating LNAV deviation rather than LLZ deviation.

HSI Source selector

HSI source selector switch

The 737-300′s were soon available with EFIS, an option which most operators took. The EADI included a speed tape, radio altimeter, groundspeed indicator, and FMA annunciations. The EHSI has a selectable display either to represent the old HSI or a moving map display. See navigation section for details.

737-300 EFIS Captains flight instruments

The flight instruments use information from 2 Air Data Computers -Classics / Inertial Reference Units -NG’s, which have separate pitot-static sources. The ADC/ADIRU’s are powered whenever the AC busses are powered.

Aspirated TAT probes can either be identified visually (see below) or by the presence of a TAT test button on the pitot-static panel. To get an approximate OAT indication on the ground an air-conditioning pack must be on, whereas unaspirated probes require the pitot heat to be off.

TAT Probe – UnaspiratedPerforated with large hole at rear TAT Probe – AspiratedUnperforated and no large hole at rear

The flight recorder starts when the first engine oil pressure rises. It will continue to record for as long as electrical power is available.

EFIS

If display unit cooling is lost, then after a short time the Electronic Attitude Display Indicator (EADI) colours will appear magenta and the WXR DSPY caption will be shown on the EHSI. This can be rectified by selecting ALTERNATE equip cooling supply and/or exhaust fans. The NG’s use Honeywell flat panel displays rather than the CRT’s of the classics and have the advantages of being lighter, more reliable and consume less power, although they are more expensive to produce.

The 737-3/4/500 EADI display, with fast/slow indicator.

 

EADI – Standard

The 737-3/4/500 EADI display, with speed tape.

 

EADI – Speed Tape
The 737-3/4/500 EADI display, with speed tape but no rolling digit curser.

 


Overheating of an individual display unit will cause that unit to blank until it cools down when it will return. If 2 display units on one side blank then the problem is with that symbol generator, SG FAIL will annunciate in the centre of both displays. The display can be restored by using the EFIS transfer switch. This will enable the remaining symbol generator to display onto both sides, the output is controlled through the EFIS control panel of the good side. Caution: the autopilot will disengage when the EFI switch is repositioned.

Instrument transfer switches – 3/4/500

 


Standby Flight Instruments

The standby airspeed indicator & altimeter uses aux pitot & alternate static sources and no ADC/ADIRU’s.

  

The Integrated Standby Flight Display started to appear in 2003 to replace the mechanical standby artificial horizon and ASI/Altimeter. Personally I find the new ASI & Altimeter much easier to read but the ILS more difficult. The + – buttons are just brightness controls.

The ISFD also sends inertial data to the FCCs which use the data during CAT IIIB approaches, landings and go-around.

Interestingly the ISFD cannot be switched off from the flightdeck – even by pulling the ISFD c/b on the p18 panel. It has its own dedicated battery and the ISFD c/b only removes power from the battery charger, so let us hope that one does not start to smoke in-flight! The battery will give 150 mins of power.

Standby Compass

Finally, if all else fails there is a standby magnetic compass!


Head-Up Display

Head-up Guidance System installed in the 737-NG

HGS was certified for the 737 by the US FAA in 1994 to allow Cat IIIA landings down to 200m RVR and take-offs in 90m. The first production 737 HGS was fitted to a 737-300 of Morris Air (later bought by Southwest) delivered September 1995. The 737 is still the only airliner to be production fitted with HUD.

HGS Panel
Primary Mode Display

Cat III at 50ft


Flight Data Recorder (FDR)

The FDR is located above the ceiling above the rear galley. There have been several different models of FDR in the life of the 737 which can collect anything from 30 minutes to hundreds of hours of data of 8 to hundreds of parameters.

Early FDR’s, as fitted to 737-200′s, comprised metal scribes which etched their data into a 150ft long roll of metal foil. These would last about 300hrs but only recorded vertical acceleration, heading, IAS and altitude, plus binary traces such as date, flight number and time of R/T transmissions. A gauge on the panel (see below) shows the recording hours remaining before the foil spool needs replacing.

737-200 FDR panel

Later Digital FDR’s (late 200′s & classics) record onto a 1/4-inch wide, 450 feet long magnetic tape and the newest Solid State FDR’s (later classics & NG’s) record data onto memory chips.

Late model 737-3/4/500 FDR’s record 25 hours of data. The protective casing includes an inner aluminium cover, isothermal protection shield, an outer stainless steel casing and an exterior stainless steel dust cover. This enables it to withstand a crush force of 20,000 pounds per axis, and provides impact protection of 1000 g’s for 5 msec. It is protected from heat by an isothermal insulation which maintains the inner chamber at a safe temperature. It also has an underwater location device that transmits under water for a minimum of 30 days.

The FDR of the 737-NG is similar to that described above but can withstand 3400 g’s of impact, 20,000ft depth of water and temperatures of 1,100C for 30mins.

The FDR starts recording as soon as the first engine oil pressure rises.


Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)

EFB is becoming the latest “must-have” device in the cockpit. They have the ability to do the following tasks:

  • Calculate take-off or landing performance.
  • Calculate weight & balance.
  • Contain the aircraft technical log.
  • Store navigation charts & plates.
  • Store company manuals, FCOMs, crew notices, etc.
  • Retrieve & display weather.
  • Display checklists.
  • Display on-board video surveillance cameras.

The advantages to crew are the accuracy of the data and ease of use. The advantages to the airlines are the cost benefits of a less paper cockpit and real time data transfer.

There are three classes of EFB:

  • Class 1: Fully portable. Eg a laptop.
  • Class 2: Portable but connected to the aircraft during normal operations. Eg tablet & docking station.
  • Class 3: Installed (non-removable) equipment.

BBJ Avionics

The Boeing Business Jet stands at a crossroads in avionics technology—exploiting all the flight deck systems available to airlines operating the 737, while serving as a showcase for advanced bizjet avionics that air carriers may one day want.

The BBJ often serves as a pathfinder for the latest systems that eventually could find their way onto commercial 737 flight decks.

Improved situational awareness is a case in point. Gulfstream, for example, pioneered the use of enhanced vision systems (EVS) with a forward-looking infrared (Flir) camera on large-cabin bizjets. This allows pilots to look through a head-up display (HUD) to see Flir imagery of a runway at night and in smoke, haze, rain and snow (but not in large-droplet fog).

The enhanced vision capability is more than just a safety feature. The FAA allows business jet pilots to use EVS images to fly as low as 100 ft. AGL (instead of 200 ft. during a Category-1 approach) before having to see the runway visually. Currently, airline pilots can’t do this. However, the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency are considering changing this rule to allow airlines to descend to 100 ft. with EVS, according to several avionics company officials. This could happen as early as next year.

There’s already substantial airline interest in enhanced vision, says Steve Taylor, the BBJ chief pilot. “I’ll wager if the FAA grants that OK to the airlines [for 100 ft. ], they will be beating on our door,” he adds.

Rockwell Collins is working with Boeing on the EVS program. And Max-Viz Inc., of Portland, Ore., is developing a multisensor, uncooled camera to meet a Rockwell Collins specification. It has both a short-wave and a long-wave infrared sensor and a visible-light camera in one unit.

The BBJ also will have a new version of the Rockwell Collins HGS-4000, called the -4000E. This modification of the head-up guidance system includes new hardware and software to allow the display of video imagery from the Flir camera. The BBJ has head-up guidance for the pilot as a standard feature, while the system is optional on the 737NG. Taylor says every avionics system that’s optional on the airline version of the 737 is standard on the BBJ.

Meanwhile, Rockwell Collins just began flight testing the BBJ enhanced vision system on its Sabreliner test­bed, and the EVS will be flown on a customer’s BBJ during the winter. Certification should occur in mid-2008. Should airlines become more interested in having it on a 737NG, it wouldn’t take much additional work to commercialize the system, says Taylor. “The aircraft certification rules are the same—Part 25,” he notes, so the certification effort on the BBJ should transfer easily to the 737NG.

The plan is to display the EVS imagery not only on the HGS for the pilot but also on one of the six Honeywell cockpit displays (the one on the pedestal so the copilot also can see the Flir imagery).

Taylor notes that head-up guidance systems made their first entry at Boeing on the BBJ and then moved to the commercial aircraft production line. But earlier, HUDs were already flying on existing airline aircraft because carriers such as Southwest and Alaska Airlines had installed them as retrofit items.

However, avionics is not the only area where technical innovation started in the BBJ program and was then incorporated on commercial transports. Winglets, a key fuel-saving device, is an example. “In a sense, we are a Skunk Works for commercial airplanes,” says Taylor.

As for the next big thing in business aviation, it will likely be another situational-awareness advance called synthetic vision. A 3D digital map of the terrain and obstacles ahead of the aircraft will be shown to the pilots of Gulfstream business jets soon, thanks to Honeywell. Rockwell Collins is developing a similar system for Bombardier. This Aviation Week & Space Technology pilot saw a Honeywell prototype last year on a Cessna Citation V (AW&ST Oct. 16, 2006, p. 66). Our night flight passed over the Phoenix area where I attended U.S. Air Force pilot training in the early 1970s. The view out the windscreen was often pitch-black, with mountains below shrouded in darkness. But I could see the “synthetic” terrain on the primary flight display created from a database that portrayed the scene ahead as if it were broad daylight. In 1971, a T-38 crashed into a nearby mountain in the era before synthetic vision.

A key question is, How long will it take for the huge safety advance of synthetic vision to show up on commercial flight decks? Since I no longer fly T-38s, I have to travel economy class on narrow- or wide-body jets. If airline pilots had EVS and SVS, I would feel safer as a passenger flying into airports surrounded by high terrain. But as with EVS and the possible FAA rule change on 100 ft., SVS will need a business case to earn its way onto an airline flight deck. At the moment, it’s not clear what that rationale will be.

Taylor says technology specialists at Boeing are looking at synthetic vision, and he believes its adaptation will follow a path similar to the one for enhanced vision. In the business jet market, “the customer base is much more interested in technology and willing to pay for it,” he notes.

Another way the BBJ benefits from 737 avionics is that the standard-fit radar is an airline-class system—Rockwell Collins’ multiscan WXR2100, which is flying with 100 airlines. It’s a more capable system than many of the radars currently installed in business jets. Keith Stover, Rockwell Collins’ radar marketing manager, says the main benefit for BBJ pilots is automatic adjustment of the radar as well as ground-clutter suppression.

In September, Rockwell Collins said it will provide a multiscan radar for bizjets to accommodate the smaller antenna sizes they need of 12 and 18 in. So this is an example of airline-class avionics technology flowing to business aviation by way of the BBJ flight deck. The airline version, which is already standard on the BBJ, has a 28-in. antenna and includes wind shear protection.

Last summer, I flew on a BBJ over the North Atlantic. During the flight, Rockwell Collins radar engineers were perfecting new software to allow the multiscan radar to improve its automatic detection of storms in a particular region (AW&ST July 9, p. 44). This new geographic-discrimination software will be available soon on the BBJ.

Additional fuel tanks are added after the aircraft leaves the factory and goes to DeCrane Aerospace at Sussex County Airport in Georgetown, Del. This is also where the new enhanced vision system will be fitted.

Flight Management Computer – B737

Introduction

First introduced on the series 200 in Feb 1979 as the Performance Data Computer System (PDCS), the Flight Management Computer (FMC) was a huge technological step forward. Smiths Industries (formerly Lear Seigler) has supplied all FMCs installed on the 737.

The PDCS was developed jointly by Boeing and Lear Seigler in the late 1970′s. It enabled EPR and ASI bugs to be set by the computer and advise on the optimum flight level, all for best fuel economy. It was trialed on two in-service aircraft, a Continental 727-200 and a Lufthansa 737-200 for nine months in 1978 with regular line crews and a flight data observer. The 737-200 showed average fuel savings of 2.95% with a 2 minute increase in trip time over an average 71 minute flight. The 727 gave a 3.94% fuel saving because of its longer sector lengths. The PDCS quickly became standard fit and many were also retrofitted. By 1982 the autothrottle had been devised and thrust levers could be automatically driven to the values specified by the PDCS.

The true FMC was introduced with the 737-300 in 1984 this kept the performance database and functions but also added a navigation database which interacts with the autopilot & flight director, autothrottle and IRSs. The integrated system is known as the Flight Management System (FMS) of which the FMC is just one component. Most aircraft have just one FMC, but there is an option to have two this is usually only taken by operators into MNPS airspace eg Oceanic areas. The FMS can be defined as being capable of four dimensional area navigation (latitude, longitude, altitude & time) while optimising performance to achieve the most economical flight possible.

The photograph above is of the Control Display Unit (CDU), which is the pilot interface to the FMC. There are normally 2 CDUs but only one FMC. Think of it as having two keyboards connected to the one PC. The CDU in the photograph has a DIR INTC key at the beginning of the second row but some have a MENU key. This key gives access to the subsystems such as FMC, ACARS, DFDMU, etc.

In its most basic form, the FMC has a 96k word navigation database, where one word is two bytes (ie a 16 bit processor). This was increased to 192k words in 1988, 288k in 1990, 1 million in 1992 and is now at 4 Mega words for the 737-NG with Update 10.7. The navigation database is used to store route information which the autopilot will fly when in LNAV mode. When given data such as ZFW & MACTOW, it takes inputs from the fuel summation unit to give a gross weight and best speeds for climb, cruise, descent, holding, approach, driftdown etc. These speeds can all be flown directly by the autopilot & autothrottle in VNAV mode. It will also compute the aircrafts position based upon inputs from the IRSs, GPS and radio position updating.

The latest FMC – Model 2907C1, has a Motorola 68040 processor running at 60MHz (30Mhz bus clock speed), with 4Mb static RAM and 32Mb for program & database.


FMC Databases

An FMC has three databases: Software options (OP PROGRAM), Model/Engine data base (MEDB) and Navigation data base (NDB), all of which are stored on an EEPROM memory card. These databases can all be updated via the data loader.

The Software options database includes the operational program and its update, plus any company specific differences. For a full list of all FMC software updates and their features, please refer to the book.

The MEDB holds all the performance data for V speeds, min & max speeds in climb, cruise & descent, fuel consumptions, altitude capability etc.

The NDB is comprised of Permanent, Supplemental (SUPP) and Temporary (REF). The Permanent database cannot be modified by crew. There are four types of data: Waypoint, Navaid, Airport and Runway. Runway data is only held in the permanent database.

There is capacity in the SUPP and REF databases for up to 40 waypoints, 40 navaids and 6 airports. SUPP data can only be entered on the ground. It is then stored indefinitely but crew may delete individual data or the whole database. Any existing SUPP data should be checked for accuracy before flight using the SUMMARY option (U6+ only) or DELeted and re-entered, cross-checking any Lat & Longs between both crew members. All Temporary (REF) data is automatically deleted after flight completion.

When entering navaids into either the REF NAV DATA or SUPP NAV DATA database, you will be box prompted for a four letter “CLASS” classification code. The following table should be used:

Navaid Classification Codes

Box Numbers

VHF Navaids 1 2 3 4
VOR V
TACAN Ch 17-59, 70-117 T
MILITARY TACAN Ch 1-16, 60-69 M
DME D
ILS/DME I
Terminal T
Low Altitude L
High Altitude H
Use unrestricted by range or altitude U
Scheduled Weather Broadcast B
No Voice on Navaid Frequency W
Automatic Trans Weather Broadcast A

Eg. To create a new en-route VOR/DME, the Class code would be VDHW.


 

FMC Pages

Green: CRT, White: LCD

Pre-Flight Preparation Pages

The contents page. Pages required for the departure are listed on the left hand side.This INIT/REF INDEX page (shown right) is from an U6.2 aircraft equipped with ACARS and IRS navigation. Selecting MSG RECALL allows the recall of deleted CDU scratchpad messages whose set logic is still valid. ALTN DEST allows the entry of selected alternate airports.
The NG (U7+) has some extra options available.

The OFFSET function is used in-flight to fly parallel to a portion of the route. This may be used to avoid the turbulent wake of the aircraft ahead or to increase separation with opposite direction traffic.

5R will offer MAINT when on the ground, see below for some of these pages.

The contents page.

IDENT: Check aircraft model and engine rating is what you are flying, especially if your airline operates a mixed fleet. Also check the database effectivity and expiry dates. Software update number is given in brackets, here U10.5A. U10 was specifically designed for the 737-NG but can be used on classics.

The prompt at 6R leads onto POS INIT

POS INIT is used to enter the aircraft position into the IRS’s for alignment. The Lat & Longs of REF AIRPORTS & GATES are held in the database and do not need typing in but should be cross-checked against published data.
Routes are usually entered by inputting the CO ROUTE. Eg AMSLPLRPL = Amsterdam to Liverpool Repetitive Flight Plan. If the company route is not recognised the route can be entered manually by filling in the VIA & TO columns.
In-flight the OFFSET option will be available on U7 onwards. See below to use this to access the hidden NEAREST AIRPORTS and ALTERNATE DESTS pages.
After the route is entered, press the DEP ARR button on the CDU to access the departures and arrivals for the ends of the route.
This is a typical arrivals page and allows selection of the required SID, Transition and approach. These are denoted by <ACT> when they have been selected.
The PERF INIT page is completed before fight and gives the FMC the data to calculate leg times & fuels and the optimum & max altitudes.

Cost Index is the ratio of the time-related operating costs of the aircraft vs. the cost of fuel. If CI is 0 the FMC gives maximum range airspeed and minimum trip fuel. If CI is max the FMC gives Vmo/Mmo for climb & cruise; descent is restricted to 330kts to give an overspeed margin. The range of CI is 0-200 (Classics) and 0-500 (NGs).

CRZ WIND is actually used for both climb wind and cruise wind. If you enter the forecast top-of-climb wind before departure the FMC will recalculate your climb speed accordingly. When in the cruise if you enter the average cruise wind, the time and fuel calculations will be updated. If you do not enter anything here the FMC will assume still air.

In-Flight Pages

Standard take-off page for PF. Speeds & assumed temperature must be entered manually from performance tables. TO SHIFT should be entered if departing from an intersection as this is used to update the FMC positionwhen TOGA is pressed at the start of the take-off roll.Notice that the reduced takeoff N1′s (90.5/89.6) are different for each engine. This is because when the photo was taken only one pack (the right) was running.
Used for entry of de-rates, where allowed.
This is the N1 Limit page pre-U10. Provides thrust limit and reduced climb thrust selection. This is usually automatic but manual selections can be made here.

The most common use is either to select a reduced climb thrust (1 or 2) after a full power take-off to reduce engine wear or to delete the reduced climb thrust to get a high rate of climb.

One of the most useful pages in the Boeing FMC and has just been updated to six pages in update 10.6. The fix can be anything in the database ie airfield, beacon or waypoint. An abeam point can be constructed (as illustrated) or a radial or range circle can be displayed on the EHSI. Surprisingly, there is no equivalent page on the Airbus.

Climb Pages

Standard ECON CLB page. 302 (Kts IAS) is highlighted indicating that this is the target speed, this will automatically change over to mach (0.597 in this case) during the climb. Other climb modes are available with keys 5 & 6, L & R.CLB-1 indicates that the autothrottle is commanding a reduced thrust climb power (reduces N1 by approx 3% = 10% thrust reduction). CLB-2 is a reduction of a further 10% ie 20% total. The reduced climb thrust setting gradually increases to full climb power by 15,000ft.
Selecting MAX RATE from a climb page will show this page with the target speed not highlighted and the ERASE option available until the EXEC button is pressed. If EXEC is pressed you can return to ECON by line selecting it.
Selecting MAX ANGLE from a climb page will show this page with the target speed not highlighted and the ERASE option available until the EXEC button is pressed. If EXEC is pressed you can return to ECON by line selecting it.
Selecting ENG OUT on a climb page gives the following choice of LT or RT engines.
When the LT or RT engine has been selected this page shows your MAX ALT (climb or driftdown alt) TGT SPD and max cont N1. This is a useful page to check if flying over ground above 15,000ft. Remember the altitude penalties for anti-ice.The EXEC light will now be illuminated, if you press it you will lose all VNAV info. Select ERASE to return to the two engine CLB/CRZ pages.

Cruise Pages

Standard PF in-flight cruise page. The target speed (highlighted) is the ECON speed which is derived from the cost index and winds.

The fuel at EGLL figure is blank because either it is being recalculated or there is a route discontinuity.

 

Selecting ENG OUT on the cruise page will give this page which asks you to select which engine is inop.

After selecting the appropriate engine, the FMC will calculate your driftdown target speed and stabilisation altitude. It is worthwhile making this check before crossing over areas of high terrain. Do not press EXEC at any stage otherwise you will lose VNAV information, these actions can be undone by selecting ERASE.
Selecting LRC gives Long Range Cruise speed. This is calculated as 99% of the maximum range speed for a given weight & altitude in still air conditions. It is used in preference to MRC because it is a more stable speed and hence gives less autothrottle movement.

LRC takes no account of winds so it may give a higher fuel burn than ECON. It also takes no account of operating costs; hence it has little practical value.

Descent Pages

FPA is the actual flight path angle of the aircraft, it is zero in this example because the aircraft is in level flight. It is typically 3 to 4 degrees in a descent.

V/B is the required vertical bearing to reach the WPT/ALT ie TIGER/16000. This would be an altitude restriction in the LEGS page that you could enter (or delete) manually or with the ALT INTV button on the MCP if fitted.

V/S is the required vertical speed to make good the V/B.

As you approach your ToD the FPA will remain at zero (because the aircraft is in level flight), but the V/B and V/S will both increase until the V/B is at about 3 to 4 degrees, or whatever the FMC has calculated is the optimum value. If VNAV is engaged the aircraft will descend with a FPA equal to the V/B. The actual V/S will however be slightly different to the computed V/S because V/S changes during the descent.

FMC position can be forced to any of the other positions at this page.
You can either select a waypoint from the legs page or use PPOS (Present POSition) on which to base the hold. The database will give the turn direction & inbound course. Leg time will be that appropriate to your altitude . Target speed will default to the best speed which will be that for max endurance. Hold avail is calculated from the present fuel, fuel flow and reserves figure entered into the PERF INIT page.
Very rarely used. Sets min & max speed limits for climb, cruise & descent.
Very useful howgozit page, but don’t trust the fuel summation unit! it always overreads by approx 1-200kgs. For an accurate arrival fuel subtract 2-300kgs to allow for this and the drag of flying slower than the optimum speed whilst on the approach.
Very rarely used but can be used to try to reach a waypoint at a specific time.
PROGRESS 3/3: Standard landing page for PF. Especially useful for giving crosswind component and SAT in icing conditions. Confusingly this page has now been moved to 2/4 on U10.7, so instead of selecting Progress-Prev Page you now have to select Progress-Next Page.

APPROACH REF: Standard landing page for PNF. Vref is calculated from the current gross weight, pedants may wish to overwrite the GROSS WT with the predicted GW for landing.Vref is “hardened” by line-selecting it over itself which will cause it to be displayed on the speed tape.

IRS Navigation Pages (If installed)

The following pages are only available on ANS equipped aircraft.

Similar to ACT RTE LEGS.
Similar to PROGRESS.
Similar to ACT RTE DATA.

Maintenance Pages

Caution do not access these pages without engineering supervision.

Hidden Pages

These are various pages hidden away in most FMC’s that are not always immediately available to the pilots, I suspect because there would be a surcharge to their airlines to use them. There are some ingenious ways of getting to these pages by careful use of simultaneous CDU entries.

This is not a hidden page, but it is the way into them. You can bring up this OFFSET page either from RTE or INIT/REF INDEX.

1. Have this page displayed on both CDU’s.

2. Enter any offset but do not execute.

3. Simultaneously press ERASE on both CDU’s.

These steps will bring ALTERNATE DESTS. (See below)

You can enter up to 5 alternates here, selecting 1R to 5R against any entered alternate will show the info below…
All the diversion data is now shown based on you flying direct to this alternate from present position (VIA DIRECT). Selecting MISSED APP will show the same data but calculated from the missed approach point.Selecting nearest airports will give…
This extremely useful page takes a couple of minutes to calculate but will list the nearest airports in the database in order of DTG.

Once again, line selection of 1R to 5R will give more useful diversion information as shown below.

All the diversion data is now shown based on you flying direct to this airport from present position (VIA DIRECT). Selecting MISSED APP will show the same data but calculated from the missed approach point.Selecting INDEX to return to the normal pages.

Contents

See more details about the book

All of the information, photographs & schematics from this website and much more is now available in a 370 page, 8.5″ x 11″ book available here.

Updated 3 Sept 11

Introduction

First introduced on the series 200 in Feb 1979 as the Performance Data Computer System (PDCS), the Flight Management Computer (FMC) was a huge technological step forward. Smiths Industries (formerly Lear Seigler) has supplied all FMCs installed on the 737.

The PDCS was developed jointly by Boeing and Lear Seigler in the late 1970′s. It enabled EPR and ASI bugs to be set by the computer and advise on the optimum flight level, all for best fuel economy. It was trialed on two in-service aircraft, a Continental 727-200 and a Lufthansa 737-200 for nine months in 1978 with regular line crews and a flight data observer. The 737-200 showed average fuel savings of 2.95% with a 2 minute increase in trip time over an average 71 minute flight. The 727 gave a 3.94% fuel saving because of its longer sector lengths. The PDCS quickly became standard fit and many were also retrofitted. By 1982 the autothrottle had been devised and thrust levers could be automatically driven to the values specified by the PDCS.

The true FMC was introduced with the 737-300 in 1984 this kept the performance database and functions but also added a navigation database which interacts with the autopilot & flight director, autothrottle and IRSs. The integrated system is known as the Flight Management System (FMS) of which the FMC is just one component. Most aircraft have just one FMC, but there is an option to have two this is usually only taken by operators into MNPS airspace eg Oceanic areas. The FMS can be defined as being capable of four dimensional area navigation (latitude, longitude, altitude & time) while optimising performance to achieve the most economical flight possible.

The photograph above is of the Control Display Unit (CDU), which is the pilot interface to the FMC. There are normally 2 CDUs but only one FMC. Think of it as having two keyboards connected to the one PC. The CDU in the photograph has a DIR INTC key at the beginning of the second row but some have a MENU key. This key gives access to the subsystems such as FMC, ACARS, DFDMU, etc.

In its most basic form, the FMC has a 96k word navigation database, where one word is two bytes (ie a 16 bit processor). This was increased to 192k words in 1988, 288k in 1990, 1 million in 1992 and is now at 4 Mega words for the 737-NG with Update 10.7. The navigation database is used to store route information which the autopilot will fly when in LNAV mode. When given data such as ZFW & MACTOW, it takes inputs from the fuel summation unit to give a gross weight and best speeds for climb, cruise, descent, holding, approach, driftdown etc. These speeds can all be flown directly by the autopilot & autothrottle in VNAV mode. It will also compute the aircrafts position based upon inputs from the IRSs, GPS and radio position updating.

The latest FMC – Model 2907C1, has a Motorola 68040 processor running at 60MHz (30Mhz bus clock speed), with 4Mb static RAM and 32Mb for program & database.


FMC Databases

An FMC has three databases: Software options (OP PROGRAM), Model/Engine data base (MEDB) and Navigation data base (NDB), all of which are stored on an EEPROM memory card. These databases can all be updated via the data loader.

The Software options database includes the operational program and its update, plus any company specific differences. For a full list of all FMC software updates and their features, please refer to the book.

The MEDB holds all the performance data for V speeds, min & max speeds in climb, cruise & descent, fuel consumptions, altitude capability etc.

The NDB is comprised of Permanent, Supplemental (SUPP) and Temporary (REF). The Permanent database cannot be modified by crew. There are four types of data: Waypoint, Navaid, Airport and Runway. Runway data is only held in the permanent database.

There is capacity in the SUPP and REF databases for up to 40 waypoints, 40 navaids and 6 airports. SUPP data can only be entered on the ground. It is then stored indefinitely but crew may delete individual data or the whole database. Any existing SUPP data should be checked for accuracy before flight using the SUMMARY option (U6+ only) or DELeted and re-entered, cross-checking any Lat & Longs between both crew members. All Temporary (REF) data is automatically deleted after flight completion.

When entering navaids into either the REF NAV DATA or SUPP NAV DATA database, you will be box prompted for a four letter “CLASS” classification code. The following table should be used:

Navaid Classification Codes

Box Numbers

VHF Navaids 1 2 3 4
VOR V
TACAN Ch 17-59, 70-117 T
MILITARY TACAN Ch 1-16, 60-69 M
DME D
ILS/DME I
Terminal T
Low Altitude L
High Altitude H
Use unrestricted by range or altitude U
Scheduled Weather Broadcast B
No Voice on Navaid Frequency W
Automatic Trans Weather Broadcast A

Eg. To create a new en-route VOR/DME, the Class code would be VDHW.


FMC Pages

Green: CRT, White: LCD

Pre-Flight Preparation Pages

The contents page. Pages required for the departure are listed on the left hand side.This INIT/REF INDEX page (shown right) is from an U6.2 aircraft equipped with ACARS and IRS navigation. Selecting MSG RECALL allows the recall of deleted CDU scratchpad messages whose set logic is still valid. ALTN DEST allows the entry of selected alternate airports.
The NG (U7+) has some extra options available.

The OFFSET function is used in-flight to fly parallel to a portion of the route. This may be used to avoid the turbulent wake of the aircraft ahead or to increase separation with opposite direction traffic.

5R will offer MAINT when on the ground, see below for some of these pages.

The contents page.

IDENT: Check aircraft model and engine rating is what you are flying, especially if your airline operates a mixed fleet. Also check the database effectivity and expiry dates. Software update number is given in brackets, here U10.5A. U10 was specifically designed for the 737-NG but can be used on classics.

The prompt at 6R leads onto POS INIT

POS INIT is used to enter the aircraft position into the IRS’s for alignment. The Lat & Longs of REF AIRPORTS & GATES are held in the database and do not need typing in but should be cross-checked against published data.
Routes are usually entered by inputting the CO ROUTE. Eg AMSLPLRPL = Amsterdam to Liverpool Repetitive Flight Plan. If the company route is not recognised the route can be entered manually by filling in the VIA & TO columns.
In-flight the OFFSET option will be available on U7 onwards. See below to use this to access the hidden NEAREST AIRPORTS and ALTERNATE DESTS pages.
After the route is entered, press the DEP ARR button on the CDU to access the departures and arrivals for the ends of the route.
This is a typical arrivals page and allows selection of the required SID, Transition and approach. These are denoted by <ACT> when they have been selected.
The PERF INIT page is completed before fight and gives the FMC the data to calculate leg times & fuels and the optimum & max altitudes.

Cost Index is the ratio of the time-related operating costs of the aircraft vs. the cost of fuel. If CI is 0 the FMC gives maximum range airspeed and minimum trip fuel. If CI is max the FMC gives Vmo/Mmo for climb & cruise; descent is restricted to 330kts to give an overspeed margin. The range of CI is 0-200 (Classics) and 0-500 (NGs).

CRZ WIND is actually used for both climb wind and cruise wind. If you enter the forecast top-of-climb wind before departure the FMC will recalculate your climb speed accordingly. When in the cruise if you enter the average cruise wind, the time and fuel calculations will be updated. If you do not enter anything here the FMC will assume still air.

In-Flight Pages

Standard take-off page for PF. Speeds & assumed temperature must be entered manually from performance tables. TO SHIFT should be entered if departing from an intersection as this is used to update the FMC positionwhen TOGA is pressed at the start of the take-off roll.Notice that the reduced takeoff N1′s (90.5/89.6) are different for each engine. This is because when the photo was taken only one pack (the right) was running.
Used for entry of de-rates, where allowed.
This is the N1 Limit page pre-U10. Provides thrust limit and reduced climb thrust selection. This is usually automatic but manual selections can be made here.

The most common use is either to select a reduced climb thrust (1 or 2) after a full power take-off to reduce engine wear or to delete the reduced climb thrust to get a high rate of climb.

One of the most useful pages in the Boeing FMC and has just been updated to six pages in update 10.6. The fix can be anything in the database ie airfield, beacon or waypoint. An abeam point can be constructed (as illustrated) or a radial or range circle can be displayed on the EHSI. Surprisingly, there is no equivalent page on the Airbus.

Climb Pages

Standard ECON CLB page. 302 (Kts IAS) is highlighted indicating that this is the target speed, this will automatically change over to mach (0.597 in this case) during the climb. Other climb modes are available with keys 5 & 6, L & R.CLB-1 indicates that the autothrottle is commanding a reduced thrust climb power (reduces N1 by approx 3% = 10% thrust reduction). CLB-2 is a reduction of a further 10% ie 20% total. The reduced climb thrust setting gradually increases to full climb power by 15,000ft.
Selecting MAX RATE from a climb page will show this page with the target speed not highlighted and the ERASE option available until the EXEC button is pressed. If EXEC is pressed you can return to ECON by line selecting it.
Selecting MAX ANGLE from a climb page will show this page with the target speed not highlighted and the ERASE option available until the EXEC button is pressed. If EXEC is pressed you can return to ECON by line selecting it.
Selecting ENG OUT on a climb page gives the following choice of LT or RT engines.
When the LT or RT engine has been selected this page shows your MAX ALT (climb or driftdown alt) TGT SPD and max cont N1. This is a useful page to check if flying over ground above 15,000ft. Remember the altitude penalties for anti-ice.The EXEC light will now be illuminated, if you press it you will lose all VNAV info. Select ERASE to return to the two engine CLB/CRZ pages.

Cruise Pages

Standard PF in-flight cruise page. The target speed (highlighted) is the ECON speed which is derived from the cost index and winds.

The fuel at EGLL figure is blank because either it is being recalculated or there is a route discontinuity.

Selecting ENG OUT on the cruise page will give this page which asks you to select which engine is inop.
After selecting the appropriate engine, the FMC will calculate your driftdown target speed and stabilisation altitude. It is worthwhile making this check before crossing over areas of high terrain. Do not press EXEC at any stage otherwise you will lose VNAV information, these actions can be undone by selecting ERASE.
Selecting LRC gives Long Range Cruise speed. This is calculated as 99% of the maximum range speed for a given weight & altitude in still air conditions. It is used in preference to MRC because it is a more stable speed and hence gives less autothrottle movement.

LRC takes no account of winds so it may give a higher fuel burn than ECON. It also takes no account of operating costs; hence it has little practical value.

Descent Pages

FPA is the actual flight path angle of the aircraft, it is zero in this example because the aircraft is in level flight. It is typically 3 to 4 degrees in a descent.

V/B is the required vertical bearing to reach the WPT/ALT ie TIGER/16000. This would be an altitude restriction in the LEGS page that you could enter (or delete) manually or with the ALT INTV button on the MCP if fitted.

V/S is the required vertical speed to make good the V/B.

As you approach your ToD the FPA will remain at zero (because the aircraft is in level flight), but the V/B and V/S will both increase until the V/B is at about 3 to 4 degrees, or whatever the FMC has calculated is the optimum value. If VNAV is engaged the aircraft will descend with a FPA equal to the V/B. The actual V/S will however be slightly different to the computed V/S because V/S changes during the descent.

FMC position can be forced to any of the other positions at this page.
You can either select a waypoint from the legs page or use PPOS (Present POSition) on which to base the hold. The database will give the turn direction & inbound course. Leg time will be that appropriate to your altitude . Target speed will default to the best speed which will be that for max endurance. Hold avail is calculated from the present fuel, fuel flow and reserves figure entered into the PERF INIT page.
Very rarely used. Sets min & max speed limits for climb, cruise & descent.
Very useful howgozit page, but don’t trust the fuel summation unit! it always overreads by approx 1-200kgs. For an accurate arrival fuel subtract 2-300kgs to allow for this and the drag of flying slower than the optimum speed whilst on the approach.
Very rarely used but can be used to try to reach a waypoint at a specific time.
PROGRESS 3/3: Standard landing page for PF. Especially useful for giving crosswind component and SAT in icing conditions. Confusingly this page has now been moved to 2/4 on U10.7, so instead of selecting Progress-Prev Page you now have to select Progress-Next Page.

APPROACH REF: Standard landing page for PNF. Vref is calculated from the current gross weight, pedants may wish to overwrite the GROSS WT with the predicted GW for landing.Vref is “hardened” by line-selecting it over itself which will cause it to be displayed on the speed tape.

IRS Navigation Pages (If installed)

The following pages are only available on ANS equipped aircraft.

Similar to ACT RTE LEGS.
Similar to PROGRESS.
Similar to ACT RTE DATA.

Maintenance Pages

Caution do not access these pages without engineering supervision.

Hidden Pages

These are various pages hidden away in most FMC’s that are not always immediately available to the pilots, I suspect because there would be a surcharge to their airlines to use them. There are some ingenious ways of getting to these pages by careful use of simultaneous CDU entries.

This is not a hidden page, but it is the way into them. You can bring up this OFFSET page either from RTE or INIT/REF INDEX.

1. Have this page displayed on both CDU’s.

2. Enter any offset but do not execute.

3. Simultaneously press ERASE on both CDU’s.

These steps will bring ALTERNATE DESTS. (See below)

You can enter up to 5 alternates here, selecting 1R to 5R against any entered alternate will show the info below…
All the diversion data is now shown based on you flying direct to this alternate from present position (VIA DIRECT). Selecting MISSED APP will show the same data but calculated from the missed approach point.Selecting nearest airports will give…
This extremely useful page takes a couple of minutes to calculate but will list the nearest airports in the database in order of DTG.

Once again, line selection of 1R to 5R will give more useful diversion information as shown below.

All the diversion data is now shown based on you flying direct to this airport from present position (VIA DIRECT). Selecting MISSED APP will show the same data but calculated from the missed approach point.Selecting INDEX to return to the normal pages.

Advanced Blended Winglets -B737

Winglets

The most noticeable feature to appear on new 737s are the winglets. These are wing tip extensions which reduce lift induced drag and provide some extra lift. They have been credited to Dr Louis Gratzer formerly Chief of Aerodynamics at Boeing and now with Aviation Partners Boeing (APB). They were first flown on a 737-800 in June 1998 as a testbed for use on the BBJ. They are now available as a standard production line option for all NGs with the exception of the -600 series, for which Boeing is “continuing to assess the applicability”. They are also available as a retrofit from APB. They are 8ft 2in tall and about 4 feet wide at the base, narrowing to approximately two feet at the tip and add almost 5 feet to the total wingspan. The winglet for the Classic is slightly shorter at 7ft tall. Over half of all 737NGs have had winglets retrofitted.

Winglets are also available for Classics. The first winglet equipped 737-300 flew in Nov 2002 and gained its FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) on 30 May 2003. Winglet equipped Classics are known as Special Performance (SP).

Winglets have the potential to give the following benefits:

  • Improved climb gradient. This will enable a higher RTOW from climb limited airports (hot, high or noise abatement) or obstacle limited runways.
  • Reduced climb thrust. A winglet equipped aircraft can typically take a 3% derate over the non-winglet equivalent aircraft. This can extend engine life and reduce maintenance costs.
  • Environmentally friendly. The derate, if taken, will reduce the noise footprint by 6.5% and NOx emissions by 5%. This could give savings on airport noise quotas or fines.
  • Reduced cruise thrust. Cruise fuel flow is reduced by up to 6% giving savings in fuel costs and increasing range.
  • Improved cruise performance. Winglets can allow aircraft to reach higher levels sooner. Air Berlin notes, “Previously, we’d step-climb from 35,000 to 41,000 feet. With Blended Winglets, we can now climb direct to 41,000 feet where traffic congestion is much less and we can take advantage of direct routings and shortcuts which we could not otherwise consider.”
  • Good looks. Winglets bring a modern look and feel to aircraft, and improve customers’ perceptions of the airline.

If winglets are so good, you may wonder why all 737s don’t have them. In fact 85% of all new 737s are now built with winglets, particularly the 800 and 900 series and of course all BBJs. It comes down to cost versus benefits. Winglets cost about $725,000USD and take about 1 week to install which costs an extra $25-80,000USD. Once fitted, they add 170-235kg (375-518lbs) to the weight of the aircraft, depending upon whether they were installed at production or a retrofit. The fuel cost of carrying this extra weight will take some flying time each sector to recover, although this is offset by the need to carry less fuel because of the increased range. In simple terms, if your average sector length is short (less than one hour) you wont get much the benefit from winglets – unless you need any of the other benefits such as reduced noise or you regularly operate from obstacle limited runways.

There is a small difference in rotation rate for aircraft with winglets installed and, as a result, the crew needs to be cautious of pitch rate. There is approximately a ½ unit take-off trim change between non-winglet and winglet aircraft so the green band is slightly different for winglet aircraft. Finally, the dry “maximum demonstrated” crosswind limit is slightly reduced with winglets to 34kts. According to APB this is because “the FAA will only let us document the max winds experienced during flight test… so if we had been able to find more crosswind, then the 33kts might have been more. There appears to be no weather cocking effect due to winglets.”

Other winglet News Stories

An excellent article by Boeing in Aero 17 is available at:

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_17/winglet_story.html

Next-Generation 737 Production Winglets

Description
Winglets are wing tip extensions which provide several benefits to airplane operators. The winglet option increases the Next-Generation 737′s lead as the newest and most technologically advanced airplane in its class. These new technology winglets are now available on 737-800s as well as on the Boeing Business Jet (737-700 and 737-800).

There are two types of winglet available, Boeing’s own built into the wing at the time of manufacture and the APB winglet as a retrofit.

Benefits
Depending on the airplane, its cargo, the airline’s routes and other factors, winglets have the potential to give:IMPROVED TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE

By allowing a steeper climb, winglets pay off in better takeoff performance, especially from obstacle-limited, high, hot, weight-limited, and/or noise-restricted airports. Performance Improved climb gradients increase 737-800 allowable takeoff weight (TOW).

Some examples include:

  • Chicago-Midway: ~1,600 lb additional TOW
  • Lanzarote (Canary Islands): ~3,500 lb additional TOW
  • Albuquerque, Denver, and Salt Lake City: ~4,400 lb additional TOW

REDUCED ENGINE MAINTENANCE COSTS

Better climb performance also allows lower thrust settings, thus extending engine life and reducing maintenance costs. Lower Required Thrust Levels Extend On-Wing Life.

Takeoff – Winglets allow up to 3% incremental derate.

Cruise – Cruise thrust levels are reduced by up to 4%.

FUEL SAVINGS

Winglets lower drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, thus reducing fuel burn. Depending on the missions you fly, blended winglets can improve cruise fuel mileage up to 6 percent, especially important during a time of rising fuel prices.

INCREASED PAYLOAD RANGE

The addition of Aviation Partners Blended Winglets to the 737 Next Generation has demonstrated drag reduction in the 5 to 7% range that measurably increases range and fuel efficiency . In addition, the Blended Winglets allow the 737-NG to take off from higher, hotter airports with increased payload.

Series Range (nm) Normal Range (nm) With Winglets
-700 3250 3634
-800 2930 3060
-900 2670 2725

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

With winglets, you can be a good neighbour in the community you serve. They enhance performance at noise-restricted airports and cut the affected area by 6.5 percent, saving you money on airport noise quotas or fines. By reducing fuel consumption, winglets help lower NOx emissions by 5%.

IMPROVED OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY

By increasing Payload Range and Overall Performance, Blended Winglets add flexibility to fleet operations and route selection. Air Berlin notes, “Previously, we’d step-climb from 35,000 to 41,000 feet. With Blended Winglets, we can now climb direct to 41,000 feet where traffic congestion is much less and we can take advantage of direct routings and shortcuts which we could not otherwise consider.”

MODERN DRAMATIC APPEARANCE

Blended Winglets bring a modern look and feel to aircraft, and improve customers’ perceptions of the reliability and modernity of the Airline.

Dimensions
Each winglet is 8 feet long and 4 feet in width at the base, narrowing to approximately two feet at the tip.

Added wingspan
Winglets add approximately 5 feet to the airplane’s total wingspan – from 112 feet 7 inches to 117 feet 2 inches. (All Next-Generation 737 models have the same wingspan.)

Weight
Each winglet weighs about 132 pounds. Increased weight to the airplane for modifying wing and installing winglets is about 480 pounds.

Airplane provisions
Structural modifications to accommodate the winglet include strengthening the wing’s centre section and other internal strengthening on the wing. These enhancements are done in the normal production process. Various systems changes have also been made to accommodate winglet installation.

Offerability
Production and retrofit winglets for the Next-Generation 737s are available through Boeing (production) and Aviation Partners Boeing (retrofit). Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) is a joint venture partnership between Boeing and Aviation Partners Inc. (API).

Certification
Retrofit FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was granted to APB on 3/23/2001. LBA (German regulatory agency) STC was granted to APB on 5/4/2001. JAA STC was granted May 2001. Boeing PLOD (program letter of definition) was granted 5/9/2001 by both the FAA and JAA for Boeing production.

Availability
737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-BBJ – available now. Deliveries began May 2001. Initial customers included: South African Airways, Air Berlin, American Trans Air, Polynesian Airlines, and Hainan Airlines – both through direct purchase and leasing options via ILF, GATX, GE Capital Corp., and Flightlease.

Operational Considerations
There is a small difference in rotation rate for airplanes with winglets installed and, as a result, the crew needs to be cautious of pitch rate. There is also approximately a ½ unit take-off trim change between non-winglet and winglet aircraft so the green band is slightly different for winglet aircraft.


737-200 Mini-Winglets

  This is a 737-200Adv, L/N 628, fitted with mini-winglets. This is part of the Quiet Wing Corp flap modification kit which gained its FAA certification in 2005. The package includes drooping the TE flaps by 4 degrees and the ailerons by 1 degree to increase to camber of the wing. Benefits include:

  • Payload Increase of up to 5,000 lbs.
  • Range Increase up to 3%
  • Fuel Savings up to 3%
  • Improved Takeoff/Landing Climb Gradients
  • Reduced Takeoff/Landing Field Length
  • Improved High Altitude Takeoff/Landing Capability
  • Improved Hot Climate Performance
  • Reduced Stall Speeds by 4-5kts

Photo: Julian Whitelaw


News Stories

30 Apr 2007 – APB selects UK supplier as it launches 767-300ER programme with American order UK-based GKN Aerospace has been selected by Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) as a new supplier of the US company’s blended winglets for the rapidly expanding Boeing 737 “Classic” and newly launched 767 retrofit programmes, while United Airlines is poised to start retrofitting its 757s.

The aerostructures specialist joins APB winglet supplier Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Winglets for the 737 Next Generation. Despite the much-needed addition of GKN, APB says the 737 Classic retrofit line is sold out through 2009 at the rate of six shipsets a month. “We’re still going to ramp up as fast as we can, but it will be the end of this year or early next before they can begin providing the first parts,” says APB vice-president sales Patrick LaMoria.


26 Dec 2006 – Aviation Partners Boeing Launches 737-900 Blended Winglet Program

With program launch of Aviation Partners Boeing 737-900 Blended Winglets, and first deliveries slated for December 2007, the world’s airways will soon be making room for even more Blended Winglet Performance Enhanced airplanes. Launch customers Continental Airlines, KLM and Alaska Airlines plan to complete the retrofit of their 737- 900s by the end of the first quarter of 2008.

“We’ve had a great deal of customer interest in 737-900 Blended Winglets and this important new program gives more of our operators commonality and the ability to fly with 100% Blended Winglet equipped 737NG fleets,” says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO John Reimers. “This program is off to a very strong start and we anticipate that the remaining handful of operators of the 737-900 will be unable to ignore the tremendous value Blended Winglets add to the aircraft.”

Benefits of Aviation Partners Boeing’s Visible Technology are nothing short of dramatic in fuel savings, improved performance and environmental advantages. Given average aircraft utilization rates, operators will save over 100,000 gallons (380,000 liters) of fuel per aircraft per year resulting in a payback on investment of less than 3 years. Noise footprint, on takeoff and landing, is reduced by an average of 6.5% while engine emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides are lowered on the order of 5.0%.

“Blended Winglets will give KLM improved range and payload on many longer stage lengths in its European Network,” says KLM’s Vice President of Fleet Services Rene Kalmann. “Further this decision fits in KLM’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy to invest in environmental protection that goes beyond regulatory compliance.”

For KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Blended Winglet equipped 737-900s will continue to provide important fuel savings while adding to fleet commonality — the airline will be installing 21 additional Blended Winglet Systems on the 737-800 beginning in March 2007. All 737-800s in KLM’s fleet will be Winglet equipped by February 2008.

“Continental remains steadfast in its efforts to improve aircraft performance and reduce fuel usage. Equipping our 737-900s with Blended Winglets moves us closer to that goal,” says John Greenlee, Managing Director of Fleet Planning for Continental. “The fuel efficiency improvements offered by Blended Winglets coupled with our young fleet provide Continental with a natural hedge against volatile fuel prices.”

For Continental Airlines, Blended Winglet equipped 737-900s will complement the carrier’s existing winglet equipped aircraft, which include 100% of its 737-700s, 737-800s and 757-200s. To date the airline has installed winglets on 182 aircraft and plans to add over 100 additional Systems in the next few years as it will soon begin retrofitting winglets onto its 737 Classic fleet while continuing to take new 737NG aircraft with winglets, including the new 737-900ER.

“Our long-haul flying will benefit greatly from the fuel savings and payload advantages provided by blended winglets,” said Scott Ridge, Alaska Airlines’ managing director of technical operations and support. “We’ve seen the value of the winglets on our other next-generation 737s and look forward to achieving similar efficiencies with our -900s.”

Alaska’s order for 9 shipsets of 737-900 Blended Winglets adds to their current order of: 19 737-700′s and 37 737-800′s of which 33 are already in service.

By year-end 2006, over 1500 Blended Winglet Shipsets will be in service with over 100 airlines in more than 40 countries on 6 continents. Currently, 65% of in-service fleet of 737-700s, and 57% of in-service 737-800s, are Blended Winglet Equipped. By 2010, with over 4500 airliners upgraded, APB anticipates that Blended Winglet Technology will have saved commercial airlines over 2 billion gallons of fuel.


5 Apr 2005 – MAS to install winglets for Boeing

The Boeing Co. signed a deal with Malaysia’s national carrier yesterday to set up a regional winglet modification center outside the capital, Kuala Lumpur, a Boeing official said.

Aviation Partners Boeing and Malaysia Airlines Engineering sealed the agreement yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, agreeing to operate the first center in Southeast Asia to install fuel-saving winglet technology on Boeing’s 737s.

The pact will enable the engineering firm to become a one-stop shop for airlines, said Craig McCallum, sales director of Aviation Partners Boeing.

More than 100 aircraft are expected to go through the Malaysian center for conversion in the next three to four years, McCallum said. The facility will cater to the needs of airliners from countries such as Indonesia, India and Malaysia.

Boeing will provide all manufacturing and engineering support, tools and training to the center.

The announcement comes amid rumors that Malaysian Airlines is considering buying 737-800s. However, Boeing denied any link between the airline’s purchase order and the facility deal.

The Malaysia facility will be the fourth in the Asia-Pacific region, joining facilities in China, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

“Growth in blended winglet sales has been nothing short of spectacular lately, and much of this growth has been in the Asia-Pacific region,” Mike Marino, Aviation Partners Boeing CEO, said in a statement.

Introduced in 1999, the winglet technology has become popular because of the significant fuel savings it provides for aircraft — ranging from 100,000 to 250,000 gallons per year per aircraft. The winglet system is currently available for Boeing 737s, and efforts are under way to offer them on 757s, 767s and 777s in the future.


14 Jan 2005 – Hapag-Lloyd Original Launch Customer Comes Back for More APB Blended Winglets

Hapag-Lloyd Flug, a member of the TUI Group and the launch customer for Boeing 737-800 Blended Winglets 4 years ago, has ordered 10 additional Blended Winglet Systems. The Boeing Company will install the Blended Winglets as Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) on new 737-800s to be delivered between January 2006 and May 2007. Hapag-Lloyd operates a 100% Blended Winglet Equipped fleet of 737-800s. After 4 years of enjoying dramatic fuel savings, along with measurable performance and environmental benefits made possible with Blended Winglet Technology, this leading charter operator is sold on the benefits of Aviation Partners Boeing Technology.

“This important order is a real affirmation of the outstanding value of our product,” says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. “Hapag-Lloyd, our most experienced customer, has an intimate understanding of the compelling value of Blended Winglet Technology.”

Hapag-Lloyd enjoys a wide range of operational benefits with Aviation Partners Boeing’s patented* Blended Winglet Technology. At current fuel prices the fuel savings alone translates into a Blended Winglet Payback of under 4 years. Additional important benefits include greater payload-range capability and environmental advantages in terms of reduced engine emissions and reduced noise on takeoff.

Aviation Partners Boeing Vice President of Sales & Contracts Patrick LaMoria reports that Hapag-Lloyd needed no convincing to come in with its second Blended Winglet order. “Hapag-Lloyd’s experience operating with Blended Winglet Technology has made including them with every new Boeing aircraft they operate a very simple decision.”

By mid-2005 over half of all Boeing 737-800 and 700 series aircraft will be equipped with Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets.


7 Oct 2004 – Continental Airlines to Take Shipset #500 for NG Boeing 737-800

While delivery of shipset 500 is a milestone in the history of Aviation Partners Boeing, it’s just a hint of things to come as the global airline industry transitions to patented* Blended Winglet Technology.

Blended Winglet Equipped Boeing aircraft are now flying on every continent. Current orders and options stand at over 1200 shipsets with a potential universe of 10,500 Boeing aircraft in the retrofit market alone.

“We’re only in the early stages in terms of meeting the growing demand for Performance Enhancing Blended Winglet Technology. But, it’s a significant beginning,” says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. “Blended Winglet Equipped commercial aircraft save fuel, operate with enhanced performance due to a higher lift wing, and are measurably more environmentally friendly. Today’s 500 Blended Winglet Equipped 737 are saving over 50 million gallons of fuel each year. If all Boeing aircraft worldwide were retrofitted with Blended Winglet Systems worldwide fuel savings would be close to 1.8 billion gallons each year.”

Aviation Partners Inc. developed Blended Winglet Technology in the early 1990s. Sized for maximum performance, and with a wider sweep transition between wing and winglet, Blended Winglets are typically 80% more effective than today’s conventional angular winglet systems. Typical operator benefits include fuel savings of up to 5%, depending upon flight profile, improved performance from high and hot airfields, faster time to climb, lowered engine emissions and a 6.5% reduction in takeoff noise footprint.

“The future is as exciting for us as it is for our customers worldwide who look forward to improving the performance, fuel savings and overall return on investment of their aircraft,” says Aviation Partners Boeing Chairman Joe Clark. “We believe that anytime you can improve the productivity and environmental benefits of an existing airplane, it’s a wise investment.”


10 Jul 2003 – Air Plus Comet Becomes World’s First Operator of Boeing 737-300 with Winglets

Air Plus Comet yesterday became the world’s first operator of a Boeing 737-300 with advanced-technology blended winglets and the latest carrier in Spain operating Boeing airplanes.

The winglets, which curve out and up from the plane’s wing tips, improve an airplane’s performance and allow it to fly more than 185km farther than a 737-300 without winglets. Winglets also offer excellent environmental benefits, including reduced fuel use, takeoff and landing noise, and in-flight engine emissions.

“As the first worldwide customer for the new 737-300 blended winglet, we will be the first to experience the fuel savings and environmental benefits they bring,” said Alejandro Avila, Air Plus Comet technical director.

The 737-300, leased from Aircraft Leasing Management, was delivered today. Headquartered in Madrid, Air Plus Comet provides long-distance charter flights between Spain and European locations and the Americas. It began operations in 1997.

Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture of Boeing and Aviation Partners, Inc., developed the winglets. The winglets can be installed on 737-300, -400, -700 and -800 models. More than 28 carriers fly nearly 300 winglet-equipped 737s.


18 Feb 2003 – 737-300 Winglet Certification Delay

The STC for a retrofited winglet on the 737-300 has been delayed due to problems discovered during the low speed handling phase of flight testing in Arizona. The winglets were producing handling deficiencies near V2 at high gross weights caused by flow separation around the transition to the winglet. Possible solutions include aerodynamic to the wingtips and outboard vortex generators.


5 Dec 2002 – Blended winglet Boeing 737 makes European inroads

Sobelair, a Belgian charter operation, is leasing its first Boeing 737-800 with blended winglets.

The winglet gives the Wichita-made 737 reducing wing drag, and making the wing more aerodynamically efficient, officials say.

“Sobelair flies particularly long routes to destinations in Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East,” says Aviation Partners Boeing sales director Patrick LaMoria, who is handling the lease.

By the end of 2002, close to 200 Boeing Next-Generation 737s will be equipped with APB’s patented Blended Winglet Technology. Following introduction of Blended Winglet Systems for Classic Series 737s, mid-2003, APB will certify Blended Winglet Systems for the 747-400.


Oct 2002 – Boeing 737-300 Blended Winglets Delivered

Kawasaki delivered its first Blended Winglets. to Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) in October. Kawasaki is designing, developing and manufacturing the patented innovative winglets for the Boeing 737-300/400/500 models under an official agreement inked with APB in October last year (see Feb. 2002 Business Activities).

Blended winglets, which are made of a high-tech composite material specially developed for aircraft, are attached to the tips of the wings to enhance performance by extending flight ranges, reducing noise and making other improvements. Winglets are already a standard feature on the Boeing Business Jet. The Boeing 737-700/800 models and Gulfstream’s GII Business Jets have also been equipped with them. It is anticipated that they will also be fitted to a wider range of Boeing’s existing aircraft, including the 747, 757 and 767 fleets. There are currently 1,000 Boeing 737-300 jetliners in operation around the globe. The winglets will be available as an option for those Boeing aircraft being retrofitted.

Kawasaki used its proprietary KMS- 6115 composite material to create the latest winglets. KMS-6115 is made from high-performance carbon fibers and toughened epoxy resin, with much greater tensile and compressive strength than conventional composite materials. This is the first time KMS-6115 will be used in a Boeing aircraft.


26 Feb 2002 – Partnership with Boeing ‘starting to take off’

Seattle PI –

If you choose to sleep with an elephant, just be careful it doesn’t roll over during the night. The advice, and warning, came from a well regarded aerospace executive of a small company who years ago lay down with an industry giant for a promising joint venture. It proved a painful experience. The executive mentioned the elephant adage recently when talking about Joe Clark, founder of Aviation Partners, a small Seattle company that developed revolutionary blended winglets that attach to the end of an airplane wing to improve performance.

Clark has been sleeping with an elephant since the 1999 Paris Air Show. It was there that Clark and The Boeing Co., the biggest aerospace company and commercial airplane maker on the planet, announced the formation of Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture to put Clark’s blended winglets on 737 jetliners. While acknowledging there have been “growing pains,” “cultural clashes” and “learning experiences,” Clark also said the partnership with Boeing is “really starting to take off.”

A growing number of next generation 737 operators around the world have opted for the blended winglets, which can boost fuel efficiency by as much as 4 percent. And they have helped Boeing win orders over Airbus. One of Boeing’s most important order victories last year was the decision by Qantas, Australia’s flagship carrier, to buy 15 737-800s and take options for at least 40 more. People close to the deal said the blended winglets offered on the Boeing plane gave it a small but important performance edge over the Airbus A320 on new long-haul domestic routes planned by Qantas. The blended winglets are offered as a retrofit for the 737-700 and the bigger 737-800. They are offered by Boeing as a factory-installed option only on the 737-800. So far, more than 80 next generation 737s have been equipped with blended winglets, along with about 60 Boeing Business Jets, a modified version of the 737 commercial jetliner. The winglets are standard equipment on all Boeing Business Jets. Clark expects that another 180 next generation 737s will be equipped with the blended winglets this year. Of those, about 50 will probably be factory-installed in Renton, he said. About a dozen airlines are either flying winglet-equipped 737s or have them on order. “We are talking actively with another dozen airlines,” Clark said during a recent interview at his Aviation Partners office near the King County Airport terminal at Boeing Field. “We will be announcing more orders soon.”

Clark is even talking with the military and defense contractors. He met recently met with officials at Northrop Grumman about putting blended winglets on the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle that has been used in Afghanistan. The winglets would add about two hours of flight time for the Global Hawk, Clark said. “Every plane should be designed with winglets,” Clark said.

Winglets were common on business and commercial jets before Aviation Partners arrived on the scene. But those traditional winglets, found on all Airbus models and the Boeing 747-400, rise at a sharp angle from the wing. Blended winglets gently curve up, as if they are part of the wing. Winglets were first developed by NASA in the 1960s to help reduce drag. Increasing the wing span can produce the same results. But wings of jetliners can’t get any longer and still fit at airport gates. What’s more, increasing wing span means structural changes that add weight. So far, the only U.S. carrier with 737s equipped with blended winglets is American Trans Air. But Clark recently presented his friend John Kelly, chairman of Alaska Airlines, with a small model of a 737-700 with blended winglets. The two men have known each other since the days when Clark teamed with Milt Kuolt in 1981 to form Horizon Air, a regional carrier later sold to Alaska. The model Clark gave to Kelly was painted in the livery of Alaska Airlines, with the Eskimo logo on the winglets. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” Clark said, explaining why he was giving the model to Kelly.

Continental is another 737-700 operator being wooed. The 737 is the world’s most frequently flown jetliner. More than 4,000 have been built. Later this year, the blended winglets are to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for the older “classic” 737s, starting with the 737-300. Certification will follow for the 737-400 and 737-500. His company’s business plan includes blended winglets for the 757, 767 and 747, Clark said, as well as for the MD-80 series. “The retrofit market is huge,” Clark said. “Our schedule is to certify the classic 737s this year, the 747 next year, the 767 after that and then the 757.”

The winglets designed for the next generation 737 are about 8 feet high. Bernie Gratzer, former chief aerodynamicist at Boeing who was part of Clark’s team at Aviation Partners that developed the blended winglets, said the 747 flight tests showed the winglets reduced drag by about 6.3 percent. That can mean substantial fuel savings for an airline. Clark has been approached by operators of older 747s, asking about retrofitting their planes with the blended winglets. “We think we can save them about a million gallons of fuel a year per plane,” he said. But Boeing is not sold on blended winglets, at least for its bigger jets. Boeing engineers developed a raked tip, which does not bend upward like a winglet, for the 767-400 and will use those raked tips for the longer-range 777-300 now in development. And Boeing is considering raked tips, not blended winglets, for future longer-range versions of its 747-400. “Why put raked tips on a 747? That’s a good question,” said Gratzer, who retired from Boeing in 1986 and later was a professor at the University of Washington’s aeronautics and astronautical department. “We don’t really understand why they (Boeing) would do that,” he added. But it was not so long ago that many engineers at Boeing scoffed at the notion that winglets would do anything other than give the 737 a more sexy appearance. After all, wasn’t that why all those rich guys who could afford private jets wanted ones with winglets?

At the Paris Air Show in 1997, Boeing’s Borge Boeskov approached Clark about blended winglets on the planned Boeing Business Jet, a next generation 737-700 with the strengthened wing of the 737-800. Clark’s subsequent business proposal for Boeskov said the Boeing Business Jet would get from 4 to 5 percent better performance with blended winglets. “The corporate guys like the looks of these things because they differentiate the product, but frankly my engineers have told me they don’t work,” Borge told Clark. So Clark told Boeskov his small company would foot the bill to design winglets for the Boeing Business Jet if Boeskov would test fly them on the plane. Unable to get Boeing engineers to go along, Boeskov turned to the German carrier Hapag-Lloyd, a longtime Boeing 737 customer. Hapag-Lloyd supplied one of its new 737s, and the results were better than Clark had predicted — a nearly 7 percent reduction in drag. Hapag-Lloyd is now one of those customers operating 737s with blended winglets.

Clark, who is not at all shy about expressing his opinions, is careful in talking about the challenges he has faced working with the world’s largest aerospace company on an idea that Boeing’s best and brightest once rejected. “They are a big bureaucracy and we sometimes want to get things done quickly,” Clark said of the joint venture with Boeing. He credited Alan Mulally, Boeing’s commercial boss, with helping change attitudes within the company. “Since Alan has gotten behind this, it has changed overnight,” Clark said. “We talked about five months ago and he said he would really get behind the winglets program. “Since then, sales have really taken off. Our relationship with everyone at Boeing has gotten much better.” Then he added, “Of course, we still have our differences.” So far, though, the elephant has not rolled over.


8 February 2002 – Kawasaki of Japan will build 737 winglets

Friday, February 8, 2002

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES

TOKYO — Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan’s second-biggest aerospace company, said it will develop wingtips for Boeing Co. 737s, adding to an existing cooperation with the company.

Kawasaki Heavy will make blended winglets, which increase fuel efficiency and range, the companies said. The companies didn’t provide financial details.

Owners of 737s, of which more than 1,900 are in service around the world, will be able to fit the wingtips onto their planes, the release said.


SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2001 -The first Boeing 737-700 arrived in Kenya Monday, making Kenya Airways the first airline anywhere in the world to operate a 737-700 with blended winglets. Kenya Airways is expected to put the airplane into service later this month. The airplane will be leased through GE Capital Aviation Services.”Our goal is to become the premier airline of choice in Africa and provide more frequency for passengers,” said Isaac Omolo Okero, chairman for Kenya Airways. “The 737′s economics and low maintenance cost will help us continue to provide the best service to destinations throughout Africa.”

The retrofitted blended winglets on the 737-700 curve out and up from the wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance. Some of the potential improvements include better fuel burn, increased range, improved takeoff performance and obstacle clearance. Working with Aviation Partners Inc., Boeing developed the blended winglet technology for the 737 airplane.

“The addition of the winglets on the 737-700 will provide Kenya Airways with a superior product,” said Kevin Bartelson, chief operating officer for Aviation Partners Boeing. “The new 737-700 with winglets will add value to operators and provide a technologically advanced product with a reputation for superior reliability.”

The family of 737s consisting of the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 is the newest design and the most technologically advanced in the single-aisle market.

“Kenya Airways’ selection of the 737 airplane will help reduce its fleet costs, which directly affects the airline’s bottom line,” said Doug Groseclose, senior vice president of International Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the new 737s, Kenya Airways can continue to offer its customers a quality product and on-time in-service performance.”

The airplanes are designed to fly higher, faster, farther, quieter and with greater fuel efficiency than previous 737 models — and the competition.

Kenya Airways, one of the fastest growing and most profitable airlines in Africa, will use the new 737 to fly to key destinations in Africa and other domestic routes on the continent. There are more than 130 Boeing 737s operating in Africa and more than 4,000 737s in service today.


Boeing 737 Advanced-Technology Winglets Make World Debut

SEATTLE, May 21, 2001 — Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 advanced-technology winglets made their world debut in revenue service last week with German carrier Hapag-Lloyd Flug.

Hanover-based Hapag-Lloyd became the first airline in the world to fly 737-800s equipped with the cost-effective, environmentally friendly wingtip extensions on commercial routes. The carrier uses 737-800s with winglets on routes from Germany to Mediterranean destinations.

The new winglets on the Boeing 737-800 curve out and up from the wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance. They add about 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the airplane’s total wingspan and allow the airplane to fly up to 130 nautical miles (240 kilometers) further.

“The winglets on our 737-800s will cut the airplane’s already low fuel consumption, emissions and takeoff noise and make them even more eco-friendly,” said Wolfgang Kurth, Hapag-Lloyd managing director. “Less fuel means more range and gives us the opportunity to open new markets”

The fuel consumption of the 737-800s without winglets in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet already is as low as 2.1 liters per 100 seat kilometers. “We expect the winglets to decrease fuel burn even further – by up to 5 percent in cruise – and reduce the noise affected area by 6.5 percent,” Kurth said.

Winglets also have the potential to increase the optimum cruise altitude of the airplane, reduce engine maintenance costs, improve takeoff performance, and increase the weight the airplane can carry by .55 of a ton to 3.3 tons (.5 of a ton to 3 metric tons).

“Next-Generation 737 winglets have proven their value in service on privately owned Boeing Business Jets, and now Hapag-Lloyd will see firsthand the unmatched benefits winglets can bring to commercial operators,” said Toby Bright, Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior vice president for Europe and Russia. “Hapag-Lloyd, which was the first airline to order the new-technology 737-800s back in 1994, will once again make history as a company that quickly recognizes the importance of technological improvements in aviation.”

Hapag-Lloyd has started to retrofit its fleet of 27 Boeing 737-800s with winglets.

Winglets initially were developed for use on the Boeing Business Jet, an adapted Next-Generation 737-700 with 737-800 wings, by Aviation Partners, Inc. (API). During the design process, Boeing and API formed a joint venture that further developed the design. The joint venture is called Aviation Partners Boeing (APB).

Building a quieter, more fuel-efficient airplane was a top priority for Boeing engineers who initially designed the 737-800 and other members of the Next-Generation 737 family. The model’s new CFM56-7 engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric Co. of the United States and Snecma of France, meet community noise restrictions well below current Stage 3 limits and below expected Stage 4 limits. Emissions also are reduced beyond required standards.


Winglets boost to Boeing 737–800 performance

SEATTLE, Feb. 18, 2000 – The Boeing Company announced today that it is offering Next-Generation 737-800 customers a new, advanced-technology winglet as a standard option.

The winglet will allow a new airplane that already flies farther, higher and more economically than competing products to extend its range, carry more payload, save on fuel and benefit the environment. The first Boeing 737-800 with winglets is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2001. All subsequent 737-800s will be equipped with structurally enhanced wings that will make it easier for owners of standard 737-800s to retrofit those jetliners with winglets.

“The key to product leadership is to create a superior product, then continually improve it in ways that add value to customers,” said John Hayhurst, vice president and general manager, 737 programs. “With this new winglet, the Next-Generation 737 will remain the most advanced airplane family in its class for the 21st century, just as it was for the 20th.”

A Next-Generation 737-800 equipped with the new winglet will be able to fly farther, burn 3 percent to 5 percent less fuel, or carry up to 6,000 pounds more payload. Other benefits include a reduction in noise near airports, lower engine-maintenance costs, and improved takeoff performance at high-altitude airports and in hot climate conditions.

The winglets weigh about 120 pounds each. They are made of high-tech carbon graphite, an advanced aluminum alloy and titanium. The winglet is eight feet long and tapers from its four-foot wide base to a width of two feet at the tip. Unlike traditional winglets typically fitted at abrupt angles to the wing, this new advanced “blended” design gently curves out and up from the wing tip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance.

The 737-800 winglet was developed initially for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), which also features the state-of-the-art 737-800 wing. This winglet will be available initially as an option on the 162-passenger 737-800. Formal availability of the winglet will follow quickly on other models that feature the 737-800 wing, including the 737-700C and the 737-900. The applicability of the winglet to Next-Generation 737-600 and 737-700 models is being assessed.

The blended-winglet technology was developed by Aviation Partners Inc. of Seattle. In 1999, during the design of the BBJ winglet, Aviation Partners and The Boeing Company formed Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture that completed and owns the design. APB is developing the capability to make the winglet available as a retrofit for airplanes already in service.


SEATTLE, Oct. 23, 2000 – German carrier Hapag-Lloyd Flug became the first airline to fly the Boeing 737-800 with blended winglets. The test flight took place Sept. 26 2000 in Seattle.


First BBJ flight with winglets

Feb 22, 1999

 


Boeing Business Jets Announces Winglets Test

SEATTLE, June 4, 1998— Boeing Business Jets announced today that it has been testing the use of winglets on a Boeing 737-800 for possible application on the new Boeing Business Jet (BBJ).The winglets are being tested as a possible range-performance enhancement for the BBJ. Designed and manufactured by Seattle-based Aviation Partners Inc., the two 8-foot high, blended and vertically mounted winglets are attached to the end of each wing of the airplane.

“The Boeing Business Jet’s 6,200 nautical-mile range already ranks it with the leading business airplanes in its class,” said Borge Boeskov, president of Boeing Business Jets. “We want to test the application of winglets as a way of making a world-class product even better. We are testing to determine whether winglets will provide a range-performance enhancement by reducing drag.”

The BBJ is a derivative of the Next-Generation 737-700, combining the -700 fuselage with the strengthened wings and landing gear of the larger and heavier 737-800. This combination gives the BBJ a range of 7,140 statute miles (6,200 nautical miles, 11,480 kilometers).

“As a special-use airplane for executive teams and private owners, the BBJ will fly much longer routes – up to 14 hours nonstop – than commercially operated Boeing 737s,” Boeskov said. “These are the routes where winglets would have the best opportunity for performance improvements.”

In addition to performance, winglets will give the Boeing Business Jet a look that will set it apart from other business and commercial jets of its size.

“We want the BBJ to stand out, and we want it to look distinctive among all other business jets,” Boeskov said.

Boeskov said the first phase of flight-testing will be completed this week. Whether winglets will be used on the BBJ will be determined following evaluation of testing data.

Major assembly of the first BBJ fuselage was recently completed in Wichita, Kan., while work on the first wings and other components is progressing in the Puget Sound area. The airplane’s first flight is scheduled for August. Boeing Business Jets is a joint venture between The Boeing Company and General Electric Co.

l. Over half of all 737NGs have had winglets retrofitted.
See more details about the book

All of the information, photographs & schematics from this website and much more is now available in a 370 page, 8.5″ x 11″ book available here.

Updated 3 Sept 11

Winglets are also available for Classics. The first winglet equipped 737-300 flew in Nov 2002 and gained its FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) on 30 May 2003. Winglet equipped Classics are known as Special Performance (SP).

Winglets have the potential to give the following benefits:

  • Improved climb gradient. This will enable a higher RTOW from climb limited airports (hot, high or noise abatement) or obstacle limited runways.
  • Reduced climb thrust. A winglet equipped aircraft can typically take a 3% derate over the non-winglet equivalent aircraft. This can extend engine life and reduce maintenance costs.
  • Environmentally friendly. The derate, if taken, will reduce the noise footprint by 6.5% and NOx emissions by 5%. This could give savings on airport noise quotas or fines.
  • Reduced cruise thrust. Cruise fuel flow is reduced by up to 6% giving savings in fuel costs and increasing range.
  • Improved cruise performance. Winglets can allow aircraft to reach higher levels sooner. Air Berlin notes, “Previously, we’d step-climb from 35,000 to 41,000 feet. With Blended Winglets, we can now climb direct to 41,000 feet where traffic congestion is much less and we can take advantage of direct routings and shortcuts which we could not otherwise consider.”
  • Good looks. Winglets bring a modern look and feel to aircraft, and improve customers’ perceptions of the airline.

If winglets are so good, you may wonder why all 737s don’t have them. In fact 85% of all new 737s are now built with winglets, particularly the 800 and 900 series and of course all BBJs. It comes down to cost versus benefits. Winglets cost about $725,000USD and take about 1 week to install which costs an extra $25-80,000USD. Once fitted, they add 170-235kg (375-518lbs) to the weight of the aircraft, depending upon whether they were installed at production or a retrofit. The fuel cost of carrying this extra weight will take some flying time each sector to recover, although this is offset by the need to carry less fuel because of the increased range. In simple terms, if your average sector length is short (less than one hour) you wont get much the benefit from winglets – unless you need any of the other benefits such as reduced noise or you regularly operate from obstacle limited runways.

There is a small difference in rotation rate for aircraft with winglets installed and, as a result, the crew needs to be cautious of pitch rate. There is approximately a ½ unit take-off trim change between non-winglet and winglet aircraft so the green band is slightly different for winglet aircraft. Finally, the dry “maximum demonstrated” crosswind limit is slightly reduced with winglets to 34kts. According to APB this is because “the FAA will only let us document the max winds experienced during flight test… so if we had been able to find more crosswind, then the 33kts might have been more. There appears to be no weather cocking effect due to winglets.”

Other winglet News Stories

An excellent article by Boeing in Aero 17 is available at:

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_17/winglet_story.html

Next-Generation 737 Production Winglets

Description
Winglets are wing tip extensions which provide several benefits to airplane operators. The winglet option increases the Next-Generation 737′s lead as the newest and most technologically advanced airplane in its class. These new technology winglets are now available on 737-800s as well as on the Boeing Business Jet (737-700 and 737-800).

There are two types of winglet available, Boeing’s own built into the wing at the time of manufacture and the APB winglet as a retrofit.

Benefits
Depending on the airplane, its cargo, the airline’s routes and other factors, winglets have the potential to give:IMPROVED TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE

By allowing a steeper climb, winglets pay off in better takeoff performance, especially from obstacle-limited, high, hot, weight-limited, and/or noise-restricted airports. Performance Improved climb gradients increase 737-800 allowable takeoff weight (TOW).

Some examples include:

  • Chicago-Midway: ~1,600 lb additional TOW
  • Lanzarote (Canary Islands): ~3,500 lb additional TOW
  • Albuquerque, Denver, and Salt Lake City: ~4,400 lb additional TOW

REDUCED ENGINE MAINTENANCE COSTS

Better climb performance also allows lower thrust settings, thus extending engine life and reducing maintenance costs. Lower Required Thrust Levels Extend On-Wing Life.

Takeoff – Winglets allow up to 3% incremental derate.

Cruise – Cruise thrust levels are reduced by up to 4%.

FUEL SAVINGS

Winglets lower drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, thus reducing fuel burn. Depending on the missions you fly, blended winglets can improve cruise fuel mileage up to 6 percent, especially important during a time of rising fuel prices.

INCREASED PAYLOAD RANGE

The addition of Aviation Partners Blended Winglets to the 737 Next Generation has demonstrated drag reduction in the 5 to 7% range that measurably increases range and fuel efficiency . In addition, the Blended Winglets allow the 737-NG to take off from higher, hotter airports with increased payload.

Series Range (nm) Normal Range (nm) With Winglets
-700 3250 3634
-800 2930 3060
-900 2670 2725

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

With winglets, you can be a good neighbour in the community you serve. They enhance performance at noise-restricted airports and cut the affected area by 6.5 percent, saving you money on airport noise quotas or fines. By reducing fuel consumption, winglets help lower NOx emissions by 5%.

IMPROVED OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY

By increasing Payload Range and Overall Performance, Blended Winglets add flexibility to fleet operations and route selection. Air Berlin notes, “Previously, we’d step-climb from 35,000 to 41,000 feet. With Blended Winglets, we can now climb direct to 41,000 feet where traffic congestion is much less and we can take advantage of direct routings and shortcuts which we could not otherwise consider.”

MODERN DRAMATIC APPEARANCE

Blended Winglets bring a modern look and feel to aircraft, and improve customers’ perceptions of the reliability and modernity of the Airline.

Dimensions
Each winglet is 8 feet long and 4 feet in width at the base, narrowing to approximately two feet at the tip.

Added wingspan
Winglets add approximately 5 feet to the airplane’s total wingspan – from 112 feet 7 inches to 117 feet 2 inches. (All Next-Generation 737 models have the same wingspan.)

Weight
Each winglet weighs about 132 pounds. Increased weight to the airplane for modifying wing and installing winglets is about 480 pounds.

Airplane provisions
Structural modifications to accommodate the winglet include strengthening the wing’s centre section and other internal strengthening on the wing. These enhancements are done in the normal production process. Various systems changes have also been made to accommodate winglet installation.

Offerability
Production and retrofit winglets for the Next-Generation 737s are available through Boeing (production) and Aviation Partners Boeing (retrofit). Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) is a joint venture partnership between Boeing and Aviation Partners Inc. (API).

Certification
Retrofit FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was granted to APB on 3/23/2001. LBA (German regulatory agency) STC was granted to APB on 5/4/2001. JAA STC was granted May 2001. Boeing PLOD (program letter of definition) was granted 5/9/2001 by both the FAA and JAA for Boeing production.

Availability
737-700, 737-800, 737-900, 737-BBJ – available now. Deliveries began May 2001. Initial customers included: South African Airways, Air Berlin, American Trans Air, Polynesian Airlines, and Hainan Airlines – both through direct purchase and leasing options via ILF, GATX, GE Capital Corp., and Flightlease.

Operational Considerations
There is a small difference in rotation rate for airplanes with winglets installed and, as a result, the crew needs to be cautious of pitch rate. There is also approximately a ½ unit take-off trim change between non-winglet and winglet aircraft so the green band is slightly different for winglet aircraft.


737-200 Mini-Winglets

  This is a 737-200Adv, L/N 628, fitted with mini-winglets. This is part of the Quiet Wing Corp flap modification kit which gained its FAA certification in 2005. The package includes drooping the TE flaps by 4 degrees and the ailerons by 1 degree to increase to camber of the wing. Benefits include:

  • Payload Increase of up to 5,000 lbs.
  • Range Increase up to 3%
  • Fuel Savings up to 3%
  • Improved Takeoff/Landing Climb Gradients
  • Reduced Takeoff/Landing Field Length
  • Improved High Altitude Takeoff/Landing Capability
  • Improved Hot Climate Performance
  • Reduced Stall Speeds by 4-5kts

Photo: Julian Whitelaw


News Stories

30 Apr 2007 – APB selects UK supplier as it launches 767-300ER programme with American order UK-based GKN Aerospace has been selected by Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) as a new supplier of the US company’s blended winglets for the rapidly expanding Boeing 737 “Classic” and newly launched 767 retrofit programmes, while United Airlines is poised to start retrofitting its 757s.

The aerostructures specialist joins APB winglet supplier Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Winglets for the 737 Next Generation. Despite the much-needed addition of GKN, APB says the 737 Classic retrofit line is sold out through 2009 at the rate of six shipsets a month. “We’re still going to ramp up as fast as we can, but it will be the end of this year or early next before they can begin providing the first parts,” says APB vice-president sales Patrick LaMoria.


26 Dec 2006 – Aviation Partners Boeing Launches 737-900 Blended Winglet Program

With program launch of Aviation Partners Boeing 737-900 Blended Winglets, and first deliveries slated for December 2007, the world’s airways will soon be making room for even more Blended Winglet Performance Enhanced airplanes. Launch customers Continental Airlines, KLM and Alaska Airlines plan to complete the retrofit of their 737- 900s by the end of the first quarter of 2008.

“We’ve had a great deal of customer interest in 737-900 Blended Winglets and this important new program gives more of our operators commonality and the ability to fly with 100% Blended Winglet equipped 737NG fleets,” says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO John Reimers. “This program is off to a very strong start and we anticipate that the remaining handful of operators of the 737-900 will be unable to ignore the tremendous value Blended Winglets add to the aircraft.”

Benefits of Aviation Partners Boeing’s Visible Technology are nothing short of dramatic in fuel savings, improved performance and environmental advantages. Given average aircraft utilization rates, operators will save over 100,000 gallons (380,000 liters) of fuel per aircraft per year resulting in a payback on investment of less than 3 years. Noise footprint, on takeoff and landing, is reduced by an average of 6.5% while engine emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides are lowered on the order of 5.0%.

“Blended Winglets will give KLM improved range and payload on many longer stage lengths in its European Network,” says KLM’s Vice President of Fleet Services Rene Kalmann. “Further this decision fits in KLM’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy to invest in environmental protection that goes beyond regulatory compliance.”

For KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Blended Winglet equipped 737-900s will continue to provide important fuel savings while adding to fleet commonality — the airline will be installing 21 additional Blended Winglet Systems on the 737-800 beginning in March 2007. All 737-800s in KLM’s fleet will be Winglet equipped by February 2008.

“Continental remains steadfast in its efforts to improve aircraft performance and reduce fuel usage. Equipping our 737-900s with Blended Winglets moves us closer to that goal,” says John Greenlee, Managing Director of Fleet Planning for Continental. “The fuel efficiency improvements offered by Blended Winglets coupled with our young fleet provide Continental with a natural hedge against volatile fuel prices.”

For Continental Airlines, Blended Winglet equipped 737-900s will complement the carrier’s existing winglet equipped aircraft, which include 100% of its 737-700s, 737-800s and 757-200s. To date the airline has installed winglets on 182 aircraft and plans to add over 100 additional Systems in the next few years as it will soon begin retrofitting winglets onto its 737 Classic fleet while continuing to take new 737NG aircraft with winglets, including the new 737-900ER.

“Our long-haul flying will benefit greatly from the fuel savings and payload advantages provided by blended winglets,” said Scott Ridge, Alaska Airlines’ managing director of technical operations and support. “We’ve seen the value of the winglets on our other next-generation 737s and look forward to achieving similar efficiencies with our -900s.”

Alaska’s order for 9 shipsets of 737-900 Blended Winglets adds to their current order of: 19 737-700′s and 37 737-800′s of which 33 are already in service.

By year-end 2006, over 1500 Blended Winglet Shipsets will be in service with over 100 airlines in more than 40 countries on 6 continents. Currently, 65% of in-service fleet of 737-700s, and 57% of in-service 737-800s, are Blended Winglet Equipped. By 2010, with over 4500 airliners upgraded, APB anticipates that Blended Winglet Technology will have saved commercial airlines over 2 billion gallons of fuel.


5 Apr 2005 – MAS to install winglets for Boeing

The Boeing Co. signed a deal with Malaysia’s national carrier yesterday to set up a regional winglet modification center outside the capital, Kuala Lumpur, a Boeing official said.

Aviation Partners Boeing and Malaysia Airlines Engineering sealed the agreement yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, agreeing to operate the first center in Southeast Asia to install fuel-saving winglet technology on Boeing’s 737s.

The pact will enable the engineering firm to become a one-stop shop for airlines, said Craig McCallum, sales director of Aviation Partners Boeing.

More than 100 aircraft are expected to go through the Malaysian center for conversion in the next three to four years, McCallum said. The facility will cater to the needs of airliners from countries such as Indonesia, India and Malaysia.

Boeing will provide all manufacturing and engineering support, tools and training to the center.

The announcement comes amid rumors that Malaysian Airlines is considering buying 737-800s. However, Boeing denied any link between the airline’s purchase order and the facility deal.

The Malaysia facility will be the fourth in the Asia-Pacific region, joining facilities in China, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

“Growth in blended winglet sales has been nothing short of spectacular lately, and much of this growth has been in the Asia-Pacific region,” Mike Marino, Aviation Partners Boeing CEO, said in a statement.

Introduced in 1999, the winglet technology has become popular because of the significant fuel savings it provides for aircraft — ranging from 100,000 to 250,000 gallons per year per aircraft. The winglet system is currently available for Boeing 737s, and efforts are under way to offer them on 757s, 767s and 777s in the future.


14 Jan 2005 – Hapag-Lloyd Original Launch Customer Comes Back for More APB Blended Winglets

Hapag-Lloyd Flug, a member of the TUI Group and the launch customer for Boeing 737-800 Blended Winglets 4 years ago, has ordered 10 additional Blended Winglet Systems. The Boeing Company will install the Blended Winglets as Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) on new 737-800s to be delivered between January 2006 and May 2007. Hapag-Lloyd operates a 100% Blended Winglet Equipped fleet of 737-800s. After 4 years of enjoying dramatic fuel savings, along with measurable performance and environmental benefits made possible with Blended Winglet Technology, this leading charter operator is sold on the benefits of Aviation Partners Boeing Technology.

“This important order is a real affirmation of the outstanding value of our product,” says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. “Hapag-Lloyd, our most experienced customer, has an intimate understanding of the compelling value of Blended Winglet Technology.”

Hapag-Lloyd enjoys a wide range of operational benefits with Aviation Partners Boeing’s patented* Blended Winglet Technology. At current fuel prices the fuel savings alone translates into a Blended Winglet Payback of under 4 years. Additional important benefits include greater payload-range capability and environmental advantages in terms of reduced engine emissions and reduced noise on takeoff.

Aviation Partners Boeing Vice President of Sales & Contracts Patrick LaMoria reports that Hapag-Lloyd needed no convincing to come in with its second Blended Winglet order. “Hapag-Lloyd’s experience operating with Blended Winglet Technology has made including them with every new Boeing aircraft they operate a very simple decision.”

By mid-2005 over half of all Boeing 737-800 and 700 series aircraft will be equipped with Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets.


7 Oct 2004 – Continental Airlines to Take Shipset #500 for NG Boeing 737-800

While delivery of shipset 500 is a milestone in the history of Aviation Partners Boeing, it’s just a hint of things to come as the global airline industry transitions to patented* Blended Winglet Technology.

Blended Winglet Equipped Boeing aircraft are now flying on every continent. Current orders and options stand at over 1200 shipsets with a potential universe of 10,500 Boeing aircraft in the retrofit market alone.

“We’re only in the early stages in terms of meeting the growing demand for Performance Enhancing Blended Winglet Technology. But, it’s a significant beginning,” says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. “Blended Winglet Equipped commercial aircraft save fuel, operate with enhanced performance due to a higher lift wing, and are measurably more environmentally friendly. Today’s 500 Blended Winglet Equipped 737 are saving over 50 million gallons of fuel each year. If all Boeing aircraft worldwide were retrofitted with Blended Winglet Systems worldwide fuel savings would be close to 1.8 billion gallons each year.”

Aviation Partners Inc. developed Blended Winglet Technology in the early 1990s. Sized for maximum performance, and with a wider sweep transition between wing and winglet, Blended Winglets are typically 80% more effective than today’s conventional angular winglet systems. Typical operator benefits include fuel savings of up to 5%, depending upon flight profile, improved performance from high and hot airfields, faster time to climb, lowered engine emissions and a 6.5% reduction in takeoff noise footprint.

“The future is as exciting for us as it is for our customers worldwide who look forward to improving the performance, fuel savings and overall return on investment of their aircraft,” says Aviation Partners Boeing Chairman Joe Clark. “We believe that anytime you can improve the productivity and environmental benefits of an existing airplane, it’s a wise investment.”


10 Jul 2003 – Air Plus Comet Becomes World’s First Operator of Boeing 737-300 with Winglets

Air Plus Comet yesterday became the world’s first operator of a Boeing 737-300 with advanced-technology blended winglets and the latest carrier in Spain operating Boeing airplanes.

The winglets, which curve out and up from the plane’s wing tips, improve an airplane’s performance and allow it to fly more than 185km farther than a 737-300 without winglets. Winglets also offer excellent environmental benefits, including reduced fuel use, takeoff and landing noise, and in-flight engine emissions.

“As the first worldwide customer for the new 737-300 blended winglet, we will be the first to experience the fuel savings and environmental benefits they bring,” said Alejandro Avila, Air Plus Comet technical director.

The 737-300, leased from Aircraft Leasing Management, was delivered today. Headquartered in Madrid, Air Plus Comet provides long-distance charter flights between Spain and European locations and the Americas. It began operations in 1997.

Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture of Boeing and Aviation Partners, Inc., developed the winglets. The winglets can be installed on 737-300, -400, -700 and -800 models. More than 28 carriers fly nearly 300 winglet-equipped 737s.


18 Feb 2003 – 737-300 Winglet Certification Delay

The STC for a retrofited winglet on the 737-300 has been delayed due to problems discovered during the low speed handling phase of flight testing in Arizona. The winglets were producing handling deficiencies near V2 at high gross weights caused by flow separation around the transition to the winglet. Possible solutions include aerodynamic to the wingtips and outboard vortex generators.


5 Dec 2002 – Blended winglet Boeing 737 makes European inroads

Sobelair, a Belgian charter operation, is leasing its first Boeing 737-800 with blended winglets.

The winglet gives the Wichita-made 737 reducing wing drag, and making the wing more aerodynamically efficient, officials say.

“Sobelair flies particularly long routes to destinations in Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East,” says Aviation Partners Boeing sales director Patrick LaMoria, who is handling the lease.

By the end of 2002, close to 200 Boeing Next-Generation 737s will be equipped with APB’s patented Blended Winglet Technology. Following introduction of Blended Winglet Systems for Classic Series 737s, mid-2003, APB will certify Blended Winglet Systems for the 747-400.


Oct 2002 – Boeing 737-300 Blended Winglets Delivered

Kawasaki delivered its first Blended Winglets. to Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) in October. Kawasaki is designing, developing and manufacturing the patented innovative winglets for the Boeing 737-300/400/500 models under an official agreement inked with APB in October last year (see Feb. 2002 Business Activities).

Blended winglets, which are made of a high-tech composite material specially developed for aircraft, are attached to the tips of the wings to enhance performance by extending flight ranges, reducing noise and making other improvements. Winglets are already a standard feature on the Boeing Business Jet. The Boeing 737-700/800 models and Gulfstream’s GII Business Jets have also been equipped with them. It is anticipated that they will also be fitted to a wider range of Boeing’s existing aircraft, including the 747, 757 and 767 fleets. There are currently 1,000 Boeing 737-300 jetliners in operation around the globe. The winglets will be available as an option for those Boeing aircraft being retrofitted.

Kawasaki used its proprietary KMS- 6115 composite material to create the latest winglets. KMS-6115 is made from high-performance carbon fibers and toughened epoxy resin, with much greater tensile and compressive strength than conventional composite materials. This is the first time KMS-6115 will be used in a Boeing aircraft.


26 Feb 2002 – Partnership with Boeing ‘starting to take off’

Seattle PI –

If you choose to sleep with an elephant, just be careful it doesn’t roll over during the night. The advice, and warning, came from a well regarded aerospace executive of a small company who years ago lay down with an industry giant for a promising joint venture. It proved a painful experience. The executive mentioned the elephant adage recently when talking about Joe Clark, founder of Aviation Partners, a small Seattle company that developed revolutionary blended winglets that attach to the end of an airplane wing to improve performance.

Clark has been sleeping with an elephant since the 1999 Paris Air Show. It was there that Clark and The Boeing Co., the biggest aerospace company and commercial airplane maker on the planet, announced the formation of Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture to put Clark’s blended winglets on 737 jetliners. While acknowledging there have been “growing pains,” “cultural clashes” and “learning experiences,” Clark also said the partnership with Boeing is “really starting to take off.”

A growing number of next generation 737 operators around the world have opted for the blended winglets, which can boost fuel efficiency by as much as 4 percent. And they have helped Boeing win orders over Airbus. One of Boeing’s most important order victories last year was the decision by Qantas, Australia’s flagship carrier, to buy 15 737-800s and take options for at least 40 more. People close to the deal said the blended winglets offered on the Boeing plane gave it a small but important performance edge over the Airbus A320 on new long-haul domestic routes planned by Qantas. The blended winglets are offered as a retrofit for the 737-700 and the bigger 737-800. They are offered by Boeing as a factory-installed option only on the 737-800. So far, more than 80 next generation 737s have been equipped with blended winglets, along with about 60 Boeing Business Jets, a modified version of the 737 commercial jetliner. The winglets are standard equipment on all Boeing Business Jets. Clark expects that another 180 next generation 737s will be equipped with the blended winglets this year. Of those, about 50 will probably be factory-installed in Renton, he said. About a dozen airlines are either flying winglet-equipped 737s or have them on order. “We are talking actively with another dozen airlines,” Clark said during a recent interview at his Aviation Partners office near the King County Airport terminal at Boeing Field. “We will be announcing more orders soon.”

Clark is even talking with the military and defense contractors. He met recently met with officials at Northrop Grumman about putting blended winglets on the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle that has been used in Afghanistan. The winglets would add about two hours of flight time for the Global Hawk, Clark said. “Every plane should be designed with winglets,” Clark said.

Winglets were common on business and commercial jets before Aviation Partners arrived on the scene. But those traditional winglets, found on all Airbus models and the Boeing 747-400, rise at a sharp angle from the wing. Blended winglets gently curve up, as if they are part of the wing. Winglets were first developed by NASA in the 1960s to help reduce drag. Increasing the wing span can produce the same results. But wings of jetliners can’t get any longer and still fit at airport gates. What’s more, increasing wing span means structural changes that add weight. So far, the only U.S. carrier with 737s equipped with blended winglets is American Trans Air. But Clark recently presented his friend John Kelly, chairman of Alaska Airlines, with a small model of a 737-700 with blended winglets. The two men have known each other since the days when Clark teamed with Milt Kuolt in 1981 to form Horizon Air, a regional carrier later sold to Alaska. The model Clark gave to Kelly was painted in the livery of Alaska Airlines, with the Eskimo logo on the winglets. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” Clark said, explaining why he was giving the model to Kelly.

Continental is another 737-700 operator being wooed. The 737 is the world’s most frequently flown jetliner. More than 4,000 have been built. Later this year, the blended winglets are to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for the older “classic” 737s, starting with the 737-300. Certification will follow for the 737-400 and 737-500. His company’s business plan includes blended winglets for the 757, 767 and 747, Clark said, as well as for the MD-80 series. “The retrofit market is huge,” Clark said. “Our schedule is to certify the classic 737s this year, the 747 next year, the 767 after that and then the 757.”

The winglets designed for the next generation 737 are about 8 feet high. Bernie Gratzer, former chief aerodynamicist at Boeing who was part of Clark’s team at Aviation Partners that developed the blended winglets, said the 747 flight tests showed the winglets reduced drag by about 6.3 percent. That can mean substantial fuel savings for an airline. Clark has been approached by operators of older 747s, asking about retrofitting their planes with the blended winglets. “We think we can save them about a million gallons of fuel a year per plane,” he said. But Boeing is not sold on blended winglets, at least for its bigger jets. Boeing engineers developed a raked tip, which does not bend upward like a winglet, for the 767-400 and will use those raked tips for the longer-range 777-300 now in development. And Boeing is considering raked tips, not blended winglets, for future longer-range versions of its 747-400. “Why put raked tips on a 747? That’s a good question,” said Gratzer, who retired from Boeing in 1986 and later was a professor at the University of Washington’s aeronautics and astronautical department. “We don’t really understand why they (Boeing) would do that,” he added. But it was not so long ago that many engineers at Boeing scoffed at the notion that winglets would do anything other than give the 737 a more sexy appearance. After all, wasn’t that why all those rich guys who could afford private jets wanted ones with winglets?

At the Paris Air Show in 1997, Boeing’s Borge Boeskov approached Clark about blended winglets on the planned Boeing Business Jet, a next generation 737-700 with the strengthened wing of the 737-800. Clark’s subsequent business proposal for Boeskov said the Boeing Business Jet would get from 4 to 5 percent better performance with blended winglets. “The corporate guys like the looks of these things because they differentiate the product, but frankly my engineers have told me they don’t work,” Borge told Clark. So Clark told Boeskov his small company would foot the bill to design winglets for the Boeing Business Jet if Boeskov would test fly them on the plane. Unable to get Boeing engineers to go along, Boeskov turned to the German carrier Hapag-Lloyd, a longtime Boeing 737 customer. Hapag-Lloyd supplied one of its new 737s, and the results were better than Clark had predicted — a nearly 7 percent reduction in drag. Hapag-Lloyd is now one of those customers operating 737s with blended winglets.

Clark, who is not at all shy about expressing his opinions, is careful in talking about the challenges he has faced working with the world’s largest aerospace company on an idea that Boeing’s best and brightest once rejected. “They are a big bureaucracy and we sometimes want to get things done quickly,” Clark said of the joint venture with Boeing. He credited Alan Mulally, Boeing’s commercial boss, with helping change attitudes within the company. “Since Alan has gotten behind this, it has changed overnight,” Clark said. “We talked about five months ago and he said he would really get behind the winglets program. “Since then, sales have really taken off. Our relationship with everyone at Boeing has gotten much better.” Then he added, “Of course, we still have our differences.” So far, though, the elephant has not rolled over.


8 February 2002 – Kawasaki of Japan will build 737 winglets

Friday, February 8, 2002

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES

TOKYO — Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan’s second-biggest aerospace company, said it will develop wingtips for Boeing Co. 737s, adding to an existing cooperation with the company.

Kawasaki Heavy will make blended winglets, which increase fuel efficiency and range, the companies said. The companies didn’t provide financial details.

Owners of 737s, of which more than 1,900 are in service around the world, will be able to fit the wingtips onto their planes, the release said.


SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2001 -The first Boeing 737-700 arrived in Kenya Monday, making Kenya Airways the first airline anywhere in the world to operate a 737-700 with blended winglets. Kenya Airways is expected to put the airplane into service later this month. The airplane will be leased through GE Capital Aviation Services.”Our goal is to become the premier airline of choice in Africa and provide more frequency for passengers,” said Isaac Omolo Okero, chairman for Kenya Airways. “The 737′s economics and low maintenance cost will help us continue to provide the best service to destinations throughout Africa.”

The retrofitted blended winglets on the 737-700 curve out and up from the wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance. Some of the potential improvements include better fuel burn, increased range, improved takeoff performance and obstacle clearance. Working with Aviation Partners Inc., Boeing developed the blended winglet technology for the 737 airplane.

“The addition of the winglets on the 737-700 will provide Kenya Airways with a superior product,” said Kevin Bartelson, chief operating officer for Aviation Partners Boeing. “The new 737-700 with winglets will add value to operators and provide a technologically advanced product with a reputation for superior reliability.”

The family of 737s consisting of the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 is the newest design and the most technologically advanced in the single-aisle market.

“Kenya Airways’ selection of the 737 airplane will help reduce its fleet costs, which directly affects the airline’s bottom line,” said Doug Groseclose, senior vice president of International Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the new 737s, Kenya Airways can continue to offer its customers a quality product and on-time in-service performance.”

The airplanes are designed to fly higher, faster, farther, quieter and with greater fuel efficiency than previous 737 models — and the competition.

Kenya Airways, one of the fastest growing and most profitable airlines in Africa, will use the new 737 to fly to key destinations in Africa and other domestic routes on the continent. There are more than 130 Boeing 737s operating in Africa and more than 4,000 737s in service today.


Boeing 737 Advanced-Technology Winglets Make World Debut

SEATTLE, May 21, 2001 — Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 advanced-technology winglets made their world debut in revenue service last week with German carrier Hapag-Lloyd Flug.

Hanover-based Hapag-Lloyd became the first airline in the world to fly 737-800s equipped with the cost-effective, environmentally friendly wingtip extensions on commercial routes. The carrier uses 737-800s with winglets on routes from Germany to Mediterranean destinations.

The new winglets on the Boeing 737-800 curve out and up from the wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance. They add about 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the airplane’s total wingspan and allow the airplane to fly up to 130 nautical miles (240 kilometers) further.

“The winglets on our 737-800s will cut the airplane’s already low fuel consumption, emissions and takeoff noise and make them even more eco-friendly,” said Wolfgang Kurth, Hapag-Lloyd managing director. “Less fuel means more range and gives us the opportunity to open new markets”

The fuel consumption of the 737-800s without winglets in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet already is as low as 2.1 liters per 100 seat kilometers. “We expect the winglets to decrease fuel burn even further – by up to 5 percent in cruise – and reduce the noise affected area by 6.5 percent,” Kurth said.

Winglets also have the potential to increase the optimum cruise altitude of the airplane, reduce engine maintenance costs, improve takeoff performance, and increase the weight the airplane can carry by .55 of a ton to 3.3 tons (.5 of a ton to 3 metric tons).

“Next-Generation 737 winglets have proven their value in service on privately owned Boeing Business Jets, and now Hapag-Lloyd will see firsthand the unmatched benefits winglets can bring to commercial operators,” said Toby Bright, Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior vice president for Europe and Russia. “Hapag-Lloyd, which was the first airline to order the new-technology 737-800s back in 1994, will once again make history as a company that quickly recognizes the importance of technological improvements in aviation.”

Hapag-Lloyd has started to retrofit its fleet of 27 Boeing 737-800s with winglets.

Winglets initially were developed for use on the Boeing Business Jet, an adapted Next-Generation 737-700 with 737-800 wings, by Aviation Partners, Inc. (API). During the design process, Boeing and API formed a joint venture that further developed the design. The joint venture is called Aviation Partners Boeing (APB).

Building a quieter, more fuel-efficient airplane was a top priority for Boeing engineers who initially designed the 737-800 and other members of the Next-Generation 737 family. The model’s new CFM56-7 engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric Co. of the United States and Snecma of France, meet community noise restrictions well below current Stage 3 limits and below expected Stage 4 limits. Emissions also are reduced beyond required standards.


Winglets boost to Boeing 737–800 performance

SEATTLE, Feb. 18, 2000 – The Boeing Company announced today that it is offering Next-Generation 737-800 customers a new, advanced-technology winglet as a standard option.

The winglet will allow a new airplane that already flies farther, higher and more economically than competing products to extend its range, carry more payload, save on fuel and benefit the environment. The first Boeing 737-800 with winglets is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2001. All subsequent 737-800s will be equipped with structurally enhanced wings that will make it easier for owners of standard 737-800s to retrofit those jetliners with winglets.

“The key to product leadership is to create a superior product, then continually improve it in ways that add value to customers,” said John Hayhurst, vice president and general manager, 737 programs. “With this new winglet, the Next-Generation 737 will remain the most advanced airplane family in its class for the 21st century, just as it was for the 20th.”

A Next-Generation 737-800 equipped with the new winglet will be able to fly farther, burn 3 percent to 5 percent less fuel, or carry up to 6,000 pounds more payload. Other benefits include a reduction in noise near airports, lower engine-maintenance costs, and improved takeoff performance at high-altitude airports and in hot climate conditions.

The winglets weigh about 120 pounds each. They are made of high-tech carbon graphite, an advanced aluminum alloy and titanium. The winglet is eight feet long and tapers from its four-foot wide base to a width of two feet at the tip. Unlike traditional winglets typically fitted at abrupt angles to the wing, this new advanced “blended” design gently curves out and up from the wing tip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance.

The 737-800 winglet was developed initially for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), which also features the state-of-the-art 737-800 wing. This winglet will be available initially as an option on the 162-passenger 737-800. Formal availability of the winglet will follow quickly on other models that feature the 737-800 wing, including the 737-700C and the 737-900. The applicability of the winglet to Next-Generation 737-600 and 737-700 models is being assessed.

The blended-winglet technology was developed by Aviation Partners Inc. of Seattle. In 1999, during the design of the BBJ winglet, Aviation Partners and The Boeing Company formed Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture that completed and owns the design. APB is developing the capability to make the winglet available as a retrofit for airplanes already in service.


SEATTLE, Oct. 23, 2000 – German carrier Hapag-Lloyd Flug became the first airline to fly the Boeing 737-800 with blended winglets. The test flight took place Sept. 26 2000 in Seattle.


First BBJ flight with winglets

Feb 22, 1999

 


Boeing Business Jets Announces Winglets Test

SEATTLE, June 4, 1998— Boeing Business Jets announced today that it has been testing the use of winglets on a Boeing 737-800 for possible application on the new Boeing Business Jet (BBJ).The winglets are being tested as a possible range-performance enhancement for the BBJ. Designed and manufactured by Seattle-based Aviation Partners Inc., the two 8-foot high, blended and vertically mounted winglets are attached to the end of each wing of the airplane.

“The Boeing Business Jet’s 6,200 nautical-mile range already ranks it with the leading business airplanes in its class,” said Borge Boeskov, president of Boeing Business Jets. “We want to test the application of winglets as a way of making a world-class product even better. We are testing to determine whether winglets will provide a range-performance enhancement by reducing drag.”

The BBJ is a derivative of the Next-Generation 737-700, combining the -700 fuselage with the strengthened wings and landing gear of the larger and heavier 737-800. This combination gives the BBJ a range of 7,140 statute miles (6,200 nautical miles, 11,480 kilometers).

“As a special-use airplane for executive teams and private owners, the BBJ will fly much longer routes – up to 14 hours nonstop – than commercially operated Boeing 737s,” Boeskov said. “These are the routes where winglets would have the best opportunity for performance improvements.”

In addition to performance, winglets will give the Boeing Business Jet a look that will set it apart from other business and commercial jets of its size.

“We want the BBJ to stand out, and we want it to look distinctive among all other business jets,” Boeskov said.

Boeskov said the first phase of flight-testing will be completed this week. Whether winglets will be used on the BBJ will be determined following evaluation of testing data.

Major assembly of the first BBJ fuselage was recently completed in Wichita, Kan., while work on the first wings and other components is progressing in the Puget Sound area. The airplane’s first flight is scheduled for August. Boeing Business Jets is a joint venture between The Boeing Company and General Electric Co.

Fuel -B737

Fuel Panels

737-1/200 Fuel Panel

 

737-Classic 4-Tank Fuel Panel

 

NG Fuel Panel

 

The maximum declarable fuel capacity for tech log, nav log, etc is 16,200kgs for 3-Tank Classics, 20,800kgs for NG’s and up to 37,712kgs for BBJ’s depending upon how many tanks the customer has specified (max 12). The AFM limits are higher, but not normally achievable with standard SG’s.

The fuel panels for the various series have not changed much over the years. The NG’s have separate ENG VALVE CLOSED & SPAR VALVE CLOSED lights in place of FUEL VALVE CLOSED. The -1/200 panel also has blue VALVE OPEN lights similar to that on the crossfeed valve. The FILTER BYPASS lights were FILTER ICING on the 1/200.

The 1/200′s had heater switches; these used bleed air to heat the fuel and de-ice the fuel filter. They were solenoid held and automatically moved back to OFF after one minute.

NG: The engine spar valves and APU are normally powered by the hot battery bus but have a dedicated battery to ensure that there is always power to shut off the fuel in an emergency.

Fuel Gauges

Analogue Fuel Gauges

-1/200′s and some older -300′s

 

 

Digital Sunburst Fuel Gauges – Simmonds 4 Tank

- 3/4/500′s

Digital Sunburst Fuel Gauges – Smiths

- 3/4/500′s

Fuel Gauge Accuracy

The 737 fuel quantity indication system has the following accuracy tolerances:

737-100/-200:
FQIS accuracy: +/- 3.0%

737-300/-400/-500,
FQIS accuracy with digital indicators: +/- 2.5 %
FQIS accuracy with analog indicators: +/- 3.0%

The total tolerance for the FQIS system is based on a full tank. For example, if the fuel tank maximum capacity is 10,000 KG, then the tolerance of the gauging is 0.03 (airplane with analog indicators) * 10000 = 300 KG. The system tolerance is then +/- 300 KG at any fuel level within the tank.

The accuracy of the fuel flow transmitter is a function of the fuel flow. At engine idle, the system tolerance can be 12%. During cruise, the tolerance is less than 1.5%. The fuel flow indication is integrated over time to calculate the fuel used for each engine.

737-600/-700/-800/-900 with densitometer:
FQIS accuracy: +/- 1.0% overall
Main tanks > 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 1.5%
Main tanks < 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 1.0%

737-600/-700/-800/-900 without densitometer:
FQIS accuracy: +/- 2.0% overall
Main tanks > 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 2.5%
Main tanks < 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 2.0

The total tolerance for the FQIS system is based on a full tank. For example, if the fuel tank maximum capacity is 10,000 KG, then the tolerance of the gauging is 0.02 (airplane without a densitometer) * 10000 = 200 KG. The system tolerance is then +/- 200 KG at any fuel level within the tank.

The accuracy tolerance of the fuel flow transmitter is a function of the fuel flow. At engine idle, the system tolerance can be 12%. During cruise, the tolerance is less than 0.5%. The fuel flow indication is integrated over time to calculate the fuel used for each engine.

On the Digital Sunburst fuel gauges, pressing the “Qty test” button will start a self test of the display and the fuel quantity indicating system. After the test, each gauge will display any error codes that they may have.

Note: The gauges are still considered to be operating normally with error codes 1, 3, 5 or 7 on the Simmonds gauges or error codes 1,3 and 6 on the Smiths gauges. ie If the gauge is indicating (rather than zero) the gauge may be used.

 DU Fuel Gauges

-NG’s

 

Low fuel quantity indication illuminates below either 907 or 453kg

- NG’s

NG fuel gauges can give messages such as LOW, CONFIG or IMBAL

  Digital Fuel Quantity Indicator Error Codes – Simmonds

Error Code Fuel Quantity Indicator Reading Probable Cause Gauges considered to be operating normally?
0 Zero Missing or disconnected tank unit
1 Normal Tank contamination Yes
2 Zero Bad HI-Z lead
3 Normal Bad compensator unit wiring Yes
4 Zero Bad tank unit wiring
5 Normal Bad compensator unit Yes
6 Zero Bad tank unit
7 Normal Contamination/water in compensator Yes
8 Zero Bad fuel quantity indicator
9 Normal or zero Improperly calibrated indicator
Blank Bad fuel quantity indicator

Digital Fuel Quantity Indicator Error Codes – Smiths

Error Code Fuel Quantity Indicator Reading Probable Cause Gauges considered to be operating normally?
1 Normal Open or short in compensator LO-Z wiring Yes
2 Zero Short circuit in compensator unit
3 Normal Too much leakage in compensator unit Yes
4 Zero Open or short circuit in a LO-Z to a tank unit
5 Zero Short circuit in a tank unit
6 Normal Too much leakage in tank unit Yes
7 Zero (or ERR in flight) Calibration unit does not operate correctly
8 Blank An error in the DCTU data
9 Zero (or ERR in flight) A problem with the indicator memory
  10 Zero Open or short circuit in the HI-Z line
Dripsticks

If a fuel gauge is u/s the quantity must be determined by using the dripsticks (floatsticks in later aircraft). The classics have 5 dripsticks in each wing tank and none in the centre tank. The NG has 6 dripsticks in each wing tank and 4 in the centre tank. Because of cumulative errors it is recommended that the wings are filled once every few sectors to ensure an even fuel balance. In-flight, the GW must be periodically updated to ensure the accuracy of VNAV speeds, buffet margin and max altitude.

Floatstick

Fuel quantity is measured by using a series of capacitors in the tanks with fuel acting as the dielectric. Calibration of the fuel gauges is done by capacitance trimmers, these are adjusted to standardise the total tank capacitance and allows for the replacement of gauges. On older aircraft the trimmers were accessible from the flightdeck (below the F/O’s FMC) but they have since been removed to a safer place! Capacitance trimmers

Pumps

There are two AC powered fuel pumps in each tank; there are also EDP’s at each engine. Both fuel pump low pressure lights in any tank are required to illuminate the master caution to avoid spurious warnings at high AoA’s or accelerations. Centre tank LP lights are armed only when their pumps are ON.

Leaving a fuel pump on with a low pressure light illuminated is not only an explosion risk (see Thai and Philippine write offs) but also if a pump is left running dry for over approx 10 minutes it will lose all the fuel required for priming which will render it inoperative even when the tank is refuelled. If you switch on the centre tank pumps and the LP lights remain illuminated for more than 19 seconds then this is probably what has happened. The pumps should be switched off and considered inop until they can be re-primed.

On the 1-500′s, the centre tank pumps are located in a dry area of the wing root but on the NG’s the pumps are actually inside the fuel tank (see photo below). This is why only the NG’s are affected by AD 2002-19-52 which requires the crew to maintain certain minimum fuel levels in the center fuel tanks. You can see the location of the centre tank pumps on the forward wall of the wheel well on the NG’s, since the forward wall is actually the back of the centre fuel tank.

Note: for aircraft delivered after May 2004, centre tank fuel pumps will automatically shut off when they detect a low output pressure.

Right centre tank fuel pump on the forward wall of the wheel well – NG’s only

Centre Tank Scavange Pumps

These transfer fuel from the centre tank into tank 1 at a minimum rate of 100kg/hr, although usually nearer 200kg/hr. The trigger for the scavenge pump is different for the series as follows:

  • Originals: Only fitted after l/n 990 (Dec 1983). Operates the same as the classics.
  • Classics: Switching both centre tank pumps OFF will cause the centre tank scavenge pump to transfer centre tank fuel into tank 1 for 20 minutes.
  • NG’s: The centre tank scavenge pump starts automatically when main tank 1 is half full and its FWD pump is operating. Once started, it will continue for the remainder of the flight.

NB On the classics, when departing with less than 1,000kg of fuel in the centre tank, an imbalance may occur during the climb. This is because the RH centre tank pump will stop feeding due to the body angle so number 2 engine fuel is drawn from main tank 2, while engine 1 is still drawing fuel from the centre tank. When this “runs dry” the scavenge pump will also transfer any remaining centre tank fuel into main tank 1, thereby exacerbating the imbalance.

The APU uses fuel from the number 1 tank. If AC power is available, select the No 1 tank pumps ON for APU operation to assist the fuel control unit, especially during start. Newer –500 series aircraft have an extra, DC operated APU fuel pump in the No 1 tank which operates automatically during the start sequence. The APU burns about 160Kgs/hr with electrics and an air-conditioning pack on and this should be considered in the fuel calculations if expecting a long turnaround or waiting with pax on board for a late slot.


Fuel Temperature

Limitations: Max fuel temp +49ºC, Min fuel temp -45ºC or freezing point +3ºC, whichever is higher. Typical freezing point of Jet A1 is -47ºC. If the fuel temp is approaching the lower limits you could descend into warmer air or accelerate to increase the kinetic heating. Fuel temp is taken from main tank 1 because this will be the coldest as it has less heating from the smaller hydraulic system A.

A fuel sampling and testing kit is kept on the flight deck of all aircraft to test for water.

The NG series are prone to “Upper Wing Surface Non-environmental Icing” or “Cold Soaked Fuel Frost” CSFF. This is due to cold soaked fuel causing frost to form on the wings during the turnarounds – even in warm conditions! From July 2004 NGs have been delivered with markings on the upper surface of the wings where this frost is allowable for despatch under the following conditions:

Takeoff with CSFF on the upper wing surfaces is permissible, provided the following are met:

  • the frost on the upper surface is less than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick
  • the extent of the frost is similar on both wings
  • the frost is on or between the black lines defining the permissible CSFF area
  • the outside air temperature is above freezing(0 C, 32 F)
  • there is no precipitation or visible moisture at the wing surface (rain, drizzle, snow, fog)


 

Auxiliary Fuel System

The standard number of fuel tanks is three. Classics could be fitted with an auxiliary fourth tank which was controlled from the main panel as shown at the top of the page. The 737-200Adv could also be fitted with an auxiliary tank at the forward end of the aft hold; these were available in either 3,065 or 1,421 litre capacities.

BBJ Aux fuel panel located on Capt’s & F/O’s main panels

The BBJ can have up to 9 aux fuel tanks giving it a maximum fuel quantity of 37,712kgs (83,000lbs) although in practice this would probably take you over MTOW if any payload was carried. This fuel would give a theoretical range in excess of 6200nm. The aux tanks are located at the rear of the fwd hold and the front of the aft hold, this reduces the C of G movement as fuel is loaded and used.

Aux fuel tank in aft hold of a BBJ2 (-800 fuselage)

Refuelling of the aux tanks is done by moving the guarded switch in the refuelling panel to AUX TANKS. The controls for main tanks 1 and 2 change to aft aux (AA) and fwd aux (FA) respectively.

The aux fuel system is essentially automatic. It works by transferring fuel from the aux tanks into the centre tank where it is then fed to the engines in the normal way. Flight crew can select fwd or aft tanks but normal practice is to use both to maintain C of G balance. The fwd and aft tanks are switched off when the ALERT light illuminates on the main panel.

Aux fuel control panel (Overhead panel)

There are no pumps in the aux fuel system. Cabin differential pressure (and bleed air as a backup) is used to maintain a head of pressure in the aux tanks to push the aux fuel into the centre tank.

Aux fuel control panel (Aft overhead panel)

(All Aux fuel photos: Capt D Britchford)


Ferry Tank

The 737-200 had provision for a ferry kit. This comprised a 2,000 US Gal (7,570 litre) bladder cell which attached to the seat tracks of the passenger cabin. The fuel was fed to the centre tank through a manual valve by cabin pressure.


Centre Fuel Tank Inerting

To date, two 737′s, 737-400 HS-TDC of Thai Airways on 3 Mar 2001 and 737-300 EI-BZG operated by Philippine Airlines on 5 Nov 1990 have been destroyed on the ground due to explosions in the empty centre fuel tank. The common factor in both accidents was that the centre tank fuel pumps were running in high ambient temperatures with empty or almost empty centre fuel tanks.

Even an empty tank has some unusable fuel which in hot conditions will evaporate and create an explosive mixture with the oxygen in the air. These incidents, and 15 more on other types since 1959, caused the FAA to issue SFAR88 in June 2001 which mandates improvements to the design and maintenance of fuel tanks to reduce the chances of such explosions in the future. These improvements include the redesign of fuel pumps, FQIS, any wiring in tanks, proximity to hot air-conditioning or pneumatic systems, etc.

737s delivered since May 2004 have had centre tank fuel pumps which automatically shut off when they detect a low output pressure and there have been many other improvements to wiring and FQIS. But the biggest improvement will be centre fuel tank inerting. This is universally considered to be the safest way forward, but is very expensive and possibly impractical. The NTSB recommended many years ago to the FAA that a fuel tank inerting system be made mandatory, but the FAA have repeatedly rejected it on cost grounds.

Boeing has developed a Nitrogen Generating System (NGS) which decreases the flammability exposure of the center wing tank to a level equivalent to or less than the main wing tanks. The NGS is an onboard inert gas system that uses an air separation module (ASM) to separate oxygen and nitrogen from the air. After the two components of the air are separated, the nitrogenenriched air (NEA) is supplied to the center wing tank and the oxygenenriched air (OEA) is vented overboard. NEA is produced in sufficient quantities, during most conditions, to decrease the oxygen content to a level where the air volume (ullage) will not support combustion. The FAA Technical Center has determined that an oxygen level of 12% is sufficient to prevent ignition, this is achievable with one module on the 737 but will require up to six on the 747.

On 21 Feb 2006 the Honeywell NGS was certified by the FAA after over 1000hrs flight testing on two 737-NGs. Aircraft from l/n 1935 (Aug 2006) to 2006 were delivered with basic provisions for NGS and more comprehensive provisioning up to l/n 2019. Full production cutover is scheduled for l/n 2620 onwards. The NGS requires no flight or ground crew action for normal system operation and is not dispatch critical.

NGS Panel in the wheel-well

Photo: Lonnie Ganz

This from the FAA Systems Fire Group website:

B-737 Ground / Flight Testing

A series of aircraft flight and ground tests were performed by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Boeing Company to evaluate the effectiveness of ground-based inerting (GBI) as a means of reducing the flammability of fuel tanks in the commercial transport fleet. Boeing made available a Boeing 737 for modification and testing. A nitrogen-enriched air (NEA) distribution manifold, designed, built, and installed by Boeing, allowed for deposit of the ground-based NEA into the center wing tank (CWT). The fuel tank was instrumented with gas sample tubing and thermocouples to allow for a measurement of fuel tank inerting and heating during the testing. The FAA developed an in-flight gas sampling system, integrated with eight oxygen analyzers, to continuously monitor the ullage oxygen concentration at eight different locations. Other data such as fuel load, air speed, altitude, and similar flight parameters were made available from the aircraft data bus. A series of ten tests were performed (five flight, five ground) under different ground and flight conditions to demonstrate the ability of GBI to reduce fuel tank flammability. It was demonstrated under the most hazardous condition-an empty center wing tank-that GBI would remain effective for a large portion of the flight, or until aircraft descent. However, it was also shown that the dual venting configuration of some Boeing airplanes would have to be modified to prevent loss of inerting at certain ground and flight cross flow conditions.

Download the Final Report (DOT/FAA/AR-01/63)  (4.8Mb)

 


Limitations

Max temp +49°C
Min temp -43°C or freeze pt +3°C
Max quantity 1/200: 4300 + 4100 + 4300 = 12,700kg  (2 bag ctr bays)
200Adv: 4300 + 5400 + 4300 = 14,000kg  (3 bag ctr bays)
200Adv: 4300 + 7000 + 4300 = 15,600kg  (3 bag integral)
3/4/500: 4600 + 7000 + 4600 = 16,200kg
NG’s:    3900 + 13000 + 3900 = 20,800kg
Max lateral imbalance 1/200: 680kg; All other series: 453kg
Main tanks to be full if centre contains over 453kg
For ground operation, centre tank pumps must be not be positioned to ON, unless defuelling or transferring fuel, if quantity is below 453kgs.
Centre tank pumps must be switched OFF when both LP lights illuminate.
Centre tank pumps must not be left ON unless personnel are available in the flight deck to monitor LP lights.
Centre tank pumps should not be allowed to run dry or be left running unsupervised. Crew reset of fuel pump circuit breakers in-flight is prohibited (QRH CI.2.2)

Fuel Panels

737-1/200 Fuel Panel 737-Classic 4-Tank Fuel Panel NG Fuel Panel
The maximum declarable fuel capacity for tech log, nav log, etc is 16,200kgs for 3-Tank Classics, 20,800kgs for NG’s and up to 37,712kgs for BBJ’s depending upon how many tanks the customer has specified (max 12). The AFM limits are higher, but not normally achievable with standard SG’s.

The fuel panels for the various series have not changed much over the years. The NG’s have separate ENG VALVE CLOSED & SPAR VALVE CLOSED lights in place of FUEL VALVE CLOSED. The -1/200 panel also has blue VALVE OPEN lights similar to that on the crossfeed valve. The FILTER BYPASS lights were FILTER ICING on the 1/200.

The 1/200′s had heater switches; these used bleed air to heat the fuel and de-ice the fuel filter. They were solenoid held and automatically moved back to OFF after one minute.

NG: The engine spar valves and APU are normally powered by the hot battery bus but have a dedicated battery to ensure that there is always power to shut off the fuel in an emergency.

Fuel Gauges

Analogue Fuel Gauges

-1/200′s and some older -300′s

 

Digital Sunburst Fuel Gauges – Simmonds 4 Tank

- 3/4/500′s

Digital Sunburst Fuel Gauges – Smiths

- 3/4/500′s

Fuel Gauge Accuracy

The 737 fuel quantity indication system has the following accuracy tolerances:

737-100/-200:
FQIS accuracy: +/- 3.0%

737-300/-400/-500,
FQIS accuracy with digital indicators: +/- 2.5 %
FQIS accuracy with analog indicators: +/- 3.0%

The total tolerance for the FQIS system is based on a full tank. For example, if the fuel tank maximum capacity is 10,000 KG, then the tolerance of the gauging is 0.03 (airplane with analog indicators) * 10000 = 300 KG. The system tolerance is then +/- 300 KG at any fuel level within the tank.

The accuracy of the fuel flow transmitter is a function of the fuel flow. At engine idle, the system tolerance can be 12%. During cruise, the tolerance is less than 1.5%. The fuel flow indication is integrated over time to calculate the fuel used for each engine.

737-600/-700/-800/-900 with densitometer:
FQIS accuracy: +/- 1.0% overall
Main tanks > 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 1.5%
Main tanks < 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 1.0%

737-600/-700/-800/-900 without densitometer:
FQIS accuracy: +/- 2.0% overall
Main tanks > 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 2.5%
Main tanks < 50%, -1 to 5 deg pitch, +/- 1 deg roll: +/- 2.0

The total tolerance for the FQIS system is based on a full tank. For example, if the fuel tank maximum capacity is 10,000 KG, then the tolerance of the gauging is 0.02 (airplane without a densitometer) * 10000 = 200 KG. The system tolerance is then +/- 200 KG at any fuel level within the tank.

The accuracy tolerance of the fuel flow transmitter is a function of the fuel flow. At engine idle, the system tolerance can be 12%. During cruise, the tolerance is less than 0.5%. The fuel flow indication is integrated over time to calculate the fuel used for each engine.

On the Digital Sunburst fuel gauges, pressing the “Qty test” button will start a self test of the display and the fuel quantity indicating system. After the test, each gauge will display any error codes that they may have.

Note: The gauges are still considered to be operating normally with error codes 1, 3, 5 or 7 on the Simmonds gauges or error codes 1,3 and 6 on the Smiths gauges. ie If the gauge is indicating (rather than zero) the gauge may be used.

 DU Fuel Gauges

-NG’s

 

Low fuel quantity indication illuminates below either 907 or 453kg

- NG’s

NG fuel gauges can give messages such as LOW, CONFIG or IMBAL

  Digital Fuel Quantity Indicator Error Codes – Simmonds

Error Code Fuel Quantity Indicator Reading Probable Cause Gauges considered to be operating normally?
0 Zero Missing or disconnected tank unit
1 Normal Tank contamination Yes
2 Zero Bad HI-Z lead
3 Normal Bad compensator unit wiring Yes
4 Zero Bad tank unit wiring
5 Normal Bad compensator unit Yes
6 Zero Bad tank unit
7 Normal Contamination/water in compensator Yes
8 Zero Bad fuel quantity indicator
9 Normal or zero Improperly calibrated indicator
Blank Bad fuel quantity indicator

Digital Fuel Quantity Indicator Error Codes – Smiths

Error Code Fuel Quantity Indicator Reading Probable Cause Gauges considered to be operating normally?
1 Normal Open or short in compensator LO-Z wiring Yes
2 Zero Short circuit in compensator unit
3 Normal Too much leakage in compensator unit Yes
4 Zero Open or short circuit in a LO-Z to a tank unit
5 Zero Short circuit in a tank unit
6 Normal Too much leakage in tank unit Yes
7 Zero (or ERR in flight) Calibration unit does not operate correctly
8 Blank An error in the DCTU data
9 Zero (or ERR in flight) A problem with the indicator memory
  10 Zero Open or short circuit in the HI-Z line
Dripsticks

If a fuel gauge is u/s the quantity must be determined by using the dripsticks (floatsticks in later aircraft). The classics have 5 dripsticks in each wing tank and none in the centre tank. The NG has 6 dripsticks in each wing tank and 4 in the centre tank. Because of cumulative errors it is recommended that the wings are filled once every few sectors to ensure an even fuel balance. In-flight, the GW must be periodically updated to ensure the accuracy of VNAV speeds, buffet margin and max altitude.

Floatstick

Fuel quantity is measured by using a series of capacitors in the tanks with fuel acting as the dielectric. Calibration of the fuel gauges is done by capacitance trimmers, these are adjusted to standardise the total tank capacitance and allows for the replacement of gauges. On older aircraft the trimmers were accessible from the flightdeck (below the F/O’s FMC) but they have since been removed to a safer place! Capacitance trimmers

Pumps

There are two AC powered fuel pumps in each tank; there are also EDP’s at each engine. Both fuel pump low pressure lights in any tank are required to illuminate the master caution to avoid spurious warnings at high AoA’s or accelerations. Centre tank LP lights are armed only when their pumps are ON.

Leaving a fuel pump on with a low pressure light illuminated is not only an explosion risk (see Thai and Philippine write offs) but also if a pump is left running dry for over approx 10 minutes it will lose all the fuel required for priming which will render it inoperative even when the tank is refuelled. If you switch on the centre tank pumps and the LP lights remain illuminated for more than 19 seconds then this is probably what has happened. The pumps should be switched off and considered inop until they can be re-primed.

On the 1-500′s, the centre tank pumps are located in a dry area of the wing root but on the NG’s the pumps are actually inside the fuel tank (see photo below). This is why only the NG’s are affected by AD 2002-19-52 which requires the crew to maintain certain minimum fuel levels in the center fuel tanks. You can see the location of the centre tank pumps on the forward wall of the wheel well on the NG’s, since the forward wall is actually the back of the centre fuel tank.

Note: for aircraft delivered after May 2004, centre tank fuel pumps will automatically shut off when they detect a low output pressure.

Right centre tank fuel pump on the forward wall of the wheel well – NG’s only

Centre Tank Scavange Pumps

These transfer fuel from the centre tank into tank 1 at a minimum rate of 100kg/hr, although usually nearer 200kg/hr. The trigger for the scavenge pump is different for the series as follows:

  • Originals: Only fitted after l/n 990 (Dec 1983). Operates the same as the classics.
  • Classics: Switching both centre tank pumps OFF will cause the centre tank scavenge pump to transfer centre tank fuel into tank 1 for 20 minutes.
  • NG’s: The centre tank scavenge pump starts automatically when main tank 1 is half full and its FWD pump is operating. Once started, it will continue for the remainder of the flight.

NB On the classics, when departing with less than 1,000kg of fuel in the centre tank, an imbalance may occur during the climb. This is because the RH centre tank pump will stop feeding due to the body angle so number 2 engine fuel is drawn from main tank 2, while engine 1 is still drawing fuel from the centre tank. When this “runs dry” the scavenge pump will also transfer any remaining centre tank fuel into main tank 1, thereby exacerbating the imbalance.

The APU uses fuel from the number 1 tank. If AC power is available, select the No 1 tank pumps ON for APU operation to assist the fuel control unit, especially during start. Newer –500 series aircraft have an extra, DC operated APU fuel pump in the No 1 tank which operates automatically during the start sequence. The APU burns about 160Kgs/hr with electrics and an air-conditioning pack on and this should be considered in the fuel calculations if expecting a long turnaround or waiting with pax on board for a late slot.


Fuel Temperature

Limitations: Max fuel temp +49ºC, Min fuel temp -45ºC or freezing point +3ºC, whichever is higher. Typical freezing point of Jet A1 is -47ºC. If the fuel temp is approaching the lower limits you could descend into warmer air or accelerate to increase the kinetic heating. Fuel temp is taken from main tank 1 because this will be the coldest as it has less heating from the smaller hydraulic system A.

A fuel sampling and testing kit is kept on the flight deck of all aircraft to test for water.

The NG series are prone to “Upper Wing Surface Non-environmental Icing” or “Cold Soaked Fuel Frost” CSFF. This is due to cold soaked fuel causing frost to form on the wings during the turnarounds – even in warm conditions! From July 2004 NGs have been delivered with markings on the upper surface of the wings where this frost is allowable for despatch under the following conditions:

Takeoff with CSFF on the upper wing surfaces is permissible, provided the following are met:

  • the frost on the upper surface is less than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick
  • the extent of the frost is similar on both wings
  • the frost is on or between the black lines defining the permissible CSFF area
  • the outside air temperature is above freezing(0 C, 32 F)
  • there is no precipitation or visible moisture at the wing surface (rain, drizzle, snow, fog)


Auxiliary Fuel System

The standard number of fuel tanks is three. Classics could be fitted with an auxiliary fourth tank which was controlled from the main panel as shown at the top of the page. The 737-200Adv could also be fitted with an auxiliary tank at the forward end of the aft hold; these were available in either 3,065 or 1,421 litre capacities.

BBJ Aux fuel panel located on Capt’s & F/O’s main panels

The BBJ can have up to 9 aux fuel tanks giving it a maximum fuel quantity of 37,712kgs (83,000lbs) although in practice this would probably take you over MTOW if any payload was carried. This fuel would give a theoretical range in excess of 6200nm. The aux tanks are located at the rear of the fwd hold and the front of the aft hold, this reduces the C of G movement as fuel is loaded and used.

Aux fuel tank in aft hold of a BBJ2 (-800 fuselage)

Refuelling of the aux tanks is done by moving the guarded switch in the refuelling panel to AUX TANKS. The controls for main tanks 1 and 2 change to aft aux (AA) and fwd aux (FA) respectively.

The aux fuel system is essentially automatic. It works by transferring fuel from the aux tanks into the centre tank where it is then fed to the engines in the normal way. Flight crew can select fwd or aft tanks but normal practice is to use both to maintain C of G balance. The fwd and aft tanks are switched off when the ALERT light illuminates on the main panel.

Aux fuel control panel (Overhead panel)

There are no pumps in the aux fuel system. Cabin differential pressure (and bleed air as a backup) is used to maintain a head of pressure in the aux tanks to push the aux fuel into the centre tank.

Aux fuel control panel (Aft overhead panel)

(All Aux fuel photos: Capt D Britchford)


Ferry Tank

The 737-200 had provision for a ferry kit. This comprised a 2,000 US Gal (7,570 litre) bladder cell which attached to the seat tracks of the passenger cabin. The fuel was fed to the centre tank through a manual valve by cabin pressure.


Centre Fuel Tank Inerting

To date, two 737′s, 737-400 HS-TDC of Thai Airways on 3 Mar 2001 and 737-300 EI-BZG operated by Philippine Airlines on 5 Nov 1990 have been destroyed on the ground due to explosions in the empty centre fuel tank. The common factor in both accidents was that the centre tank fuel pumps were running in high ambient temperatures with empty or almost empty centre fuel tanks.

Even an empty tank has some unusable fuel which in hot conditions will evaporate and create an explosive mixture with the oxygen in the air. These incidents, and 15 more on other types since 1959, caused the FAA to issue SFAR88 in June 2001 which mandates improvements to the design and maintenance of fuel tanks to reduce the chances of such explosions in the future. These improvements include the redesign of fuel pumps, FQIS, any wiring in tanks, proximity to hot air-conditioning or pneumatic systems, etc.

737s delivered since May 2004 have had centre tank fuel pumps which automatically shut off when they detect a low output pressure and there have been many other improvements to wiring and FQIS. But the biggest improvement will be centre fuel tank inerting. This is universally considered to be the safest way forward, but is very expensive and possibly impractical. The NTSB recommended many years ago to the FAA that a fuel tank inerting system be made mandatory, but the FAA have repeatedly rejected it on cost grounds.

Boeing has developed a Nitrogen Generating System (NGS) which decreases the flammability exposure of the center wing tank to a level equivalent to or less than the main wing tanks. The NGS is an onboard inert gas system that uses an air separation module (ASM) to separate oxygen and nitrogen from the air. After the two components of the air are separated, the nitrogenenriched air (NEA) is supplied to the center wing tank and the oxygenenriched air (OEA) is vented overboard. NEA is produced in sufficient quantities, during most conditions, to decrease the oxygen content to a level where the air volume (ullage) will not support combustion. The FAA Technical Center has determined that an oxygen level of 12% is sufficient to prevent ignition, this is achievable with one module on the 737 but will require up to six on the 747.

On 21 Feb 2006 the Honeywell NGS was certified by the FAA after over 1000hrs flight testing on two 737-NGs. Aircraft from l/n 1935 (Aug 2006) to 2006 were delivered with basic provisions for NGS and more comprehensive provisioning up to l/n 2019. Full production cutover is scheduled for l/n 2620 onwards. The NGS requires no flight or ground crew action for normal system operation and is not dispatch critical.

NGS Panel in the wheel-well

Photo: Lonnie Ganz

This from the FAA Systems Fire Group website:

B-737 Ground / Flight Testing

A series of aircraft flight and ground tests were performed by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Boeing Company to evaluate the effectiveness of ground-based inerting (GBI) as a means of reducing the flammability of fuel tanks in the commercial transport fleet. Boeing made available a Boeing 737 for modification and testing. A nitrogen-enriched air (NEA) distribution manifold, designed, built, and installed by Boeing, allowed for deposit of the ground-based NEA into the center wing tank (CWT). The fuel tank was instrumented with gas sample tubing and thermocouples to allow for a measurement of fuel tank inerting and heating during the testing. The FAA developed an in-flight gas sampling system, integrated with eight oxygen analyzers, to continuously monitor the ullage oxygen concentration at eight different locations. Other data such as fuel load, air speed, altitude, and similar flight parameters were made available from the aircraft data bus. A series of ten tests were performed (five flight, five ground) under different ground and flight conditions to demonstrate the ability of GBI to reduce fuel tank flammability. It was demonstrated under the most hazardous condition-an empty center wing tank-that GBI would remain effective for a large portion of the flight, or until aircraft descent. However, it was also shown that the dual venting configuration of some Boeing airplanes would have to be modified to prevent loss of inerting at certain ground and flight cross flow conditions.

Download the Final Report (DOT/FAA/AR-01/63)  (4.8Mb)


Limitations

Max temp +49°C
Min temp -43°C or freeze pt +3°C
Max quantity 1/200: 4300 + 4100 + 4300 = 12,700kg  (2 bag ctr bays)
200Adv: 4300 + 5400 + 4300 = 14,000kg  (3 bag ctr bays)
200Adv: 4300 + 7000 + 4300 = 15,600kg  (3 bag integral)
3/4/500: 4600 + 7000 + 4600 = 16,200kg
NG’s:    3900 + 13000 + 3900 = 20,800kg
Max lateral imbalance 1/200: 680kg; All other series: 453kg
Main tanks to be full if centre contains over 453kg
For ground operation, centre tank pumps must be not be positioned to ON, unless defuelling or transferring fuel, if quantity is below 453kgs.
Centre tank pumps must be switched OFF when both LP lights illuminate.
Centre tank pumps must not be left ON unless personnel are available in the flight deck to monitor LP lights.
Centre tank pumps should not be allowed to run dry or be left running unsupervised. Crew reset of fuel pump circuit breakers in-flight is prohibited (QRH CI.2.2)

Hydraulics -B737

Pumps

The hydraulic pump panel -1/200

The 737-1/200 had system A powered by the two Engine Driven Pumps (EDP’s) and system B powered by the two Electric Motor Driven Pumps (EMDP’s). There is also a ground interconnect switch to allow system A to be powered when the engines are shut down.

 

The hydraulic pump panel -300 onwards

From the 737-300 onwards each hydraulic system had both an EDP and an EMDP for greater redundancy in the event of an engine or generator failure.

To see the hydraulic systems (pumps, reservoirs, gauges etc) see wheel-well fwd

Services Supplied

Services Supplied

System A

System B

Standby

A/P “A” A/P “B”  
Ailerons Ailerons  
Rudder Rudder Rudder
  Yaw damper Standby yaw damper (as installed)
Elev & Elev feel Elev & Elev feel  
Inboard flight spoiler Outboard flight spoiler  
Ground spoilers    
  L/E flaps & slats L/E flaps & slats (for extension only)
  T/E flaps  
PTU for autoslats Autoslats  
No1 thrust reverser No2 thrust reverser Nos 1 & 2 thrust reversers (slow)
Nose wheel steering Alt nose wheel steering  
Alternate brakes (man only) Normal (auto & man) brakes  
Landing gear Landing gear transfer unit (retraction only)  

Reservoirs

Hydraulic System B Reservoir Pressure Gauge

The hydraulic reservoirs are pressurised from the pneumatic manifold to ensure a positive flow of fluid reaches the pumps. A from the left manifold and B from the right (see wheel-well fwd). The latest 737′s (mid 2003 onwards) have had their hydraulic reservoir pressurisation system extensively modified to fix two in-service problems 1) hydraulic vapours in the flight deck caused by hydraulic fluid leaking up the reservoir pressurisation line back to the pneumatic manifold giving hydraulic fumes in the air-conditioning and 2) pump low pressure during a very long flight in a cold soaked aircraft. The latter is due to water trapped in the reservoir pressurisation system freezing blocking reservoir bleed air supply. Aircraft which have been modified (SB 737-29-1106) are recognised by only having one reservoir pressure gauge in the wheel well.

 

Fuses

Hydraulic Fuses

Also in the wheel well can be seen the hydraulic fuses. These are essentially spring-loaded shuttle valves which close the hydraulic line if they detect a sudden increase in flow such as a burst downstream, thereby preserving hydraulic fluid for the rest of the services. Hydraulic fuses are fitted to the brake system, L/E flap/slat extend/retract lines, nose gear extend/retract lines and the thrust reverser pressure and return lines.

 

Above schematic courtesy of Leon Van Der Linde. For a more detailed hydraulic schematic diagram, click here.

737-3/400 Hydraulic Gauges

On pre-EIS aircraft (before 1988) the hydraulic gauges were similar to the 737-200. There are now separate quantity gauges since the reservoirs are not interconnected and the markings have been simplified. There is now just a single brake pressure gauge showing the normal brake pressure from system B.

 

 

737-200 Hydraulic Gauges.

Notice that there is only a system A quantity gauge, this is because on the 737-1/200 system B is filled from system A reservoir. System B quantity is monitored by the amber “B LOW QUANTITY” light above. The hydraulic brake pressure gauge has two needles because system A operates the inboard brakes and system B the outboard brakes, each has an accumulator.


Quantities

This table shows the nominal quantities at different levels in the reservoirs

Aircraft Series Originals Classics NG’s
System Gauges EIS Upper CDU
A Full level 3.6 USG 100% 100% (5.7Gal / 21.6Ltrs)
Refill 2.35 USG 88% 76%
EDP Standpipe ? 22% 20%
EMDP Standpipe N/A 0% 0%
B Full level Full 100% 100% (8.2Gal / 31.1Ltrs)
Refill 3/4 88% 76%
Fill & balance line (to standby reservoir) ? 64% 72%
EDP Standpipe N/A 40% 0%
EMDP Standpipe ? 11% 0%

Eg. If you are in say a 737-300 and you notice to System B hydraulic quantity drop to 64%, then from the table above, you may suspect a leak in the balance line or standby reservoir.

Note: Refill figure valid only when airplane is on ground with both engines shutdown or after landing with flaps up during taxi-in.

The hydraulic reservoirs can be filled from the ground service connection point on the forward wall of the stbd wheel well.

Hydraulic ground service connection

Normal hydraulic pressure is 3000 psi

Minimum hydraulic pressure is 2800 psi

Maximum hydraulic pressure is 3500 psi

Normal brake accumulator precharge is 1000 psi

NB The alternate flap system will extend (but not retract) LE devices with standby hydraulic power. It will also extend or retract TE flaps with an electric drive motor but there is no asymmetry protection for this.

LGTU makes Hyd B pressure available for gear retraction when Engine No1 falls below 50% N2

 

Methods for Transfer of Hydraulic Fluid

It should go without saying that if a hydraulic system is low on quantity then you should top up that system with fresh fluid (and find out why it was low!) to avoid cross contamination. However if you really want to move fluid from one system to another here is how to do it.

A to B (1% transfer per cycle)

  1. Chock the aircraft & ensure area around stabiliser is clear.
  2. Switch both EMDP’s OFF.
  3. Release parking brakes and deplete accumulator to below 1800psi by pumping toe brakes.
  4. Switch Sys A EMDP ON and apply parking brakes.
  5. Switch Sys A EMDP OFF and depressurise through control column. (Use stabiliser rather than ailerons to prevent damage to equipment or personnel)
  6. Switch Sys B EMDP ON and release parking brakes. (Sends the fluid back to system B because the shuttle/priority valves send the fluid back to the normal brake system.)

A to B – An alternative method

  1. Chock the aircraft & ensure area around stabiliser is clear.
  2. Switch both EMDP’s ON.
  3. Switch Sys B EMDP OFF and depressurise through control column. (Use stabiliser rather than ailerons to prevent damage to equipment or personnel)
  4. Switch Sys A EMDP ON and apply parking brakes. (Uses fluid from system A)
  5. Switch Sys B EMDP ON and release parking brakes. (Sends the fluid back to system B because the shuttle/priority valves send the fluid back to the normal brake system.)

B to A (4% transfer per cycle)

  1. Ensure area around No1 thrust reverser is clear.
  2. Switch both EMDP’s OFF
  3. Switch either FLT CONTROL to SBY RUD.
  4. Select No1 thrust reverser OUT (uses standby hyd sys)
  5. Switch FLT CONTROL to ON.
  6. Switch Hyd Sys A EMDP ON.
  7. Stow No 1 thrust reverser (using sys A)

Ice and Rain Protection

Panels

737-1/200 Ice & Rain Panel

737-3/4/500 Ice & Rain Panel

737-NG Ice & Rain Panel

Differences:

  1. No alpha vanes
  2. WAI has ground test position
  3. Engine anti-ice captions are: COWL VALVE OPEN, R VALVE OPEN, L VALVE OPEN.
  1. Alpha vanes added
  2. Now only one temp probe (many 1/200′s had two)
  3. TAT TEST button (ie aspirated probe). NB if there is no TAT TEST button you have an unaspirated probe.
  1. Static ports not heated
  2. Aux pitot added.

Window Heat

If window heat is switched ON but the ON light is extinguished, this means that heat is not being applied to the associated window. This could be because the heat controller has detected that the window is becoming overheated (normal on hot days in direct sunlight) and can be verified by touching the window. The heat will automatically be restored when the window has cooled down. To verify that window heat is still available a PWR TEST should illuminate all ON lights if the window heat switches are ON. The PWR TEST forces the temperature controller to full power but overheat protection is still available.

If an OVERHEAT light illuminates, either a window has overheated or electrical power to the window has been interrupted. The affected window heat must be switched OFF and allowed 2-5mins to cool before switching ON again. The OVHT TEST simulates an overheat condition.

 

Pitot Heat

See Instrument Probes page for explanation.

 

Wing Anti Ice

Wing anti-ice (WAI) is very effective and is normally used as a de-icing system in-flight, in applications of 1 minute. On the ground it should be used continuously in icing conditions.

The WAI switch logic is interesting, on the ground, bleed air for WAI will cut-off if either thrust lever is above the take-off warning setting, but will be restored after the thrust is reduced. This allows you to perform engine run-ups etc without having to check that the WAI is still on afterwards. The switch is solenoid held and will trip off at lift-off, this is for performance considerations as the bleed air penalty is considerable.

Note that on early systems, ie those with a GND TEST position, with the WAI switch ON on the ground, the WAI is inhibited until lift-off ie “armed”, This is opposite to the present system.

WAI, unlike engine AI, uses bleed air from the main pneumatic manifold, this is to ensure a source of bleed air during engine out operations. Only the leading edge slats have WAI (ie not leading edge flaps). The NG series outboard slat has no wing anti-ice facility (see photo) believed to be due to excessive bleed requirements. However in June 2005 it was announced that the 737-MMA will have raked wingtips with anti-ice along the full span. This is because the MMA will be spending long periods of time on patrol at low level where it will be exposed to icing conditions.

NB Where QRH ENGINE FAILURE/SHUTDOWN drills ask “If wing anti-ice is required:”, if icing conditions are anticipated, these actions should be completed in preparation for WAI use to prevent asymmetric application. There is no bleed penalty for this reconfiguration until WAI is actually used.

On the NG, if WAI is used for more than 5 secs in-flight, the SMYD will adjust the stick shaker speeds and manouvre speed bars to allow for airframe ice.

Photo: Wing ice on the outboard slat of a 737-700

Engine Anti Ice

Engine anti-ice (EAI) heats the engine cowl to prevent ice build-up, which could break off and enter the engine. The 3/4/500 spinner was originally conical to prevent ice buildup but was changed to an elliptical shape to deflect ice away from the engine core. The NG’s have the best of both worlds with a coneliptical shaped spinner (see photo left) that does both jobs. EAI should be used continuously on the ground and in the air in icing conditions. It uses 5th stage bleed air, augmented by 9th stage as required, from the associated engine. COWL ANTI-ICE lights will illuminate if an overtemp (825F) or overpressure (65psig) condition exists in either duct. In this situation thrust on the associated engine should be reduced until the light extinguishes.

Wing and engine VALVE OPEN lights use the bright blue/dim blue – valve position in disagreement / agreement logic. The wing L and R VALVE OPEN lights in particular may remain bright blue after start and during taxy. This is because they are pneumatically operated, they can be made to open with a modest amount of engine thrust.

 

Airframe Visual Icing Cues

An ice detection system is an option that is rarely taken up on the 737 so it is up to the crew to spot ice formation and take the necessary action. The following photos show some of the places where ice accretion is visible from the flight deck. Note engine anti-ice should be used whenever the temperature and visible moisture criteria are met and not left until ice is seen, to avoid inlet ice build up which may shed into the engine.

 

Under the windscreen wiper blades.

This is one of the first places that ice will form, precipitation falls on the bottom of the windscreen and runs up to the wipers.

This is not an accurate indication of the amount of icing on the airframe because of the stagnation point where the blade and windscreen meet and also because the windscreen is heated.

I would describe conditions where ice forms here as LIGHT ICING.

On the wiper nut

This is my preferred indication of airframe ice accretion. If ice is seen here it is surely also on other parts of the airframe.

The weight and aerodynamic effect of all this ice on the the airframe and control surfaces is why there is the “residual ice” penalty of several tons on the landing performance graphs “If operating in icing conditions during any part of the flight when the forecast landing temperature is below 8C, reduce the normal climb limited landing weight by xxxxkg.” (FPPM 1.3.3).

I would describe conditions where ice forms here as MODERATE ICING.

On the central windscreen pillar

For ice to form on a flat heated windscreen, conditions must be bad. You can see how the shape of the formation follows the airflow lines. You can imagine how much ice is on the rest of the aircraft, especially when you consider that most of it is unheated, particularly on the fin and stabiliser.

Vol 1 SP.16.8 states “Avoid prolonged operation in moderate to severe icing conditions.” This photo was taken at about 20,000ft climbing through the tops of rain bearing frontal cloud. The ice shown here formed in under a minute.

I would describe conditions where ice forms here as SEVERE ICING.

Non-environmental Icing

The NG’s have a problem with frost forming after landing on the wing above the tanks where fuel has been cold soaked. This is officially known as “Wing upper surface non-environmental icing”. The reason is the increased surface area of the fuel that comes into contact with the upper surface of the wing. This is because the shape of the wing fuel tanks was changed (moved outboard) to accommodate the longer landing gear that was in turn required for the increased fuselage lengths of the NG family to reduce the risk of tailstrikes! The only solution until recently has been to limit your arrival fuel to less than approx 4,000kg. Now Boeing have issued guidelines on the acceptable location and amount of upper wing frost.

The Boeing advice is as follows: “Flight crews should visually inspect the lower wing surface. If there is frost or ice on the lower surface, outboard of measuring stick 4, there may also be frost or ice on the upper surface. The distance the frost extends outboard of measuring stick 4 can be used as an indication of the extent of frost on the upper surface. It should be noted that if the thickness of the frost on the lower surface of the wing is 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick or less, the thickness of the frost on the upper surface will be less than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. If the thickness of the frost on the lower surface is greater than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm), then a physical inspection of the upper surface frost is required.”

737-1/200

737-1/2/3/4/500

737-NG

Wiper Controls

One of the most welcome features of the 737-NG is the improvement to the windscreen wipers. The wipers are now independent, have an intermittent position and best of all – are almost silent.

Rain Repellent

The rain repellent has been removed due to worries about the environmental effects of the “RainBoe” fluid used as it contains CFC’s. It is also poisonous and in 1991 Boeing added D-limonine which has a strong smell of orange peel into RainBoe so that leakage could be detected. There are no plans to replace the rain repellent with another liquid product even though there are safe alternatives eg “Le Bozec”.

On 25 May 1982, a 737-200Adv (PP-SMY) was written off by a heavy landing in a rainstorm. One report stated that “The pilots misuse of rain repellent caused an optical illusion”.

Since early 1994 all Boeing aircraft have been built with Surface Seal coated glass from PPG Industries which has a hydrophobic coating. The coating does deteriorate with time depending upon wiper use and windscreen cleaning methods etc, but can be re-applied.

Check out this video of a 737-900 DV window opening during the take-off roll during flight testing. Notice that a high speed abort is not necessary if the DV window opens.

Limitations

Engine anti-ice must be on when icing conditions exist or are anticipated, except during climb and cruise below -40°C SAT.

Use of wing anti-ice above FL350 may cause bleed trip off and possible loss of cabin pressure. (SP.16.8)

 

See also maintenance notes by Ferreira

 

News

13 Aug 2009 – PPG Aerospace to redesign windshields for 737NG

Boeing requests windshield liner to keep glass from flight deck in bird-strike event

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Aug. 13, 2009 – PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) aerospace transparencies business has been awarded a contract by Spirit AeroSystems to redesign the laminated glass windshields for Boeing’s Next-Generation 737 airplanes. The windshields are being redesigned at Boeing’s request to accommodate airframe improvements. To meet Boeing specifications, the redesigned windshields will be slightly smaller than the current versions and include an inboard plastic antispall liner to prevent broken glass from entering the flight deck during a bird-strike event, according to Art Scott, PPG Aerospace global sales director for commercial original-equipment transparencies. “Boeing has asked for an alternate approach to bird-strike performance for the windshields that works structurally with the 737 airframe,” Scott said. “Adding an antispall liner to the windshields for Next-Generation 737 airplanes enables Boeing to keep the structural airframe design while incorporating newer technology.” PPG will be the sole source of the redesigned windshields for production and aftermarket applications. Scott said PPG expects certification of the new-design windshields in the second quarter 2010. The windshields will be designed and manufactured at PPG’s Huntsville, Ala., facility for delivery to Wichita, Kan., where Spirit makes the fuselage for Boeing.

Panels

737-1/200 Ice & Rain Panel

737-3/4/500 Ice & Rain Panel

737-NG Ice & Rain Panel

Differences:

  1. No alpha vanes
  2. WAI has ground test position
  3. Engine anti-ice captions are: COWL VALVE OPEN, R VALVE OPEN, L VALVE OPEN.
  1. Alpha vanes added
  2. Now only one temp probe (many 1/200′s had two)
  3. TAT TEST button (ie aspirated probe). NB if there is no TAT TEST button you have an unaspirated probe.
  1. Static ports not heated
  2. Aux pitot added.

Window Heat

If window heat is switched ON but the ON light is extinguished, this means that heat is not being applied to the associated window. This could be because the heat controller has detected that the window is becoming overheated (normal on hot days in direct sunlight) and can be verified by touching the window. The heat will automatically be restored when the window has cooled down. To verify that window heat is still available a PWR TEST should illuminate all ON lights if the window heat switches are ON. The PWR TEST forces the temperature controller to full power but overheat protection is still available.

If an OVERHEAT light illuminates, either a window has overheated or electrical power to the window has been interrupted. The affected window heat must be switched OFF and allowed 2-5mins to cool before switching ON again. The OVHT TEST simulates an overheat condition.

Pitot Heat

See Instrument Probes page for explanation.

Wing Anti Ice

Wing anti-ice (WAI) is very effective and is normally used as a de-icing system in-flight, in applications of 1 minute. On the ground it should be used continuously in icing conditions.

The WAI switch logic is interesting, on the ground, bleed air for WAI will cut-off if either thrust lever is above the take-off warning setting, but will be restored after the thrust is reduced. This allows you to perform engine run-ups etc without having to check that the WAI is still on afterwards. The switch is solenoid held and will trip off at lift-off, this is for performance considerations as the bleed air penalty is considerable.

Note that on early systems, ie those with a GND TEST position, with the WAI switch ON on the ground, the WAI is inhibited until lift-off ie “armed”, This is opposite to the present system.

WAI, unlike engine AI, uses bleed air from the main pneumatic manifold, this is to ensure a source of bleed air during engine out operations. Only the leading edge slats have WAI (ie not leading edge flaps). The NG series outboard slat has no wing anti-ice facility (see photo) believed to be due to excessive bleed requirements. However in June 2005 it was announced that the 737-MMA will have raked wingtips with anti-ice along the full span. This is because the MMA will be spending long periods of time on patrol at low level where it will be exposed to icing conditions.

NB Where QRH ENGINE FAILURE/SHUTDOWN drills ask “If wing anti-ice is required:”, if icing conditions are anticipated, these actions should be completed in preparation for WAI use to prevent asymmetric application. There is no bleed penalty for this reconfiguration until WAI is actually used.

On the NG, if WAI is used for more than 5 secs in-flight, the SMYD will adjust the stick shaker speeds and manouvre speed bars to allow for airframe ice.

Photo: Wing ice on the outboard slat of a 737-700

Engine Anti Ice

Engine anti-ice (EAI) heats the engine cowl to prevent ice build-up, which could break off and enter the engine. The 3/4/500 spinner was originally conical to prevent ice buildup but was changed to an elliptical shape to deflect ice away from the engine core. The NG’s have the best of both worlds with a coneliptical shaped spinner (see photo left) that does both jobs. EAI should be used continuously on the ground and in the air in icing conditions. It uses 5th stage bleed air, augmented by 9th stage as required, from the associated engine. COWL ANTI-ICE lights will illuminate if an overtemp (825F) or overpressure (65psig) condition exists in either duct. In this situation thrust on the associated engine should be reduced until the light extinguishes.

Wing and engine VALVE OPEN lights use the bright blue/dim blue – valve position in disagreement / agreement logic. The wing L and R VALVE OPEN lights in particular may remain bright blue after start and during taxy. This is because they are pneumatically operated, they can be made to open with a modest amount of engine thrust.

Airframe Visual Icing Cues

An ice detection system is an option that is rarely taken up on the 737 so it is up to the crew to spot ice formation and take the necessary action. The following photos show some of the places where ice accretion is visible from the flight deck. Note engine anti-ice should be used whenever the temperature and visible moisture criteria are met and not left until ice is seen, to avoid inlet ice build up which may shed into the engine.

Under the windscreen wiper blades.

This is one of the first places that ice will form, precipitation falls on the bottom of the windscreen and runs up to the wipers.

This is not an accurate indication of the amount of icing on the airframe because of the stagnation point where the blade and windscreen meet and also because the windscreen is heated.

I would describe conditions where ice forms here as LIGHT ICING.

On the wiper nut

This is my preferred indication of airframe ice accretion. If ice is seen here it is surely also on other parts of the airframe.

The weight and aerodynamic effect of all this ice on the the airframe and control surfaces is why there is the “residual ice” penalty of several tons on the landing performance graphs “If operating in icing conditions during any part of the flight when the forecast landing temperature is below 8C, reduce the normal climb limited landing weight by xxxxkg.” (FPPM 1.3.3).

I would describe conditions where ice forms here as MODERATE ICING.

On the central windscreen pillar

For ice to form on a flat heated windscreen, conditions must be bad. You can see how the shape of the formation follows the airflow lines. You can imagine how much ice is on the rest of the aircraft, especially when you consider that most of it is unheated, particularly on the fin and stabiliser.

Vol 1 SP.16.8 states “Avoid prolonged operation in moderate to severe icing conditions.” This photo was taken at about 20,000ft climbing through the tops of rain bearing frontal cloud. The ice shown here formed in under a minute.

I would describe conditions where ice forms here as SEVERE ICING.

Non-environmental Icing

The NG’s have a problem with frost forming after landing on the wing above the tanks where fuel has been cold soaked. This is officially known as “Wing upper surface non-environmental icing”. The reason is the increased surface area of the fuel that comes into contact with the upper surface of the wing. This is because the shape of the wing fuel tanks was changed (moved outboard) to accommodate the longer landing gear that was in turn required for the increased fuselage lengths of the NG family to reduce the risk of tailstrikes! The only solution until recently has been to limit your arrival fuel to less than approx 4,000kg. Now Boeing have issued guidelines on the acceptable location and amount of upper wing frost.

The Boeing advice is as follows: “Flight crews should visually inspect the lower wing surface. If there is frost or ice on the lower surface, outboard of measuring stick 4, there may also be frost or ice on the upper surface. The distance the frost extends outboard of measuring stick 4 can be used as an indication of the extent of frost on the upper surface. It should be noted that if the thickness of the frost on the lower surface of the wing is 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick or less, the thickness of the frost on the upper surface will be less than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick. If the thickness of the frost on the lower surface is greater than 1/16 inch (1.5 mm), then a physical inspection of the upper surface frost is required.”

737-1/200

737-1/2/3/4/500

737-NG

Wiper Controls

One of the most welcome features of the 737-NG is the improvement to the windscreen wipers. The wipers are now independent, have an intermittent position and best of all – are almost silent.

Rain Repellent

The rain repellent has been removed due to worries about the environmental effects of the “RainBoe” fluid used as it contains CFC’s. It is also poisonous and in 1991 Boeing added D-limonine which has a strong smell of orange peel into RainBoe so that leakage could be detected. There are no plans to replace the rain repellent with another liquid product even though there are safe alternatives eg “Le Bozec”.

On 25 May 1982, a 737-200Adv (PP-SMY) was written off by a heavy landing in a rainstorm. One report stated that “The pilots misuse of rain repellent caused an optical illusion”.

Since early 1994 all Boeing aircraft have been built with Surface Seal coated glass from PPG Industries which has a hydrophobic coating. The coating does deteriorate with time depending upon wiper use and windscreen cleaning methods etc, but can be re-applied.

Check out this video of a 737-900 DV window opening during the take-off roll during flight testing. Notice that a high speed abort is not necessary if the DV window opens.

Limitations

Engine anti-ice must be on when icing conditions exist or are anticipated, except during climb and cruise below -40°C SAT.

Use of wing anti-ice above FL350 may cause bleed trip off and possible loss of cabin pressure. (SP.16.8)

See also maintenance notes by Ferreira

News

13 Aug 2009 – PPG Aerospace to redesign windshields for 737NG

Boeing requests windshield liner to keep glass from flight deck in bird-strike event

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Aug. 13, 2009 – PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) aerospace transparencies business has been awarded a contract by Spirit AeroSystems to redesign the laminated glass windshields for Boeing’s Next-Generation 737 airplanes. The windshields are being redesigned at Boeing’s request to accommodate airframe improvements. To meet Boeing specifications, the redesigned windshields will be slightly smaller than the current versions and include an inboard plastic antispall liner to prevent broken glass from entering the flight deck during a bird-strike event, according to Art Scott, PPG Aerospace global sales director for commercial original-equipment transparencies. “Boeing has asked for an alternate approach to bird-strike performance for the windshields that works structurally with the 737 airframe,” Scott said. “Adding an antispall liner to the windshields for Next-Generation 737 airplanes enables Boeing to keep the structural airframe design while incorporating newer technology.” PPG will be the sole source of the redesigned windshields for production and aftermarket applications. Scott said PPG expects certification of the new-design windshields in the second quarter 2010. The windshields will be designed and manufactured at PPG’s Huntsville, Ala., facility for delivery to Wichita, Kan., where Spirit makes the fuselage for Boeing.

Power Plant – B737

History

The original choice of powerplant was the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1, but before the first order had been finalised the JT8D-7 was used for commonality with the current 727. The -7 was flat rated to develop the same thrust (14,000lb.st) at higher ambient temperatures than the -1 and became the standard powerplant for the -100. By the end of the -200 production the JT8D-17R was up to 17,400lb.st. thrust.

Auxiliary inlet doors were fitted to early JT8D’s around the nose cowl. These were spring loaded and opened automatically whenever the pressure differential between inlet and external static pressures was high, ie slow speed, high thrust conditions (takeoff) to give additional engine air and closed again as airspeed increased causing inlet static pressure to rise.

JT8D Cutaway

The sole powerplant for all 737′s after the -200 is the CFM-56. The core is produced by General Electric and is virtually identical to the F101 as used in the Rockwell B-1. SNECMA produce the fan, IP compressor, LP turbine, thrust reversers and all external accessories. The name “CFM” comes from GE’s commercial engine designation “CF” and SNECMA’s “M” for Moteurs.CFM 56 - 3 Cutaway

One problem with such a high bypass engine was its physical size and ground clearance; this was overcome by mounting the accessories on the lower sides to flatten the nacelle bottom and intake lip to give the “hamster pouch” look. The engines were moved forward and raised, level with the upper surface of the wing and tilted 5 degrees up which not only helped the ground clearance but also directed the exhaust downwards which reduced the effects of pylon overheating and gave some vectored thrust to assist take-off performance. The CFM56-3 proved to be almost 20% more efficient than the JT8D.

The NG’s use the CFM56-7B which has a 61 inch diameter solid titanium wide-chord fan, new LP turbine turbomachinery, FADEC, and new single crystal material in the HP turbine. All of which give an 8% fuel reduction, 15% maintenance cost reduction and greater EGT margin compared to the CFM56-3.

One of the most significant improvements in the powerplant has been to the noise levels. The original JT8D-9 engines in 1967 produced 75 decibel levels, enough to disrupt normal conversation indoors, within a noise contour that extended 12 miles along the take-off flight path. Since 1997 with the introduction of the 737-700’s CFM56-7B engines, the 75-decibel noise contour is now only 3.5 miles long.

The core engine (N2) is governed by metering fuel (see below), whereas the fan (N1) is a free turbine. The advantages of this include: minimised inter-stage bleeding, fewer stalls or surges and an increased compression ratio without decreasing efficiency.

This quote from CFMI in 1997:

“Since entering service in 1984, the CFM56-3 has established itself as the standard against which all other engines are judged in terms of reliability, durability, and cost of ownership. The fleet of nearly 1,800 CFM56-3-powered 737s in service worldwide have logged more than 61 million hours and 44 million cycles while maintaining a 99.98 percent dispatch reliability rate (one flight delayed or cancelled for engine-caused reasons per 5,000 departures), a .070 shop visit rate (one unscheduled shop visit per 14,286 flight hours), and an in-flight shutdown rate of .003 (one incident per 333,333 hours).”

Tech Insertion

“Tech Insertion” is an upgrade to the CFM56-5B & 7B available from early 2007. The package includes improvements to the HP compressor, combustor and HP & LP turbines. The package give a longer time on wing, about 5% lower maintenance costs, 15-20% lower oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, and 1% lower fuel burn.

Tech Insertion will become the new production configuration for both the CFM56-7B and CFM56-5B. CFM is also defining potential upgrade kits that could be made available to operators by late 2007.

CFM56-7BE “Evolution”

The new CFM56-7BE Product Improvement package announced in 2009 will have the following design changes & improvements:

  • HPC outlet guide vane diffuser area ratio improved and pressure losses reduced.
  • HPT blades numbers reduced, axial chord increased, tip geometry improved. Rotor redesigned.
  • LPT blade & vane numbers reduced and profiles based on optimized loading distribution. LEAP56 incorporated.
  • Primary nozzle, plug & strut faring all redesigned.

The -7BE will be able to be intermixed with regular SAC/DAC or Tech Insertion engines subject to updated FMC, MEDB and EEC. Entry into service is planned for mid-2011

From the press 2 Aug 2010:

CFM International has won certification for its upgraded CFM56-7BE engine from the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and is working with Boeing to prepare for flight tests on a Boeing 737 starting in the fourth quarter of this year.

Entry into service is planned for mid-2011 to coincide with 737 airframe improvements that, together with the engine upgrade, are designed to provide a 2% improvement in fuel consumption. CFM provisionally scheduled engine certification by the end of the third quarter, but says development, including recently completed flight tests, have progressed faster than expected. Improvements include a new high-pressure compressor outlet guide vane diffuser, high-pressure turbine blades, disks and forward outer seal. The package also includes a new design of low-pressure turbine blades, vanes and disk.

The first full CFM56-7BE type design engine completed ground testing in January 2010, and overall completed 390 hours of ground testing, says the Franco-U.S. engine maker. In addition, the upgraded CFM completed a 60-hour certification flight test program in May on GE’s modified 747 flying testbed in Victorville, Calif.

At the recent Farnborough International Airshow, company officials said discussions are continuing with Airbus about a possible upgrade for the CFM56-5B for the A320 family based on the same technology suite. A decision on whether or not an upgraded variant will be developed for Airbus will be finalized by year-end, adds the engine maker.

Fuel

Thrust (fuel flow) is controlled primarily by a hydro-mechanical MEC in response to thrust lever movement, as fitted to the original 737-1/200’s. In the –3/4/500 series, fuel flow is further refined electronically by the PMC, which acts without thrust lever movement. The 737-NG models go one stage further with FADEC (EEC).

The 3/4/500′s may be flown with PMC’s inoperative, but an RTOW penalty (ie N1 reduction) is imposed because the N1 section will increase by approximately 4% during take-off due to windmilling effects (FOTB 737-1, Jan 1985). This reduction should save reaching any engine limits. The thrust levers should not be re-adjusted during the take-off after thrust is set unless a red-line limit is likely to be exceeded, ie you should allow the N1′s to windmill up.

Fuel is heated to avoid icing by the returning oil in the MEC.

Oil

Oil pressure is measured before the bearings, where you need it; oil temperature on return, at its hottest; and oil quantity at the tank, which drops after engine start. Oil pressure is unregulated, therefore the yellow band (13-26psi) is only valid at take-off thrust whereas the lower red line (13psi) is valid at all times. If the oil pressure is ever at or below the red line, the LOW OIL PRESSURE light will illuminate and that engine should be shut down. NB on the 737-1/200 when the oil quantity gauge reads zero, there could still be up to 5 quarts present.

Ignition

There are two independent AC ignition systems, L & R. Starting with R selected on the first flight of the day provides a check of the AC standby bus, which would be your only electrical source with the loss of thrust on both engines and no APU. Normally, in-flight, no igniters are in use as the combustion is self-sustaining. During engine start or take-off & landing, GND & CONT use the selected igniters. In conditions of moderate or severe precipitation, turbulence or icing, or for an in-flight relight, FLT should be selected to use both igniters. NG aircraft: for in-flight engine starts, GRD arms both igniters.

The 737-NG’s allow the EEC to switch the ignition ON or OFF under certain conditions:

  • ON: For flameout protection. The EEC will automatically switch on both ignition systems if a flameout is detected.
  • OFF: For ground start protection. The EEC will automatically switch off both ignition systems if a hot or wet start is detected.

Note that older 737-200s have ignition switch positions named GRD, OFF, L IGN, R IGN and FLT while newer 737s use GRD, OFF, CONT and FLT. This is why QRH uses “ON” (eg in the One Engine Inop Landing checklist) to cover both LOW IGN & CONT for operators with mixed fleets consisting of old and new versions of the 737.

737-200 Ignition panel

Engine Starting

Min duct pressure for start (Classics only): 30psi at msl, -½psi per 1000ft pressure altitude. Max: 48psi.

Min 25% N2 (or 20% N2 at max motoring) to introduce fuel; any sooner could result in a hot start. Max motoring is when N2 does not increase by more than 1% in 5 seconds.

Aborted engine start criteria:

  • No N1 (before start lever is raised to idle).
  • No oil pressure (by the time the engine is stable).
  • No EGT (within 10 secs of start lever being raised to idle).
  • No increase, or very slow increase, in N1 or N2 (after EGT indication).
  • EGT rapidly approaching or exceeding 725˚C.

An abnormal start advisory does not by itself mean that you have to abort the engine start.

Starter cutout is approx 46% N2 -3/4/500; 56% N2 -NG’s.

Starter duty cycle is:

  • First attempt: 2mins on, 20sec off.
  • Second and subsequent attempts: 2mins on, 3mins off.

Do not re-engage engine start switch until N2 is below 20%.

During cold weather starts, oil pressure may temporary exceed the green band or may not show any increase until oil temperature rises. No indication of oil pressure by the time idle RPM is achieved requires an immediate engine shutdown. At low ambient temperatures, a temporary high oil pressure above the green band may be tolerated.

When starting the engines in tailwind conditions, Boeing recommends making a normal start. Expect a longer cranking time to ensure N1 is rotating in the correct direction before moving the start lever. A higher than normal EGT should be expected, yet the same limits and procedures should apply.

Upper DU

Lower DU

Upper DU in Compact Display mode

The Compact Display mode can only be shown when the MFD ENG button is pressed for the first time after the aircraft has been completely shut down. The photo shows this display with one engine started and nicely illustrates the blank parameters which are controlled by the EEC and hence are only displayed when the EEC powers up when the associated start switch is selected to GND. During start-up the EEC’s receive electrical power from the AC transfer busses, but their normal source of power are their own alternators which cut-in when N2 is above 15%.

-200Adv Engine Instruments

Round Dial -3/400 Engine Instruments

3/4/500 EIS
NG EIS

EIS Display

The introduction of Engine Instrument System (EIS) in late 1988 gave many advantages over the electromechanical instruments present since 1967. ie a 10lb weight reduction, improved reliability, reduction in power consumption, detection of impending abnormal starts, storage of exceedances and a Built In Test Equipment (BITE) check facility.

The BITE check is accessed by pressing a small recessed button at the bottom of each eis panel, this is only possible when both engines N1 are below 10%. Pressing these buttons will show an LED check during which the various checks are conducted. If any of the checks fail, the appropriate code will be shown in place of the affected parameters readout. The following codes are used:

Primary EIS BITE Codes
Code Fault
ROM Read Only Memory check
RAM Random Access Memory check
FDC Frequency to Digital Converter check
ENG Engine Identity Inputs (not fuel flow)
PWR Power Monitor
MMF Maint Module Fault (fuel flow only)
RTC Real Time Clock (fuel flow only)
ERF Exceedance RAM Full (fuel flow only)
A/D Analogue to Digital Converter (fuel flow only)
ARF ARINC Receiver Fault (fuel flow only)
uP Microprocessor

Any exceedance of either N1, N2 or EGT is recorded at 1 sec intervals in a non-volatile memory along with the fuel flow at the time, this data can be downloaded by connecting an ARINC 429 bus reader. Up to 10 minutes of data can be stored. The last exceedance is also put into volatile memory and can be read straight from the EIS before aircraft electrical power is removed. This is done by pressing the primary EIS BITE button twice within 2 seconds, this will then alternately display the highest reading and the duration of the exceedance in seconds.

Secondary EIS BITE Codes
Code Fault
0- Microprocessor
1- Program Memory
2- Random Access Memory check
3- Analogue to Digital Converter
4- Power Monitor
5- 400Hz Reference Voltage
6- ARINC Receiver Fault

 

Airborne Vibration Monitors (AVM)

All series of 737 have the facility for AVM although not all 737-200′s have them fitted. The early 737-1/200′s had two vibration pickup points; One at the turbine section and one at the engine inlet there was a selector switch so that the crew could choose which to monitor. Some even had a high and low frequency filter selection switch.

From Boeing Flt Ops Review, Feb 2003: “On airplanes with AVM procedures, flight crews should also be made aware that AVM indications are not valid while at takeoff power settings, during power changes, or until after engine thermal stabilization. High AVM indications can also be observed during operations in icing conditions.”

 

High Pressure Turbine Clearance Control

The HPTCC system uses HP compressor bleed air to obtain maximum steady state HPT performance and to minimise EGT transient overshoot during rapid change of engine speed.

Variable Stator Vanes

The VSV actuation system controls primary airflow through the HP compressor by varying the angle of the inlet guide vanes and three stages of variable stator vanes.

Variable Bleed Valves

Control airflow quantity to the HP compressor. They are fully open during rapid accelerations and reverse thrust operation.

 

Dual Annular Combustors (DAC)

The CFM56-7B is available with an optional DAC system, known as the CFM56-7B/2, which considerably reduces NOx emissions. DAC have 20 double tip fuel nozzles instead of the single tip and a dual annular shaped combustion chamber. The number of nozzles in use: 20/0, 20/10 or 20/20, varies depending upon thrust required. The precise N1 ranges of the different modes varies with ambient conditions.

  • 20/20 mode – High power (cruise N1 and above)
  • 20/10 mode – Medium power
  • 20/00 mode – Low power (Idle N1)

This gives a lean fuel/air mixture, which reduces flame temperatures, and also gives higher throughput velocities which reduce the residence time available to form NOx. The net result is up to 40% less NOx emissions than a standard CFM56-7.

The first were installed on the 737-600 fleet of SAS but unfortunately were subject to resonance in the LPT-1 blades during operation in the 20/10 mode, which occurred in an N1 range usually used during descent and approach. Although there were no in-flight shutdowns, boroscope inspections revealed that the LPT blades were starting to separate. CFM quickly replaced all blades on all DAC engines with reinforced blades and have since replaced them again with a new redesigned blade.

 

Reverse Thrust

The original 737-1/200 thrust reversers were pneumatically powered clamshell doors taken straight from the 727 (shown left). When reverse was selected, 13th stage bleed air was ported to a pneumatic actuator that rotated the deflector doors and clamshell doors into position. Unfortunately they were relatively ineffective and apparently tended to push the aircraft up off the runway when deployed. This reduced the downforce on the main wheels thereby reducing the effectiveness of the wheel brakes.

By 1969 these had been changed by Boeing and Rohr to the much more successful hydraulically powered target type thrust reversers (shown right). This required a 48 inch extension to the tailpipe to accommodate the two cylindrical deflector doors which were mounted on a four bar linkage system and associated hydraulics. The doors are set 35 degrees away from the vertical to allow the exhaust to be deflected inboard and over the wings and outboard and under the wings. This ensures that exhaust and debris is not blown into the wheel-well, nor is it blown directly downwards which would lift the weight off the wheels or be re-ingested. Fortunately the new longer nacelle improved cruise performance by improving internal airflow within the engine and also reduced cruise drag. These thrust reversers are locked against inadvertent deployment by both deflector door locks and the four bar linkage being overcenter. To illustrate how poor the original clamshell system was, Boeings own data says target type thrust reversers at 1.5 EPR are twice as effective as clamshells at full thrust!

The CFM56 uses blocker doors and cascade vanes to direct fan air forwards. Net reverse thrust is defined as: fan reverser air, minus forward thrust from engine core, plus form drag from the blocker door. As this is significantly greater at higher thrust, reverse thrust should be used immediately after landing or RTO and, if conditions allow, should be reduced to idle by 60kts to avoid debris ingestion damage. Caution: It is possible to deploy reverse thrust when either Rad Alt is below 10ft – this is not recommended.

The REVERSER light shows either control valve or sleeve position disagreement or that the auto-restow circuit is activated. This light will illuminate every time the reverser is commanded to stow, but extinguishes after the stow has completed, and will only bring up master caution ENG if a malfunction has occurred. Recycling the reverse thrust will often clear the fault. If this occurs in-flight, reverse thrust will be available after landing.

The REVERSER UNLOCKED light (EIS panel) is potentially much more serious and will illuminate in-flight if a sleeve has mechanically unlocked. Follow the QRH drill, but only multiple failures will allow the engine to go into reverse thrust.

The 737-1/200 thrust reverser panel has a LOW PRESSURE light which refers to the reverser accumulator pressure when insufficient pressure is available to deploy the reversers. The blue caption between the switches is ISOLATION VALVE and illuminates when the three conditions for reverse thrust are satisfied: Engine running, Aircraft on ground & Fire switches in normal position. The guarded NORMAL / OVERRIDE switches to enable the reverse thrust to be selected on the ground with the engines stopped (for maintenance purposes).

 

 

HushKits

The first “hushkit” was not visible externally, in 1982 exhaust mixers were made available for the JT8D-15, -17 or -17R. These were fitted behind the LP turbine to mix the hot gas core airflow with the cooler bypassed fan air. This increased mixing reduced noise levels by up to 3.6 EPNdB.

Several different Stage III hushkits have been available from manufacturers Nordam (shown right) and AvAero since 1992. The Nordam comes in HGW and LGW versions.

As hushkits use more fuel, the EU tried to ban all hushkitted aircraft flying into the EU from April 2002. This was strongly opposed and the directive has been changed to allow hushkitted aircraft to use airports which will accept them.

737 classics may be fitted with hardwall forward acoustic panels which reduce noise by 1 EPNdB

 

Additional References

 

Limitations

Series 1/200 3/4/500 6/7/8/900/BBJ
Engine JT8-17A CFM56-3 CFM56-7
 
Max time limit for take-off or go-around thrust: 5 mins 5 mins * 5 mins *
Max N1 102.4% 106% 104%
Max N2 100% 105% 105%
 

Max EGT’s:

Take-off (5 min limit) 650°C 930°C 950°C
Continuous 610°C 895°C 925°C
Start 575°C 725°C 725°C
 

Oil T’s & P’s

Max temperature 165°C 165°C 155°C
15 minute limit (45 minute limit on NG) 130-165°C 160-165°C 140-155°C
Max continuous 130°C 160°C 140°C
Min oil press 40psi 13psi (warning light), 26psi (gauge) 13psi (warning light), 26psi (gauge)
Min oil quantity (at dispatch) 2.25 USG 60% full (12 US Quarts) ** 60% full (12 US Quarts) **
Starting pressures prior to starter engagement

30psi -1/2psi per 1000′ amsl

N/A
Starter duty cycle 1st attempt: 2min on, 20sec off

2nd & subsequent attempt: 2min on, 3min off

2mins on, 10secs off.
* May be increased to 10 mins if certified** See AMM Task 12-13-11-600-801

Engine Ratings

Maximum Certified Thrust – This is the maximum thrust certified during testing for each series of 737. This is also the thrust that you get when you firewall the thrust levers, regardless of the maximum rated thrust.

On the 737NG, the EEC limits the maximum certified thrust gained from data in the engine strut according to the airplane model as follows:

Aircraft Series Maximum Certified Thrust
737-600 CFM56-7B22 = 22,700lb.st
737-700 CFM56-7B24 = 24,200lb.st
737-800 CFM56-7B27 = 27,300lb.st
737-900 CFM56-7B27 = 27,300lb.st

 

Maximum Rated Thrust – This is the maximum thrust for the installed engine that the autothrottle will command. This is specified by the operator from the options in the table below.

Engine Aircraft Series Max Static Thrust (lb.st.) Bypass Ratio EGT Margin (C)
JT8D-7/7A/7B 1/200 14,000 1.10
JT8D-9/9A 1/200 14,500 1.04
JT8D-15/15A 200Adv 15,500 0.99
JT8D-17/17A 200Adv 16,000 1.02
JT8D-17R 200Adv 17,400 1.00
CFM56-3B4 500 18,500 5.0 90
CFM56-3B1 3/500 20,000 5.0 70
CFM56-3B2 3/400 22,000 5.0 50
CFM56-3C1 400 23,500 4.9 45
CFM56-7B18 600 19,500 5.5 145
CFM56-7B20 6/700 20,600 5.4 148
CFM56-7B22 6/700 22,700 5.3 150
CFM56-7B24 7/8/900 24,200 5.3 125
CFM56-7B26 7/8/900/BBJ 26,400 5.1 85
CFM56-7B27 8/900/BBJ 27,300 5.0 ?

Misc Photos

The left hand side of the CFM56-3. The large silver coloured pipe is the start air manifold with the starter located at its base. The black unit below that is the CSD. The green unit forward (left) of the CSD is the generator cooling air collector shroud, the silver-gold thing forward of that (with the wire bundle visible) is the generator, and the green cap most forward is the generator cooling air inlet.
The view into the JT8D jetpipe.The corrugated ring is the mixer unit, this is designed to thoroughly mix the bypass air with the turbine exhaust.

The exhaust cone makes a divergent flow which slows down the exhaust and also protects the rear face of the last turbine stage.

The view into the CFM56-3 jetpipe.This is the turbine exhaust area, no mixing is required as the bypass air is exhausted coaxially.
There are two fan inlet temperature sensors in the CFM56-3 engine intake. The one at the 2 o’clock position is used by the PMC and the one at the 11 o’clock position is used by the MEC. The MEC uses the signal to establish parameters to control low and high idle power schedules.The temperature data is used for thrust management and variable bleed valves, variable stator vanes & high / low pressure turbine clearance control systems.
The CFM56-7 inlet has just one fan inlet temperature probe, which is for the EEC (because there is no PMC on the NG’s).A subtle difference between the NG & classic temp probes is that the NG’s only use inlet temp data on the ground and for 5 minutes after take-off. In-flight after 5 minutes temp data is taken from the ADIRU’s.

The temperature data is used for thrust management and variable bleed valves, variable stator vanes & high / low pressure turbine clearance control systems.

The CFM56-7 spinner has a unique conelliptical profile. The first 737-3/400′s had a conical (sharp pointed) spinner but these tended to shed ice into the core. This was one of the reasons for the early limitation of minimum 45% N1 in icing conditions which made descent management quite difficult. They were later replaced with elliptical (round nosed) spinners which succeeded in deflecting the ice away from the core, but because of their larger stagnation point, were more prone to picking up ice in the first place. The conelliptical spinner of the NG’s neatly solves both problems.
The CFM56-7 tailpipe is slightly longer then the CFM56-3 and has a small tube protruding from the faring. This is the Aft Fairing Drain Tube for any hydraulic fluid, oil or fuel that may collect in there. There is also a second drain tube that does not protrude located on the inside of the fairing.
The JT8D tailpipe fitted as standard from l/n 135 onwards.The original thrust reversers were totally redesigned by Boeing and Rohr since the aircraft had inherited the same internal pneumatically powered clamshell thrust reversers as the 727 which were relatively ineffective and apparently tended to lift the aircraft off the runway when deployed! The redesign to external hydraulically powered target reversers cost Boeing $24 million but dramatically improved its short field performance which boosted sales to carriers proposing to use the aircraft as a regional jet from short runways. Also the engine nacelles were extended by 1.14m as a drag reduction measure.
The outboard side of the JT8D-9A with the cowling open.

istory

The original choice of powerplant was the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1, but before the first order had been finalised the JT8D-7 was used for commonality with the current 727. The -7 was flat rated to develop the same thrust (14,000lb.st) at higher ambient temperatures than the -1 and became the standard powerplant for the -100. By the end of the -200 production the JT8D-17R was up to 17,400lb.st. thrust.

Auxiliary inlet doors were fitted to early JT8D’s around the nose cowl. These were spring loaded and opened automatically whenever the pressure differential between inlet and external static pressures was high, ie slow speed, high thrust conditions (takeoff) to give additional engine air and closed again as airspeed increased causing inlet static pressure to rise.

JT8D Cutaway

The sole powerplant for all 737′s after the -200 is the CFM-56. The core is produced by General Electric and is virtually identical to the F101 as used in the Rockwell B-1. SNECMA produce the fan, IP compressor, LP turbine, thrust reversers and all external accessories. The name “CFM” comes from GE’s commercial engine designation “CF” and SNECMA’s “M” for Moteurs.CFM 56 - 3 Cutaway

One problem with such a high bypass engine was its physical size and ground clearance; this was overcome by mounting the accessories on the lower sides to flatten the nacelle bottom and intake lip to give the “hamster pouch” look. The engines were moved forward and raised, level with the upper surface of the wing and tilted 5 degrees up which not only helped the ground clearance but also directed the exhaust downwards which reduced the effects of pylon overheating and gave some vectored thrust to assist take-off performance. The CFM56-3 proved to be almost 20% more efficient than the JT8D.

The NG’s use the CFM56-7B which has a 61 inch diameter solid titanium wide-chord fan, new LP turbine turbomachinery, FADEC, and new single crystal material in the HP turbine. All of which give an 8% fuel reduction, 15% maintenance cost reduction and greater EGT margin compared to the CFM56-3.

One of the most significant improvements in the powerplant has been to the noise levels. The original JT8D-9 engines in 1967 produced 75 decibel levels, enough to disrupt normal conversation indoors, within a noise contour that extended 12 miles along the take-off flight path. Since 1997 with the introduction of the 737-700’s CFM56-7B engines, the 75-decibel noise contour is now only 3.5 miles long.

The core engine (N2) is governed by metering fuel (see below), whereas the fan (N1) is a free turbine. The advantages of this include: minimised inter-stage bleeding, fewer stalls or surges and an increased compression ratio without decreasing efficiency.

This quote from CFMI in 1997:

“Since entering service in 1984, the CFM56-3 has established itself as the standard against which all other engines are judged in terms of reliability, durability, and cost of ownership. The fleet of nearly 1,800 CFM56-3-powered 737s in service worldwide have logged more than 61 million hours and 44 million cycles while maintaining a 99.98 percent dispatch reliability rate (one flight delayed or cancelled for engine-caused reasons per 5,000 departures), a .070 shop visit rate (one unscheduled shop visit per 14,286 flight hours), and an in-flight shutdown rate of .003 (one incident per 333,333 hours).”

Tech Insertion

“Tech Insertion” is an upgrade to the CFM56-5B & 7B available from early 2007. The package includes improvements to the HP compressor, combustor and HP & LP turbines. The package give a longer time on wing, about 5% lower maintenance costs, 15-20% lower oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, and 1% lower fuel burn.

Tech Insertion will become the new production configuration for both the CFM56-7B and CFM56-5B. CFM is also defining potential upgrade kits that could be made available to operators by late 2007.

CFM56-7BE “Evolution”

The new CFM56-7BE Product Improvement package announced in 2009 will have the following design changes & improvements:

  • HPC outlet guide vane diffuser area ratio improved and pressure losses reduced.
  • HPT blades numbers reduced, axial chord increased, tip geometry improved. Rotor redesigned.
  • LPT blade & vane numbers reduced and profiles based on optimized loading distribution. LEAP56 incorporated.
  • Primary nozzle, plug & strut faring all redesigned.

The -7BE will be able to be intermixed with regular SAC/DAC or Tech Insertion engines subject to updated FMC, MEDB and EEC. Entry into service is planned for mid-2011

From the press 2 Aug 2010:

CFM International has won certification for its upgraded CFM56-7BE engine from the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and is working with Boeing to prepare for flight tests on a Boeing 737 starting in the fourth quarter of this year.

Entry into service is planned for mid-2011 to coincide with 737 airframe improvements that, together with the engine upgrade, are designed to provide a 2% improvement in fuel consumption. CFM provisionally scheduled engine certification by the end of the third quarter, but says development, including recently completed flight tests, have progressed faster than expected. Improvements include a new high-pressure compressor outlet guide vane diffuser, high-pressure turbine blades, disks and forward outer seal. The package also includes a new design of low-pressure turbine blades, vanes and disk.

The first full CFM56-7BE type design engine completed ground testing in January 2010, and overall completed 390 hours of ground testing, says the Franco-U.S. engine maker. In addition, the upgraded CFM completed a 60-hour certification flight test program in May on GE’s modified 747 flying testbed in Victorville, Calif.

At the recent Farnborough International Airshow, company officials said discussions are continuing with Airbus about a possible upgrade for the CFM56-5B for the A320 family based on the same technology suite. A decision on whether or not an upgraded variant will be developed for Airbus will be finalized by year-end, adds the engine maker.

Fuel

Thrust (fuel flow) is controlled primarily by a hydro-mechanical MEC in response to thrust lever movement, as fitted to the original 737-1/200’s. In the –3/4/500 series, fuel flow is further refined electronically by the PMC, which acts without thrust lever movement. The 737-NG models go one stage further with FADEC (EEC).

The 3/4/500′s may be flown with PMC’s inoperative, but an RTOW penalty (ie N1 reduction) is imposed because the N1 section will increase by approximately 4% during take-off due to windmilling effects (FOTB 737-1, Jan 1985). This reduction should save reaching any engine limits. The thrust levers should not be re-adjusted during the take-off after thrust is set unless a red-line limit is likely to be exceeded, ie you should allow the N1′s to windmill up.

Fuel is heated to avoid icing by the returning oil in the MEC.

Oil

Oil pressure is measured before the bearings, where you need it; oil temperature on return, at its hottest; and oil quantity at the tank, which drops after engine start. Oil pressure is unregulated, therefore the yellow band (13-26psi) is only valid at take-off thrust whereas the lower red line (13psi) is valid at all times. If the oil pressure is ever at or below the red line, the LOW OIL PRESSURE light will illuminate and that engine should be shut down. NB on the 737-1/200 when the oil quantity gauge reads zero, there could still be up to 5 quarts present.

Ignition

There are two independent AC ignition systems, L & R. Starting with R selected on the first flight of the day provides a check of the AC standby bus, which would be your only electrical source with the loss of thrust on both engines and no APU. Normally, in-flight, no igniters are in use as the combustion is self-sustaining. During engine start or take-off & landing, GND & CONT use the selected igniters. In conditions of moderate or severe precipitation, turbulence or icing, or for an in-flight relight, FLT should be selected to use both igniters. NG aircraft: for in-flight engine starts, GRD arms both igniters.

The 737-NG’s allow the EEC to switch the ignition ON or OFF under certain conditions:

  • ON: For flameout protection. The EEC will automatically switch on both ignition systems if a flameout is detected.
  • OFF: For ground start protection. The EEC will automatically switch off both ignition systems if a hot or wet start is detected.

Note that older 737-200s have ignition switch positions named GRD, OFF, L IGN, R IGN and FLT while newer 737s use GRD, OFF, CONT and FLT. This is why QRH uses “ON” (eg in the One Engine Inop Landing checklist) to cover both LOW IGN & CONT for operators with mixed fleets consisting of old and new versions of the 737.

737-200 Ignition panel

Engine Starting

Min duct pressure for start (Classics only): 30psi at msl, -½psi per 1000ft pressure altitude. Max: 48psi.

Min 25% N2 (or 20% N2 at max motoring) to introduce fuel; any sooner could result in a hot start. Max motoring is when N2 does not increase by more than 1% in 5 seconds.

Aborted engine start criteria:

  • No N1 (before start lever is raised to idle).
  • No oil pressure (by the time the engine is stable).
  • No EGT (within 10 secs of start lever being raised to idle).
  • No increase, or very slow increase, in N1 or N2 (after EGT indication).
  • EGT rapidly approaching or exceeding 725˚C.

An abnormal start advisory does not by itself mean that you have to abort the engine start.

Starter cutout is approx 46% N2 -3/4/500; 56% N2 -NG’s.

Starter duty cycle is:

  • First attempt: 2mins on, 20sec off.
  • Second and subsequent attempts: 2mins on, 3mins off.

Do not re-engage engine start switch until N2 is below 20%.

During cold weather starts, oil pressure may temporary exceed the green band or may not show any increase until oil temperature rises. No indication of oil pressure by the time idle RPM is achieved requires an immediate engine shutdown. At low ambient temperatures, a temporary high oil pressure above the green band may be tolerated.

When starting the engines in tailwind conditions, Boeing recommends making a normal start. Expect a longer cranking time to ensure N1 is rotating in the correct direction before moving the start lever. A higher than normal EGT should be expected, yet the same limits and procedures should apply.

Upper DU

Lower DU

Upper DU in Compact Display mode

The Compact Display mode can only be shown when the MFD ENG button is pressed for the first time after the aircraft has been completely shut down. The photo shows this display with one engine started and nicely illustrates the blank parameters which are controlled by the EEC and hence are only displayed when the EEC powers up when the associated start switch is selected to GND. During start-up the EEC’s receive electrical power from the AC transfer busses, but their normal source of power are their own alternators which cut-in when N2 is above 15%.

-200Adv Engine Instruments

Round Dial -3/400 Engine Instruments

3/4/500 EIS
NG EIS

EIS Display

The introduction of Engine Instrument System (EIS) in late 1988 gave many advantages over the electromechanical instruments present since 1967. ie a 10lb weight reduction, improved reliability, reduction in power consumption, detection of impending abnormal starts, storage of exceedances and a Built In Test Equipment (BITE) check facility.

The BITE check is accessed by pressing a small recessed button at the bottom of each eis panel, this is only possible when both engines N1 are below 10%. Pressing these buttons will show an LED check during which the various checks are conducted. If any of the checks fail, the appropriate code will be shown in place of the affected parameters readout. The following codes are used:

Primary EIS BITE Codes
Code Fault
ROM Read Only Memory check
RAM Random Access Memory check
FDC Frequency to Digital Converter check
ENG Engine Identity Inputs (not fuel flow)
PWR Power Monitor
MMF Maint Module Fault (fuel flow only)
RTC Real Time Clock (fuel flow only)
ERF Exceedance RAM Full (fuel flow only)
A/D Analogue to Digital Converter (fuel flow only)
ARF ARINC Receiver Fault (fuel flow only)
uP Microprocessor

Any exceedance of either N1, N2 or EGT is recorded at 1 sec intervals in a non-volatile memory along with the fuel flow at the time, this data can be downloaded by connecting an ARINC 429 bus reader. Up to 10 minutes of data can be stored. The last exceedance is also put into volatile memory and can be read straight from the EIS before aircraft electrical power is removed. This is done by pressing the primary EIS BITE button twice within 2 seconds, this will then alternately display the highest reading and the duration of the exceedance in seconds.

Secondary EIS BITE Codes
Code Fault
0- Microprocessor
1- Program Memory
2- Random Access Memory check
3- Analogue to Digital Converter
4- Power Monitor
5- 400Hz Reference Voltage
6- ARINC Receiver Fault

Airborne Vibration Monitors (AVM)

All series of 737 have the facility for AVM although not all 737-200′s have them fitted. The early 737-1/200′s had two vibration pickup points; One at the turbine section and one at the engine inlet there was a selector switch so that the crew could choose which to monitor. Some even had a high and low frequency filter selection switch.

From Boeing Flt Ops Review, Feb 2003: “On airplanes with AVM procedures, flight crews should also be made aware that AVM indications are not valid while at takeoff power settings, during power changes, or until after engine thermal stabilization. High AVM indications can also be observed during operations in icing conditions.”

High Pressure Turbine Clearance Control

The HPTCC system uses HP compressor bleed air to obtain maximum steady state HPT performance and to minimise EGT transient overshoot during rapid change of engine speed.

Variable Stator Vanes

The VSV actuation system controls primary airflow through the HP compressor by varying the angle of the inlet guide vanes and three stages of variable stator vanes.

Variable Bleed Valves

Control airflow quantity to the HP compressor. They are fully open during rapid accelerations and reverse thrust operation.

Dual Annular Combustors (DAC)

The CFM56-7B is available with an optional DAC system, known as the CFM56-7B/2, which considerably reduces NOx emissions. DAC have 20 double tip fuel nozzles instead of the single tip and a dual annular shaped combustion chamber. The number of nozzles in use: 20/0, 20/10 or 20/20, varies depending upon thrust required. The precise N1 ranges of the different modes varies with ambient conditions.

  • 20/20 mode – High power (cruise N1 and above)
  • 20/10 mode – Medium power
  • 20/00 mode – Low power (Idle N1)

This gives a lean fuel/air mixture, which reduces flame temperatures, and also gives higher throughput velocities which reduce the residence time available to form NOx. The net result is up to 40% less NOx emissions than a standard CFM56-7.

The first were installed on the 737-600 fleet of SAS but unfortunately were subject to resonance in the LPT-1 blades during operation in the 20/10 mode, which occurred in an N1 range usually used during descent and approach. Although there were no in-flight shutdowns, boroscope inspections revealed that the LPT blades were starting to separate. CFM quickly replaced all blades on all DAC engines with reinforced blades and have since replaced them again with a new redesigned blade.

Reverse Thrust

The original 737-1/200 thrust reversers were pneumatically powered clamshell doors taken straight from the 727 (shown left). When reverse was selected, 13th stage bleed air was ported to a pneumatic actuator that rotated the deflector doors and clamshell doors into position. Unfortunately they were relatively ineffective and apparently tended to push the aircraft up off the runway when deployed. This reduced the downforce on the main wheels thereby reducing the effectiveness of the wheel brakes.

By 1969 these had been changed by Boeing and Rohr to the much more successful hydraulically powered target type thrust reversers (shown right). This required a 48 inch extension to the tailpipe to accommodate the two cylindrical deflector doors which were mounted on a four bar linkage system and associated hydraulics. The doors are set 35 degrees away from the vertical to allow the exhaust to be deflected inboard and over the wings and outboard and under the wings. This ensures that exhaust and debris is not blown into the wheel-well, nor is it blown directly downwards which would lift the weight off the wheels or be re-ingested. Fortunately the new longer nacelle improved cruise performance by improving internal airflow within the engine and also reduced cruise drag. These thrust reversers are locked against inadvertent deployment by both deflector door locks and the four bar linkage being overcenter. To illustrate how poor the original clamshell system was, Boeings own data says target type thrust reversers at 1.5 EPR are twice as effective as clamshells at full thrust!

The CFM56 uses blocker doors and cascade vanes to direct fan air forwards. Net reverse thrust is defined as: fan reverser air, minus forward thrust from engine core, plus form drag from the blocker door. As this is significantly greater at higher thrust, reverse thrust should be used immediately after landing or RTO and, if conditions allow, should be reduced to idle by 60kts to avoid debris ingestion damage. Caution: It is possible to deploy reverse thrust when either Rad Alt is below 10ft – this is not recommended.

The REVERSER light shows either control valve or sleeve position disagreement or that the auto-restow circuit is activated. This light will illuminate every time the reverser is commanded to stow, but extinguishes after the stow has completed, and will only bring up master caution ENG if a malfunction has occurred. Recycling the reverse thrust will often clear the fault. If this occurs in-flight, reverse thrust will be available after landing.

The REVERSER UNLOCKED light (EIS panel) is potentially much more serious and will illuminate in-flight if a sleeve has mechanically unlocked. Follow the QRH drill, but only multiple failures will allow the engine to go into reverse thrust.

The 737-1/200 thrust reverser panel has a LOW PRESSURE light which refers to the reverser accumulator pressure when insufficient pressure is available to deploy the reversers. The blue caption between the switches is ISOLATION VALVE and illuminates when the three conditions for reverse thrust are satisfied: Engine running, Aircraft on ground & Fire switches in normal position. The guarded NORMAL / OVERRIDE switches to enable the reverse thrust to be selected on the ground with the engines stopped (for maintenance purposes).

HushKits

The first “hushkit” was not visible externally, in 1982 exhaust mixers were made available for the JT8D-15, -17 or -17R. These were fitted behind the LP turbine to mix the hot gas core airflow with the cooler bypassed fan air. This increased mixing reduced noise levels by up to 3.6 EPNdB.

Several different Stage III hushkits have been available from manufacturers Nordam (shown right) and AvAero since 1992. The Nordam comes in HGW and LGW versions.

As hushkits use more fuel, the EU tried to ban all hushkitted aircraft flying into the EU from April 2002. This was strongly opposed and the directive has been changed to allow hushkitted aircraft to use airports which will accept them.

737 classics may be fitted with hardwall forward acoustic panels which reduce noise by 1 EPNdB

Additional References

Limitations

Series 1/200 3/4/500 6/7/8/900/BBJ
Engine JT8-17A CFM56-3 CFM56-7
 
Max time limit for take-off or go-around thrust: 5 mins 5 mins * 5 mins *
Max N1 102.4% 106% 104%
Max N2 100% 105% 105%
Max EGT’s:
Take-off (5 min limit) 650°C 930°C 950°C
Continuous 610°C 895°C 925°C
Start 575°C 725°C 725°C
Oil T’s & P’s
Max temperature 165°C 165°C 155°C
15 minute limit (45 minute limit on NG) 130-165°C 160-165°C 140-155°C
Max continuous 130°C 160°C 140°C
Min oil press 40psi 13psi (warning light), 26psi (gauge) 13psi (warning light), 26psi (gauge)
Min oil quantity (at dispatch) 2.25 USG 60% full (12 US Quarts) ** 60% full (12 US Quarts) **
Starting pressures prior to starter engagement

30psi -1/2psi per 1000′ amsl

N/A
Starter duty cycle 1st attempt: 2min on, 20sec off

2nd & subsequent attempt: 2min on, 3min off

2mins on, 10secs off.
* May be increased to 10 mins if certified** See AMM Task 12-13-11-600-801

Engine Ratings

Maximum Certified Thrust – This is the maximum thrust certified during testing for each series of 737. This is also the thrust that you get when you firewall the thrust levers, regardless of the maximum rated thrust.

On the 737NG, the EEC limits the maximum certified thrust gained from data in the engine strut according to the airplane model as follows:

Aircraft Series Maximum Certified Thrust
737-600 CFM56-7B22 = 22,700lb.st
737-700 CFM56-7B24 = 24,200lb.st
737-800 CFM56-7B27 = 27,300lb.st
737-900 CFM56-7B27 = 27,300lb.st

Maximum Rated Thrust – This is the maximum thrust for the installed engine that the autothrottle will command. This is specified by the operator from the options in the table below.

Engine Aircraft Series Max Static Thrust (lb.st.) Bypass Ratio EGT Margin (C)
JT8D-7/7A/7B 1/200 14,000 1.10
JT8D-9/9A 1/200 14,500 1.04
JT8D-15/15A 200Adv 15,500 0.99
JT8D-17/17A 200Adv 16,000 1.02
JT8D-17R 200Adv 17,400 1.00
CFM56-3B4 500 18,500 5.0 90
CFM56-3B1 3/500 20,000 5.0 70
CFM56-3B2 3/400 22,000 5.0 50
CFM56-3C1 400 23,500 4.9 45
CFM56-7B18 600 19,500 5.5 145
CFM56-7B20 6/700 20,600 5.4 148
CFM56-7B22 6/700 22,700 5.3 150
CFM56-7B24 7/8/900 24,200 5.3 125
CFM56-7B26 7/8/900/BBJ 26,400 5.1 85
CFM56-7B27 8/900/BBJ 27,300 5.0 ?

Misc Photos

The left hand side of the CFM56-3. The large silver coloured pipe is the start air manifold with the starter located at its base. The black unit below that is the CSD. The green unit forward (left) of the CSD is the generator cooling air collector shroud, the silver-gold thing forward of that (with the wire bundle visible) is the generator, and the green cap most forward is the generator cooling air inlet.
The view into the JT8D jetpipe.The corrugated ring is the mixer unit, this is designed to thoroughly mix the bypass air with the turbine exhaust.

The exhaust cone makes a divergent flow which slows down the exhaust and also protects the rear face of the last turbine stage.

The view into the CFM56-3 jetpipe.This is the turbine exhaust area, no mixing is required as the bypass air is exhausted coaxially.
There are two fan inlet temperature sensors in the CFM56-3 engine intake. The one at the 2 o’clock position is used by the PMC and the one at the 11 o’clock position is used by the MEC. The MEC uses the signal to establish parameters to control low and high idle power schedules.The temperature data is used for thrust management and variable bleed valves, variable stator vanes & high / low pressure turbine clearance control systems.
The CFM56-7 inlet has just one fan inlet temperature probe, which is for the EEC (because there is no PMC on the NG’s).A subtle difference between the NG & classic temp probes is that the NG’s only use inlet temp data on the ground and for 5 minutes after take-off. In-flight after 5 minutes temp data is taken from the ADIRU’s.

The temperature data is used for thrust management and variable bleed valves, variable stator vanes & high / low pressure turbine clearance control systems.

The CFM56-7 spinner has a unique conelliptical profile. The first 737-3/400′s had a conical (sharp pointed) spinner but these tended to shed ice into the core. This was one of the reasons for the early limitation of minimum 45% N1 in icing conditions which made descent management quite difficult. They were later replaced with elliptical (round nosed) spinners which succeeded in deflecting the ice away from the core, but because of their larger stagnation point, were more prone to picking up ice in the first place. The conelliptical spinner of the NG’s neatly solves both problems.
The CFM56-7 tailpipe is slightly longer then the CFM56-3 and has a small tube protruding from the faring. This is the Aft Fairing Drain Tube for any hydraulic fluid, oil or fuel that may collect in there. There is also a second drain tube that does not protrude located on the inside of the fairing.
The JT8D tailpipe fitted as standard from l/n 135 onwards.The original thrust reversers were totally redesigned by Boeing and Rohr since the aircraft had inherited the same internal pneumatically powered clamshell thrust reversers as the 727 which were relatively ineffective and apparently tended to lift the aircraft off the runway when deployed! The redesign to external hydraulically powered target reversers cost Boeing $24 million but dramatically improved its short field performance which boosted sales to carriers proposing to use the aircraft as a regional jet from short runways. Also the engine nacelles were extended by 1.14m as a drag reduction measure.
The outboard side of the JT8D-9A with the cowling open.

Pneumatics – B737

737-3/500 Pneumatics Panel

See also Air Conditioning & Pressurisation

General

The pneumatic system can be supplied by engines, APU or a ground source. The manifold is normally split by the isolation valve. With the isolation valve switch in AUTO, the isolation valve will only open when an engine bleed air or pack switch is selected OFF.

Air for engine starting, air conditioning packs, wing anti-ice and the hydraulic reservoirs comes from their respective ducts. Air for pressurisation of the water tank and the aspirated TAT probe come from the left pneumatic duct. External air for engine starting feeds into the right pneumatic duct. Ground conditioned air feeds directly into the mix manifold.

The minimum pneumatic duct pressure (with anti-ice off) for normal operation is 18psi.

If engine bleed air temperature or pressure exceed limits, the BLEED TRIP OFF light will illuminate and the bleed valve will close. You may use the TRIP RESET switch after a short cooling period. If the BLEED TRIP OFF light does not extinguish, it may be due to an overpressure condition.

Bleed trip off’s are most common on full thrust, bleeds off, take-off’s. The reason is excessive leakage past the closed hi stage valve butterfly which leads to a pressure build up at the downstream port on the overpressure switch within the hi stage regulator. The simple in-flight fix is to reduce duct pressure by selecting CLB-2 and/or using engine and/or wing anti-ice.

WING-BODY OVERHEAT indicates a leak in the corresponding bleed air duct. This is particularly serious if the leak is in the left hand side, as this includes the ducting to the APU. The wing-body overheat circuits may be tested by pressing the OVHT TEST switch; both wing-body overheat lights should illuminate after a minimum of 5 seconds. This test is part of the daily inspection.

 

737-400 Pneumatics Panel

Differences

1/200′s – The PACK switches are simply OFF/ON, rather than OFF/AUTO/HIGH on all other series.

4/8/900′s – Have two recirc fans for pax comfort and PACK warning lights instead of PACK TRIP OFF. See Air conditioning for an explanation. There are also two sidewall risers either side instead of one on all other series, this is why there appear to be two missing windows forward of the engine inlet.

737-400 Sidewall risers

The hydraulic reservoirs are pressurised to ensure a positive flow of fluid reaches the pumps. A from the left manifold and B from the right. See wheel-well fwd.
 

Schematic

Schematic courtesy of Derek Watts

Click here to see a larger air conditioning & pneumatics schematic diagram for the 300/500 or 400.

Limitations

Max external air pressure: 60 psig
Max external air temp: 450°F / 232°C
One pack may be inoperative provided maximum altitude is: FL250

737-3/500 Pneumatics Panel

See also Air Conditioning & Pressurisation

General

The pneumatic system can be supplied by engines, APU or a ground source. The manifold is normally split by the isolation valve. With the isolation valve switch in AUTO, the isolation valve will only open when an engine bleed air or pack switch is selected OFF.

Air for engine starting, air conditioning packs, wing anti-ice and the hydraulic reservoirs comes from their respective ducts. Air for pressurisation of the water tank and the aspirated TAT probe come from the left pneumatic duct. External air for engine starting feeds into the right pneumatic duct. Ground conditioned air feeds directly into the mix manifold.

The minimum pneumatic duct pressure (with anti-ice off) for normal operation is 18psi.

If engine bleed air temperature or pressure exceed limits, the BLEED TRIP OFF light will illuminate and the bleed valve will close. You may use the TRIP RESET switch after a short cooling period. If the BLEED TRIP OFF light does not extinguish, it may be due to an overpressure condition.

Bleed trip off’s are most common on full thrust, bleeds off, take-off’s. The reason is excessive leakage past the closed hi stage valve butterfly which leads to a pressure build up at the downstream port on the overpressure switch within the hi stage regulator. The simple in-flight fix is to reduce duct pressure by selecting CLB-2 and/or using engine and/or wing anti-ice.

WING-BODY OVERHEAT indicates a leak in the corresponding bleed air duct. This is particularly serious if the leak is in the left hand side, as this includes the ducting to the APU. The wing-body overheat circuits may be tested by pressing the OVHT TEST switch; both wing-body overheat lights should illuminate after a minimum of 5 seconds. This test is part of the daily inspection.

737-400 Pneumatics Panel

Differences

1/200′s – The PACK switches are simply OFF/ON, rather than OFF/AUTO/HIGH on all other series.

4/8/900′s – Have two recirc fans for pax comfort and PACK warning lights instead of PACK TRIP OFF. See Air conditioning for an explanation. There are also two sidewall risers either side instead of one on all other series, this is why there appear to be two missing windows forward of the engine inlet.

737-400 Sidewall risers

The hydraulic reservoirs are pressurised to ensure a positive flow of fluid reaches the pumps. A from the left manifold and B from the right. See wheel-well fwd.

Schematic

Schematic courtesy of Derek Watts

Click here to see a larger air conditioning & pneumatics schematic diagram for the 300/500 or 400.

Limitations

Max external air pressure: 60 psig
Max external air temp: 450°F / 232°C
One pack may be inoperative provided maximum altitude is: FL250

Navigation – B737

Position

The aircraft has several nav positions, many of which are in use simultaneously! They can all be seen on the POS REF page of the FMC.

IRS L & IRS R Position: Each IRS computes its own position independently; consequently they will diverge slightly during the course of the flight. After the alignment process is complete, there is no updating of either IRS positions from any external sources. Therefore it is important to set the IRS position accurately in POS INIT.

GPS L & GPS R Position: (NG only) The FMC uses GPS position as first priority for FMC position updates. Note this allows the FMC to position update accurately on the ground, eg if no stand position is entered in POS INIT. This practically eliminates the need to enter a take-off shift in the TAKE-OFF REF page.

Radio Position: This is computed automatically by the FMC. Best results are achieved with both Nav boxes selected to AUTO (happens automatically on NG), thus allowing the FMC to select the optimum DME or VOR stations required for the position fix. Series 500 aircraft have an extra dedicated DME interogator (hidden) for this purpose and NG’s have two. Radio position is found from either a pair of DME stations that have the best range and geometry or from DME/VOR or even DME/LOC.The NAV STATUS page shows the current status of the navaids being tuned. Navaids being used for navigation (ie radio position) are highlighted (here WTM & OTR).

 

FMC Position: FMC navigational computations & LNAV are based upon this. The FMC uses GPS position (NG’s only) as first priority for FMC position updates, it will even position update on the ground. If GPS is not available, FMC position is biased approximately 80:20 toward radio position and IRS L. When radio updating is not available, an IRS NAV ONLY message appears. The FMC will then use a “most probable” position based on the IRS position error as found during previous monitoring when a radio position was available. The FMC position should be closely monitored if IRS NAV ONLY is in use for long periods.The POS SHIFT page shows the bearing & distance of other systems positions away from the FMC position. Use this page to force the FMC position to any of those offered.

 

RNP/ACTUAL

Actual Navigation Performance (ANP) is the FMC’s estimate of the quality of its position determination. The FMC is 95% certain the the aircraft’s actual position lies within a circle of radius ANP centred on the FMC position. Therefore the lower the ANP, the more confident the FMC is of its position estimate.

Required Navigation Performance (RNP) is the desired limit of navigational accuracy and is specified by the kind of airspace you are in. Eg for BRNAV above FL150, RNP=2.00nm. The RNP may be overwritten by crew.

ACTUAL should always be less than RNP.

If a navaid or GPS system is unreliable or giving invalid data then they can be inhibited using the NAV OPTIONS page.
There is an AFM limitation prohibiting use of LNAV when operating in QFE airspace. This is because several ARINC 424 leg types used in FMC nav databases terminate at MSL altitudes. If baro set is referenced to QFE, these legs will sequence at the wrong time and can lead to navigational errors.


EHSI & Navigation Display (ND)

 

 

EFIS Control Panel - Click to see description737-3/4/500 EFIS Control Panel

737-NG EFIS Control Panel
In the NG, if an EFIS control panel fails, you will get a DISPLAYS CONTROL PANEL annunciation on the ND. There is an additional, rather bizarre, attention getter because the altimeter will blank on the failed side, with an ALT flag, until the DISPLAYS – CONTROL PANEL switch is positioned to the good side. Note that this is not the same as the EFI switch on the -3/4/500′s which was used to switch symbol generators.

 

The -3/4/500 Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (Map mode) 737-NG Navigation Display (Map mode)
EHSI – Nav EHSI – Plan
EHSI – Full VOR/ILS EHSI – Expanded VOR/ILS
EHSI – Map

 

EHSI – Center Map

 

*** WARNING ***

The The ND DME readout below the VOR may not necessarily be that of the VOR which is displayed.

This photograph shows that Nav 1 has been manually tuned to 110.20 as shown in 1L of the FMC. DVL VOR identifier has been decoded by the auto-ident facility so “DVL” is displayed in large characters both on the FMC and the bottom left of the ND. Below this is displayed “DME 128″ implying that this is the DME from DVL VOR.

However it can be seen on the ND that the DVL VOR is only about 70nm ahead. In fact DVL is only a VOR station and it has no DME facility, the DME was from another station on 110.20. The second station could be identified aurally by the higher pitched tone as “LRH” but was not displaying as such in line 2L of the FMC.

I only discovered this by chance as I happened to be following the aircraft progress by tuning beacons en-route (the way we used to do!). In my opinion, this illustrates the need to aurally identify any beacons, particularly DME, you may have to use, even if they are displayed as decoded.


 

Instrument Transfer

If either Nav receiver fails, the VHF NAV transfer switch may be used to display the functioning Nav information onto both EFIS and RDMI’s. With Nav transferred, the MCP course selector on the serviceable side becomes the master, but all other EFIS selections remain independent.

If an IRS fails, the IRS transfer switch is used to switch all associated systems to the functioning IRS.

1/200

3/4/500

NG’s


IRS Malfunction Codes (Classics)

Align Annunciator Malfunction Code Significance of Annunciator or Malfunction Code Recommended Action
Flashing (after 10 mins) None Failed align requirement Verify and re-enter present position
01 ISDU failed power up RAM test Replace ISDU
Steady 02 Entered latitude disagrees with latitude calculated by IRU Verify and re-enter present position. If fault persists do full align or replace IRU
02 IRU failure Replace IRU
Flashing 03 Excessive motion during align Restart a full align
Flashing (During full align) 04 Lat or Long entered is not within 1 degree of stored value Re-enter the identical position to the last position entered.
Flashing (During fast realign) 04 Lat is not within 1/2 degree or Long not within 1 deg of stored value Enter known accurate present position. If align light continues to flash, do full align.
05 Left DAA is transmitting a fault Replace left DAA.
06 Right DAA is transmitting a fault Replace right DAA.
07 Selected IRU has detected an invalid air data input. Replace DADC.
Flashing (after 10 mins) 08 Present position has not been entered Enter present position
Steady 09 Attitude mode has been selected Restart a full align. NB if ATT mode is desired, enter magnetic heading in POS INIT 1/2.
10 ISDU is not receiving power from both IRU’s. Ensure that both IRU’s are ON and receiving power.

Alternate Navigation System – ANS (If installed)

This is an option for the -3/4/500 series. ANS is an IRS based system which provides lateral navigation capability independent of the FMC. The ANS with the Control Display Units (AN/CDU) can be operated in parallel with the FMC for an independent cross-check of FMC/CDU operation.

 

Navigation Mode Selectors

The ANS is two separate systems, ANS-L & ANS-R. Each consists of its own AN/CDU and “on-side” IRS.

Each pilot has his own navigation mode selector to specify the source of navigation information to his EFIS symbol generator and flight director.

The ANS also performs computations related to lateral navigation which can provide LNAV commands to the AFDS in the event of an FMC failure.
  The IRS PROGRESS page is similar to the normal PROGRESS page except that all data is from the “on-side” IRS (L in this example).
AN/CDU Pages AN/CDU has no performance or navigation database. All waypoints must therefore be defined in terms of lat & long. The AN/CDU memory can only store 20 waypoints, these can be entered on the ground or in-flight and may be taken from FMC data using the CROSSLOAD function.

Future

In Jan 2003, the 737 became available with three new flight-deck technologies: Vertical Situation Display (VSD), Navigation Performance Scales (NPS) and Integrated Approach Navigation (IAN).

The Vertical Situation Display shows the current and predicted flight path of the airplane and indicates potential conflicts with terrain.

Navigation Performance Scales NPS use vertical and horizontal indicators to provide precise position awareness on the primary flight displays to will allow the aircraft to navigate through a narrower flight path with higher accuracy.

The Integrated Approach Navigation enhances current airplane landing approach capability by simplifying pilot procedures and potentially reducing the number of approach procedures pilots have learned in training.

For more information about NPS and IAN see the section on Flight Instruments.

 

Vertical Situation Display Vertical Situation Display

The VSD, now certified on NG’s, gives a graphical picture of the aircraft’s vertical flight path. The aim to is reduce the number of CFIT accidents; profile related incidents, particularly on non-precision approaches and earlier recognition of unstabilised approaches.

The VSD works with the Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) to display a vertical profile of the aircrafts predicted flight path (shown between the blue dashes) on the lower section of the ND. It is selected on with the DATA button on the EFIS control panel.

VSD can be retrofitted into any NG but it requires software changes to the displays and FMC and also some additional hardware displays.

Click here for presentation on VSD


ETOPS

In 1953, the United States developed regulations that prohibited two-engine airplanes from routes more than 60 min single-engine flying time from an adequate airport (FAR 121.161). These regulations were introduced based upon experience with the airliners of the time ie piston engined aircraft, which were much less reliable than modern jet aircraft. Nevertheless, the rule still stands.

ETOPS allows operators to deviate from this rule under certain conditions. By incorporating specific hardware improvements and establishing specific maintenance and operational procedures, operators can fly extended distances up to 180 min from the alternate airport. These hardware improvements were designed into Boeing 737-600/700/800/900.

The following table gives some FAA ETOPS approval times & dates:

Aircraft Series Engine ETOPS-120 approval date ETOPS-180 approval date
737-200 JT8D -9/9A Dec 1985
JT8D -15/15A Dec 1986
JT8D -17/17A Dec 1986
737-300/400/500 CFM56-3 Sept 1990
737-600/700/800/900 CFM56-7 Sept 1999
737-BBJ1/BBJ2 CFM56-7 Sept 1999

Position

The aircraft has several nav positions, many of which are in use simultaneously! They can all be seen on the POS REF page of the FMC.

IRS L & IRS R Position: Each IRS computes its own position independently; consequently they will diverge slightly during the course of the flight. After the alignment process is complete, there is no updating of either IRS positions from any external sources. Therefore it is important to set the IRS position accurately in POS INIT.

GPS L & GPS R Position: (NG only) The FMC uses GPS position as first priority for FMC position updates. Note this allows the FMC to position update accurately on the ground, eg if no stand position is entered in POS INIT. This practically eliminates the need to enter a take-off shift in the TAKE-OFF REF page.

Radio Position: This is computed automatically by the FMC. Best results are achieved with both Nav boxes selected to AUTO (happens automatically on NG), thus allowing the FMC to select the optimum DME or VOR stations required for the position fix. Series 500 aircraft have an extra dedicated DME interogator (hidden) for this purpose and NG’s have two. Radio position is found from either a pair of DME stations that have the best range and geometry or from DME/VOR or even DME/LOC.The NAV STATUS page shows the current status of the navaids being tuned. Navaids being used for navigation (ie radio position) are highlighted (here WTM & OTR).

FMC Position: FMC navigational computations & LNAV are based upon this. The FMC uses GPS position (NG’s only) as first priority for FMC position updates, it will even position update on the ground. If GPS is not available, FMC position is biased approximately 80:20 toward radio position and IRS L. When radio updating is not available, an IRS NAV ONLY message appears. The FMC will then use a “most probable” position based on the IRS position error as found during previous monitoring when a radio position was available. The FMC position should be closely monitored if IRS NAV ONLY is in use for long periods.The POS SHIFT page shows the bearing & distance of other systems positions away from the FMC position. Use this page to force the FMC position to any of those offered.

RNP/ACTUAL

Actual Navigation Performance (ANP) is the FMC’s estimate of the quality of its position determination. The FMC is 95% certain the the aircraft’s actual position lies within a circle of radius ANP centred on the FMC position. Therefore the lower the ANP, the more confident the FMC is of its position estimate.

Required Navigation Performance (RNP) is the desired limit of navigational accuracy and is specified by the kind of airspace you are in. Eg for BRNAV above FL150, RNP=2.00nm. The RNP may be overwritten by crew.

ACTUAL should always be less than RNP.

If a navaid or GPS system is unreliable or giving invalid data then they can be inhibited using the NAV OPTIONS page.
There is an AFM limitation prohibiting use of LNAV when operating in QFE airspace. This is because several ARINC 424 leg types used in FMC nav databases terminate at MSL altitudes. If baro set is referenced to QFE, these legs will sequence at the wrong time and can lead to navigational errors.


EHSI & Navigation Display (ND)

 

EFIS Control Panel - Click to see description737-3/4/500 EFIS Control Panel

737-NG EFIS Control Panel
In the NG, if an EFIS control panel fails, you will get a DISPLAYS CONTROL PANEL annunciation on the ND. There is an additional, rather bizarre, attention getter because the altimeter will blank on the failed side, with an ALT flag, until the DISPLAYS – CONTROL PANEL switch is positioned to the good side. Note that this is not the same as the EFI switch on the -3/4/500′s which was used to switch symbol generators.
The -3/4/500 Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (Map mode) 737-NG Navigation Display (Map mode)
EHSI – Nav EHSI – Plan
EHSI – Full VOR/ILS EHSI – Expanded VOR/ILS
EHSI – Map EHSI – Center Map

*** WARNING ***

The The ND DME readout below the VOR may not necessarily be that of the VOR which is displayed.

This photograph shows that Nav 1 has been manually tuned to 110.20 as shown in 1L of the FMC. DVL VOR identifier has been decoded by the auto-ident facility so “DVL” is displayed in large characters both on the FMC and the bottom left of the ND. Below this is displayed “DME 128″ implying that this is the DME from DVL VOR.

However it can be seen on the ND that the DVL VOR is only about 70nm ahead. In fact DVL is only a VOR station and it has no DME facility, the DME was from another station on 110.20. The second station could be identified aurally by the higher pitched tone as “LRH” but was not displaying as such in line 2L of the FMC.

I only discovered this by chance as I happened to be following the aircraft progress by tuning beacons en-route (the way we used to do!). In my opinion, this illustrates the need to aurally identify any beacons, particularly DME, you may have to use, even if they are displayed as decoded.


Instrument Transfer

If either Nav receiver fails, the VHF NAV transfer switch may be used to display the functioning Nav information onto both EFIS and RDMI’s. With Nav transferred, the MCP course selector on the serviceable side becomes the master, but all other EFIS selections remain independent.

If an IRS fails, the IRS transfer switch is used to switch all associated systems to the functioning IRS.

1/200

3/4/500

NG’s


IRS Malfunction Codes (Classics)

Align Annunciator Malfunction Code Significance of Annunciator or Malfunction Code Recommended Action
Flashing (after 10 mins) None Failed align requirement Verify and re-enter present position
01 ISDU failed power up RAM test Replace ISDU
Steady 02 Entered latitude disagrees with latitude calculated by IRU Verify and re-enter present position. If fault persists do full align or replace IRU
02 IRU failure Replace IRU
Flashing 03 Excessive motion during align Restart a full align
Flashing (During full align) 04 Lat or Long entered is not within 1 degree of stored value Re-enter the identical position to the last position entered.
Flashing (During fast realign) 04 Lat is not within 1/2 degree or Long not within 1 deg of stored value Enter known accurate present position. If align light continues to flash, do full align.
05 Left DAA is transmitting a fault Replace left DAA.
06 Right DAA is transmitting a fault Replace right DAA.
07 Selected IRU has detected an invalid air data input. Replace DADC.
Flashing (after 10 mins) 08 Present position has not been entered Enter present position
Steady 09 Attitude mode has been selected Restart a full align. NB if ATT mode is desired, enter magnetic heading in POS INIT 1/2.
10 ISDU is not receiving power from both IRU’s. Ensure that both IRU’s are ON and receiving power.

Alternate Navigation System – ANS (If installed)

This is an option for the -3/4/500 series. ANS is an IRS based system which provides lateral navigation capability independent of the FMC. The ANS with the Control Display Units (AN/CDU) can be operated in parallel with the FMC for an independent cross-check of FMC/CDU operation.

Navigation Mode Selectors

The ANS is two separate systems, ANS-L & ANS-R. Each consists of its own AN/CDU and “on-side” IRS.

Each pilot has his own navigation mode selector to specify the source of navigation information to his EFIS symbol generator and flight director.

The ANS also performs computations related to lateral navigation which can provide LNAV commands to the AFDS in the event of an FMC failure.
The IRS PROGRESS page is similar to the normal PROGRESS page except that all data is from the “on-side” IRS (L in this example).
AN/CDU Pages AN/CDU has no performance or navigation database. All waypoints must therefore be defined in terms of lat & long. The AN/CDU memory can only store 20 waypoints, these can be entered on the ground or in-flight and may be taken from FMC data using the CROSSLOAD function.

Future

In Jan 2003, the 737 became available with three new flight-deck technologies: Vertical Situation Display (VSD), Navigation Performance Scales (NPS) and Integrated Approach Navigation (IAN).

The Vertical Situation Display shows the current and predicted flight path of the airplane and indicates potential conflicts with terrain.

Navigation Performance Scales NPS use vertical and horizontal indicators to provide precise position awareness on the primary flight displays to will allow the aircraft to navigate through a narrower flight path with higher accuracy.

The Integrated Approach Navigation enhances current airplane landing approach capability by simplifying pilot procedures and potentially reducing the number of approach procedures pilots have learned in training.

For more information about NPS and IAN see the section on Flight Instruments.

Vertical Situation Display Vertical Situation Display

The VSD, now certified on NG’s, gives a graphical picture of the aircraft’s vertical flight path. The aim to is reduce the number of CFIT accidents; profile related incidents, particularly on non-precision approaches and earlier recognition of unstabilised approaches.

The VSD works with the Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) to display a vertical profile of the aircrafts predicted flight path (shown between the blue dashes) on the lower section of the ND. It is selected on with the DATA button on the EFIS control panel.

VSD can be retrofitted into any NG but it requires software changes to the displays and FMC and also some additional hardware displays.

Click here for presentation on VSD


ETOPS

In 1953, the United States developed regulations that prohibited two-engine airplanes from routes more than 60 min single-engine flying time from an adequate airport (FAR 121.161). These regulations were introduced based upon experience with the airliners of the time ie piston engined aircraft, which were much less reliable than modern jet aircraft. Nevertheless, the rule still stands.

ETOPS allows operators to deviate from this rule under certain conditions. By incorporating specific hardware improvements and establishing specific maintenance and operational procedures, operators can fly extended distances up to 180 min from the alternate airport. These hardware improvements were designed into Boeing 737-600/700/800/900.

The following table gives some FAA ETOPS approval times & dates:

Aircraft Series Engine ETOPS-120 approval date ETOPS-180 approval date
737-200 JT8D -9/9A Dec 1985
JT8D -15/15A Dec 1986
JT8D -17/17A Dec 1986
737-300/400/500 CFM56-3 Sept 1990
737-600/700/800/900 CFM56-7 Sept 1999
737-BBJ1/BBJ2 CFM56-7 Sept 1999

Warning Systems – B727

Warning Lights

     

Master Caution and System Annunciator lights, left and right.

 

The Master Caution system was developed for the 737 to ease pilot workload as it was the first Boeing airliner to be produced without a flight engineer. In simple terms it is an attention getter that also directs the pilot toward the problem area concerned. The system annunciators (shown above) are arranged such that the cautions are in the same orientation as the overhead panel e.g. FUEL bottom left, DOORS bottom of third column, etc.

On the ground, the master caution system will also tell you if the condition is dispatchable or if the QRH needs to be actioned. The FCOM gives the following guidance on master caution illuminations on the ground:

Before engine start, use individual system lights to verify the system status. If an individual system light indicates an improper condition:
• check the Dispatch Deviations Procedures Guide (DDPG) or the operator equivalent to decide if the condition has a dispatch effect
• decide if maintenance is needed

If, during or after engine start, a red warning or amber caution light illuminates:
• do the respective non-normal checklist (NNC)
• on the ground, check the DDPG or the operator equivalent

If, during recall, an amber caution illuminates and then extinguishes after a master caution reset:
• check the DDPG or the operator equivalent
• the respective non-normal checklist is not needed

Pressing the system annunciator will show any previously cancelled or single channel cautions. If a single channel caution is encountered, the QRH drill should not be actioned.

Master caution lights and the system annunciator are powered from the battery bus and will illuminate when an amber caution light illuminates. Exceptions to this include a single centre fuel tank LOW PRESSURE light (requires both), REVERSER lights (requires 12 seconds) and INSTR SWITCH (inside normal FoV).

When conducting a light test, during which the system will be inhibited, both bulbs of each caution light should be carefully checked. The caution lights are keyed to prevent them from being replaced incorrectly, but may be interchanged with others of the same caption.

Keying of warning lights

 

  • Red lights – Warning – indicate a critical condition and require immediate action.
  • Amber lights – Caution – require timely corrective action.
  • Blue lights – Advisory – eg valve positions and unless bright blue, ie a valve/switch disagreement, do not require crew action.
  • Green lights – Satisfactory – indicate a satisfactory or ON condition.

 

 

Aural Warnings

Cockpit aural warnings include the fire bell, take-off configuration warning, cabin altitude, landing gear configuration warning, mach/airspeed overspeed, stall warning, GPWS and TCAS. External aural warnings are: The fire bell in the wheel well and the ground call horn in the nose wheel-well for an E & E bay overheat or IRS’s on DC. Only certain warnings can be silenced whilst the condition exists.

To test the GPWS, ensure that the weather radar is on in TEST mode and displayed on the EHSI. Pressing SYS TEST quickly will give a short confidence test, pressing for 10 seconds will give a full vocabulary test.

The GPWS pane. Click photo to hear the GPWS vocabulary test. (175kb)

AURAL WARNING PRIORITY LOGIC
MODE PRIORITY DESCRIPTION ALERT LEVEL
7 1 WINDSHEAR WINDSHEAR WINDSHEAR W
1 2 PULL-UP (SINK RATE) W
2 3 PULL-UP (TERRAIN CLOSURE) W
2A 4 PULL-UP (TERRAIN CLOSURE) W
V1 5 V1 CALLOUT I
TA 6 TERRAIN TERRAIN PULL-UP W
WXR 7 WINDSHEAR AHEAD W
2 8 TERRAIN TERRAIN C
6 9 MINIMUMS I
TA 10 CAUTION TERRAIN C
4 11 TOO LOW TERRAIN C
TCF 12 TOO LOW TERRAIN C
6 13 ALTITUDE CALLOUTS I
4 14 TOO LOW GEAR C
4 15 TOO LOW FLAPS C
1 16 SINK RATE C
3 17 DONT SINK C
5 18 GLIDESLOPE C
WXR 19 MONITOR RADAR DISPLAY C
6 20 APPROACHING MINIMUMS I
6 21 BANK ANGLE C
TCAS 22 RA (CLIMB, DESCEND, ETC.) W
TCAS 23 TA (TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC) C
TEST 24 BITE AND MAINTENANCE INFORMATION I

Radio Altimeter Callouts

Automatic rad-alt calls are a customer option on the 3-900 series. Calls can include any of the following:

2500 (“Twenty Five Hundred” or “Radio Altimeter”).
1000
500
400
300
200
100
50
40
30
20
10

“Minimums” or “Minimums, Minimums”
“Plus Hundred” when 100ft above DH
“Approaching Minimums” when 80ft above DH
“Approaching Decision Height”
“Decision Height”

Customers can also request special heights, such as 60ft.


 

Noise Levels

If is often commented how loud these callouts are. The volume level for these callouts and any other aural warnings is set so that they can still be audible at the highest ambient noise levels, this is considered to be when the aircraft is at Vmo (340kts) at 10,000ft.

The design sound pressure level at 35,000ft, M0.74, cruise thrust is 87dB at the Captains seat, compared to 90-93dB in the cabin.

Many pilots consider the 737 flightdeck to be generally loud. This is Boeings response to that charge:

“Using the flight deck noise levels measured by Boeing Noise Engineering during a typical flight profile (entire flight), a daily A-weighted sound exposure was calculated using ISO/DIS 1999 standards. This calculation indicates the time weight noise exposure is below 80 db(A) and should not cause hearing damage. Flight deck noise improvement continues to be a part of current Boeing product quality improvement activities.”

And when asked later about the particularly noisy NG:

“Boeing has conducted extensive flight tests to define the contributing noise sources for the 737 Flight Deck. Subsequently, various system and hardware modifications have been evaluated for possible improvements. Currently there are no proposed changes where the benefits are significant enough to warrant incorporation. Additional candidates are currently under study and if their merit is validated, they could be incorporated at a later date during production and retrofit.”

That said, in 2005 Boeing added 10 small vortex generators at the base of the windscreen which reduce flightdeck aerodynamic noise by 3dB. (See fuselage page for photo).

 

 

Stall Warning

Stall warning test requires AC power. Also, with no hydraulic pressure, the leading edge flaps may droop enough to cause an asymmetry signal, resulting in a failure of the stall warning system test. If this happens, switch the “B” system electric pump ON to fully retract all flaps and then repeat the test.

System test switches on the aft overhead panel

The 737-1/200′s had a different stall warning panel as shown right:

The OFF light may indicate either a failure of the heater of the angle of attack sensor a system signal failure or a power failure.

The test disc should rotate, indicating electrical continuity, when the switch is held to the test position.

737-200 Stall Warning Panel

 

TCAS

Various versions of TCAS have been fitted to the 737 since its introduction in the 1990′s. The early days of TCAS there were different methods of displaying the visuals. For the Honeywell system (Previously AlliedSignal, previous to that – Bendix/King), their most popular method for non-EFIS airplanes was to install an RA/VSI which was a mechanical VSI that had the “eyebrows” on the outer edge directing the pilot to climb (green) or stay away from (red) and use the separate Radar Indicator for the basic traffic display. Even early EFIS aircraft had the RA/VSI (see photos left & right)

TCAS is now integrated at production into the EFIS displays. The PFD/EADI will display advisories to climb, descend, or stay level since they give the vertical cue to the pilot. The ND/EHSI provides the map view looking down to show targets and their relative altitude and vertical movement relative to your aircraft.

TCAS display integrated onto the ND

TCAS control is from the transponder panel.
 

Weather Radar

The beamwidth of the 737 weather radar is 3.5 degrees.

To calculate the height of the cloud tops above your altitude use the following formula:

Cloud tops above a/c (ft) = range (nm) x (tilt – 1.5 deg) x 100

eg Wx at range 40nm stops painting at +2deg tilt. The tops would be 40 x 0.5 x 100 = 2000ft above your level.

Weather radar or terrain can be overlaid onto the EHSI with these switches on the classics. In the NG the overlay switches are part of the EFIS control panel. The colours may appear similar but their meanings are very different.

737 NG’s are fitted with predictive windshear system (PWS). This is available below 2300ft. You do not need weather radar to be switched on for PWS to work, since it switches on automatically when take-off thrust is set. However there is a 12 sec warm up period, so if you want PWS available for the take-off you should switch the weather radar on when you line up.

Windshear warning displayed on the ND. Notice the cone and range at which windshear is predicted.


EGPWS – Peaks Display

The Peaks display overlays EGPWS terrain information onto the EHSI. The colour coding is similar to wx radar but with several densities of each colour being used. The simplified key is:

 

Color Altitude Diff from Aircraft (ft)
Black No terrain
Cyan Zero ft MSL (Customer option)
Green -2000 to +250
Yellow -500 to +2000
Red +2000 or above
Magenta Terrain elevation unknown

The two overlaid numbers are the highest and lowest terrain elevations, in hundreds of ft amsl, currently being displayed. Here 5900ft and 800ft amsl. One of the main difference between Peaks display and others is that it will show terrain more than 2000ft below your level (eg a mountain range from cruise altitude). This can be very useful for situational awareness.

EGPWS Limitations

  • Do not use the terrain display for navigation.
  • Do not use within 15nm of an airfield not in the terrain database.

Honeywell EGPWS Pilots notes

 

PSEUProximity Switch Electronic Unit

The Proximity Switch Electronic Unit (PSEU) is a system that communicates the position or state of system components eg flaps, gear, doors, etc to other systems. The 737-NG’s are fitted with a PSEU which controls the following systems: Take-off and landing configuration warnings, landing gear transfer valve, landing gear position indicating and warning, air/ground relays, airstairs & door warnings and speedbrake deployed warning.

The PSEU light is inhibited from when the thrust levers are set for take-off power (thrust lever angle beyond 53 degrees) until 30 seconds after landing. If the PSEU light illuminates, you have a “non-dispatchable fault” and the QRH says do not take-off. In this condition the PSEU light can only be extinguished by fixing the fault. However if you only get the PSEU light on recall, you have a “dispatchable fault” which it is acceptable to go with. In this condition the PSEU light will extinguish when master caution is reset.

SFP aircraft (-800SFP / -900ER) also have an SPSEU which monitors the 2 position tailskid.

Warning Lights

     

Master Caution and System Annunciator lights, left and right.

The Master Caution system was developed for the 737 to ease pilot workload as it was the first Boeing airliner to be produced without a flight engineer. In simple terms it is an attention getter that also directs the pilot toward the problem area concerned. The system annunciators (shown above) are arranged such that the cautions are in the same orientation as the overhead panel e.g. FUEL bottom left, DOORS bottom of third column, etc.

On the ground, the master caution system will also tell you if the condition is dispatchable or if the QRH needs to be actioned. The FCOM gives the following guidance on master caution illuminations on the ground:

Before engine start, use individual system lights to verify the system status. If an individual system light indicates an improper condition:
• check the Dispatch Deviations Procedures Guide (DDPG) or the operator equivalent to decide if the condition has a dispatch effect
• decide if maintenance is needed

If, during or after engine start, a red warning or amber caution light illuminates:
• do the respective non-normal checklist (NNC)
• on the ground, check the DDPG or the operator equivalent

If, during recall, an amber caution illuminates and then extinguishes after a master caution reset:
• check the DDPG or the operator equivalent
• the respective non-normal checklist is not needed

Pressing the system annunciator will show any previously cancelled or single channel cautions. If a single channel caution is encountered, the QRH drill should not be actioned.

Master caution lights and the system annunciator are powered from the battery bus and will illuminate when an amber caution light illuminates. Exceptions to this include a single centre fuel tank LOW PRESSURE light (requires both), REVERSER lights (requires 12 seconds) and INSTR SWITCH (inside normal FoV).

When conducting a light test, during which the system will be inhibited, both bulbs of each caution light should be carefully checked. The caution lights are keyed to prevent them from being replaced incorrectly, but may be interchanged with others of the same caption.

Keying of warning lights

  • Red lights – Warning – indicate a critical condition and require immediate action.
  • Amber lights – Caution – require timely corrective action.
  • Blue lights – Advisory – eg valve positions and unless bright blue, ie a valve/switch disagreement, do not require crew action.
  • Green lights – Satisfactory – indicate a satisfactory or ON condition.

Aural Warnings

Cockpit aural warnings include the fire bell, take-off configuration warning, cabin altitude, landing gear configuration warning, mach/airspeed overspeed, stall warning, GPWS and TCAS. External aural warnings are: The fire bell in the wheel well and the ground call horn in the nose wheel-well for an E & E bay overheat or IRS’s on DC. Only certain warnings can be silenced whilst the condition exists.

To test the GPWS, ensure that the weather radar is on in TEST mode and displayed on the EHSI. Pressing SYS TEST quickly will give a short confidence test, pressing for 10 seconds will give a full vocabulary test.

The GPWS pane. Click photo to hear the GPWS vocabulary test. (175kb)

AURAL WARNING PRIORITY LOGIC
MODE PRIORITY DESCRIPTION ALERT LEVEL
7 1 WINDSHEAR WINDSHEAR WINDSHEAR W
1 2 PULL-UP (SINK RATE) W
2 3 PULL-UP (TERRAIN CLOSURE) W
2A 4 PULL-UP (TERRAIN CLOSURE) W
V1 5 V1 CALLOUT I
TA 6 TERRAIN TERRAIN PULL-UP W
WXR 7 WINDSHEAR AHEAD W
2 8 TERRAIN TERRAIN C
6 9 MINIMUMS I
TA 10 CAUTION TERRAIN C
4 11 TOO LOW TERRAIN C
TCF 12 TOO LOW TERRAIN C
6 13 ALTITUDE CALLOUTS I
4 14 TOO LOW GEAR C
4 15 TOO LOW FLAPS C
1 16 SINK RATE C
3 17 DONT SINK C
5 18 GLIDESLOPE C
WXR 19 MONITOR RADAR DISPLAY C
6 20 APPROACHING MINIMUMS I
6 21 BANK ANGLE C
TCAS 22 RA (CLIMB, DESCEND, ETC.) W
TCAS 23 TA (TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC) C
TEST 24 BITE AND MAINTENANCE INFORMATION I

Radio Altimeter Callouts

Automatic rad-alt calls are a customer option on the 3-900 series. Calls can include any of the following:

2500 (“Twenty Five Hundred” or “Radio Altimeter”).
1000
500
400
300
200
100
50
40
30
20
10

“Minimums” or “Minimums, Minimums”
“Plus Hundred” when 100ft above DH
“Approaching Minimums” when 80ft above DH
“Approaching Decision Height”
“Decision Height”

Customers can also request special heights, such as 60ft.


Noise Levels

If is often commented how loud these callouts are. The volume level for these callouts and any other aural warnings is set so that they can still be audible at the highest ambient noise levels, this is considered to be when the aircraft is at Vmo (340kts) at 10,000ft.

The design sound pressure level at 35,000ft, M0.74, cruise thrust is 87dB at the Captains seat, compared to 90-93dB in the cabin.

Many pilots consider the 737 flightdeck to be generally loud. This is Boeings response to that charge:

“Using the flight deck noise levels measured by Boeing Noise Engineering during a typical flight profile (entire flight), a daily A-weighted sound exposure was calculated using ISO/DIS 1999 standards. This calculation indicates the time weight noise exposure is below 80 db(A) and should not cause hearing damage. Flight deck noise improvement continues to be a part of current Boeing product quality improvement activities.”

And when asked later about the particularly noisy NG:

“Boeing has conducted extensive flight tests to define the contributing noise sources for the 737 Flight Deck. Subsequently, various system and hardware modifications have been evaluated for possible improvements. Currently there are no proposed changes where the benefits are significant enough to warrant incorporation. Additional candidates are currently under study and if their merit is validated, they could be incorporated at a later date during production and retrofit.”

That said, in 2005 Boeing added 10 small vortex generators at the base of the windscreen which reduce flightdeck aerodynamic noise by 3dB. (See fuselage page for photo).

Stall Warning

Stall warning test requires AC power. Also, with no hydraulic pressure, the leading edge flaps may droop enough to cause an asymmetry signal, resulting in a failure of the stall warning system test. If this happens, switch the “B” system electric pump ON to fully retract all flaps and then repeat the test.

System test switches on the aft overhead panel

The 737-1/200′s had a different stall warning panel as shown right:

The OFF light may indicate either a failure of the heater of the angle of attack sensor a system signal failure or a power failure.

The test disc should rotate, indicating electrical continuity, when the switch is held to the test position.

737-200 Stall Warning Panel

TCAS

Various versions of TCAS have been fitted to the 737 since its introduction in the 1990′s. The early days of TCAS there were different methods of displaying the visuals. For the Honeywell system (Previously AlliedSignal, previous to that – Bendix/King), their most popular method for non-EFIS airplanes was to install an RA/VSI which was a mechanical VSI that had the “eyebrows” on the outer edge directing the pilot to climb (green) or stay away from (red) and use the separate Radar Indicator for the basic traffic display. Even early EFIS aircraft had the RA/VSI (see photos left & right)

TCAS is now integrated at production into the EFIS displays. The PFD/EADI will display advisories to climb, descend, or stay level since they give the vertical cue to the pilot. The ND/EHSI provides the map view looking down to show targets and their relative altitude and vertical movement relative to your aircraft.

TCAS display integrated onto the ND

TCAS control is from the transponder panel.

Weather Radar

The beamwidth of the 737 weather radar is 3.5 degrees.

To calculate the height of the cloud tops above your altitude use the following formula:

Cloud tops above a/c (ft) = range (nm) x (tilt – 1.5 deg) x 100

eg Wx at range 40nm stops painting at +2deg tilt. The tops would be 40 x 0.5 x 100 = 2000ft above your level.

Weather radar or terrain can be overlaid onto the EHSI with these switches on the classics. In the NG the overlay switches are part of the EFIS control panel. The colours may appear similar but their meanings are very different.

737 NG’s are fitted with predictive windshear system (PWS). This is available below 2300ft. You do not need weather radar to be switched on for PWS to work, since it switches on automatically when take-off thrust is set. However there is a 12 sec warm up period, so if you want PWS available for the take-off you should switch the weather radar on when you line up.

Windshear warning displayed on the ND. Notice the cone and range at which windshear is predicted.


EGPWS – Peaks Display

The Peaks display overlays EGPWS terrain information onto the EHSI. The colour coding is similar to wx radar but with several densities of each colour being used. The simplified key is:

Color Altitude Diff from Aircraft (ft)
Black No terrain
Cyan Zero ft MSL (Customer option)
Green -2000 to +250
Yellow -500 to +2000
Red +2000 or above
Magenta Terrain elevation unknown

The two overlaid numbers are the highest and lowest terrain elevations, in hundreds of ft amsl, currently being displayed. Here 5900ft and 800ft amsl. One of the main difference between Peaks display and others is that it will show terrain more than 2000ft below your level (eg a mountain range from cruise altitude). This can be very useful for situational awareness.

EGPWS Limitations

  • Do not use the terrain display for navigation.
  • Do not use within 15nm of an airfield not in the terrain database.

Honeywell EGPWS Pilots notes

PSEUProximity Switch Electronic Unit

The Proximity Switch Electronic Unit (PSEU) is a system that communicates the position or state of system components eg flaps, gear, doors, etc to other systems. The 737-NG’s are fitted with a PSEU which controls the following systems: Take-off and landing configuration warnings, landing gear transfer valve, landing gear position indicating and warning, air/ground relays, airstairs & door warnings and speedbrake deployed warning.

The PSEU light is inhibited from when the thrust levers are set for take-off power (thrust lever angle beyond 53 degrees) until 30 seconds after landing. If the PSEU light illuminates, you have a “non-dispatchable fault” and the QRH says do not take-off. In this condition the PSEU light can only be extinguished by fixing the fault. However if you only get the PSEU light on recall, you have a “dispatchable fault” which it is acceptable to go with. In this condition the PSEU light will extinguish when master caution is reset.

SFP aircraft (-800SFP / -900ER) also have an SPSEU which monitors the 2 position tailskid.

Emirates helps Boeing devise new 777

Emirates is working closely with Boeing on its 777-300ER successor development effort, and indicates it could become the launch customer if the airframer decides to give the programme the go-ahead.

But the Dubai-based airline is also waiting to meet with Airbus, to begin discussions about its dissatisfaction with the changes to the A350-1000 disclosed at the Paris air show in June.

“There’s a lot of work going on [at Boeing on the new 777], and we’re involved in it,” Emirates Airline’s president Tim Clark went on to add.

Clark added that Boeing is getting “ready to rock and roll”, and if the new aircraft meets Emirates’ needs then it could sign up as a launch customer.

Emirates is a major 777-300ER customer, with over 100 of the General Electric GE90-115-powered variant in service or on order, as well as 10 of the -200LR “shrink” type.

Clark did not divulge details of Boeing’s 777 successor studies, but said that Emirates’ requirement would be for a twinjet capable of flying a 50-tonne payload – by its rules – between Dubai and Los Angeles.

Today the airline operates a 777-300ER on the route, with a payload of around 35-37 tonnes. “So I’m not carrying any cargo and have a 20-seat payload ­penalty,” said Clark.

“They’ve got to look at the weight, the wing and at propulsion to get an SFC [specific fuel consumption] reduction,” he added. “[GE Aviation president] David Joyce has got a lot up his sleeve for the new GE90-115. He’s definitely going to give us something on that.”

Clark speculated that to have “a fighting chance” of ­eventually creating the aircraft Emirates wants, Boeing would need to ­reduce the empty weight by at least 5-8 tonnes, perhaps even as far as anything up to about 10 tonnes.

Related links:

Emirates chief hits out over A350-1000 revamp

How can helicopter fly

GENERAL

This is just the basic informations for the beginners which did not know any things about the helicopter or airplane before and wants to know some principles that why the helicopter can fly but not in deep details. For the people that want to know more than what I have in here, please go to the text book which have many professors wrote them or go to the specific helicopter manuals. The details about the helicopter has so much to put it all in the WEB.

INTRODUCTION

The wings of the airplane create a lift force when they move through the air. As we known,during flight, there are four forces acting on the helicopter or airplane and those are LIFT , DRAG , THRUST ,and WEIGHT .(please go back and see on What makes an airplane fly ? section).In order to make the wings to move through the air , of course, the plane itself has to move. A helicopter works by having its wings move through the air while the body stays still. The helicopter’s wings are called Main Rotor Blades. The shape and the angle of the blades move through the air will determine how much Lift force is created. After the helicopter lifted off the ground, the pilot can tilt the blades, causing the helicopter to tip forward or backward or sideward.

NOMENCLATURE AND TECHNICAL TERM

Although we will describe certain terms or parts of helicopter more in the next sections as we go along, but we should familier with all of these terms in order to understand the helicopter better.

Bernoulli’principle :This principle states that as the air velocity increases, the pressure decreases; and as the velocity decreases, the pressure increases .

Airfoil : is technically defined as any surface, such as an airplane aileron, elevator, rudder, wing, main rotor blades, or tail rotor blades designed to obtain reaction from the air through which it moves.

airfoil

Angle of Attack : is the acute angle measured between the chord of an airfoil and the relative wind.

Angle of Incidence : is the acute angle between the wing’s chord line and the longitudinal axis of the airplane. (usually manufacturer had built the aircraft with the wing has some degrees to the horizontal plane or airplane longitudinal axis).

Blades : The blades of the helicopter are airfoils with a very high aspect ratio ( length to chord ). The angle of incidence is adjusted by means of the control from pilots.
The main rotor of the helicopter may have two, three,four , five or six blades, depending upon the design. The main rotor blades are hinged to the rotor head in such a manner that they have limited movement up and down and also they can change the pitch ( angle of incidence ). The controls for the main rotor are called Collective and Cyclic Controls.

The tail rotor is small blades may have two or four blades and mounted on the tail of the helicopter,it rotates in the vertical plane. The tail rotor is controlled by the rudder pedals. Its pitch can be changed as required to turn the helicopter in the direction desired.

Blade Root : The inner end of the blades where the rotors connect to the blade gripos.

Blade Grips : Large attaching points where the rotor blade connects to the hub.

Rotor Hub : Sit on top of the mast , and connects the rotor blades to the control tubes.

Main Rotor Mast : Rotating shaft from the transmission which connects the main rotor blades to helicopter fuselage.

Pitch Change Horn : to converts control tube movement to blade pitch. Control tube is a push-pull tubes that change the pitch of the rotor blades through the pitch changing horn.

Swash Plate Assembly : The swash plate assembly consists of two primary elements through which the rotor mast passes. One element is a disc, linked to the cyclic pitch control. This disc is capable of tilting in any direction but does not rotate as the rotor rotates. This non-rotating disc, often refered to as the Stationary Star is attached by a bearing surface to a second disc, often refered to as the Rotating Star which turns with rotor and linked to the rotor blade pitch horns.

Transmission : The transmission system transmits engine power to the main rotor, tail rotor, generator and other accessories. The engine is operated at a relative high speed while the main rotor turns at a much lower speed. This speed reduction is accomplished through reduction gears in the Transmission System

Lift : is produced by a lower pressure created on the upper surface of an airplane’s wings compared to the pressure on the wing’s lower surfaces,causing the wing to be LIFTED upward. The special shape of the airplane wing (airfoil) is designed so that air flowing over it will have to travel a greater distance and faster resulting in a lower pressure area (see illustration) thus lifting the wing upward. Lift is that force which opposes the force of gravity (or weight).

liftlift

Lift depends upon (1) shape of the airfoil (2) the angle of attack (3) the area of the surface exposed to the airstream (4) the square of the air speed (5) the air density.

lift equation

Relative Wind : is the direction of the airflow with respect to an airfoil or to the rotor blades.

Pitch Angle : The rotor blade pitch angle is the acute angle between the blade chord line and the rotor plane of rotation.( you may understand as the angle of incidence ) . This pitch angle can be varied by the pilot through the use of cockpit controls ( collective and cyclic pitch control ).

History of Flight

I will bring you only some of History that I think it is useful for you to know about how the helicopter was developed. They were so many great people contributed to this technologies but some of them were succeed and some were not. We all thanks to those people which make today happen.

  Igor Sikorsky (United States)

It was during 1909 that Igor Sikorsky Build his first machine in Russia in common many earier designed. But this first Sikorsky helicopter never left the ground, and a second which followed in 1910 ,he did not succeeded at this time so, he stopped and turn to fixed wing aircraft until 1930 .

  VS-300: In 1939, Sikorsky and a team of his engineers desinged the VS-300. The VS stood for VoughtSikorsky and the 300 indicated that it was Sikorsky’s third helicopter design.Vs300 had a75 hp Franklin 4cylinder engine. The basic structure was the heavygauge welded steel tubes. It had no covering at all and no instruments.It had three bladed main rotor and the anti-torque rotor at the rear.


VoughtSikorsky VS-300

  The R-4: In 1941, Sikorsky and Gluharaff designed the production model of VS300 and desinated VS316A . It was the bigger a bigger machine with an enclosed cabin and side by side seating and dual controls for two men crew 175 hp engine, a larger 36 ft (10.97 m.) rotor.The VS316A known by military designation XR-4 and YR4A.


VS-316A

  The R-5 and S-51: In 1943,Sikosky was working on all metal designated VS327 to meet requirement of USAAF known as XR5S and YR5A. It was better and bigger than R4.
In 1946, the first civilian type helicopter,S51 (four seats) was the first helicopter to be licenced by the US Civil Aviation Administration for commercial operation.


Sikorsky S-51

  The S-55: In 1949, Sikorsky S-55 was located 600hp engine in the nose. For the first time, a helicopter was capable of lifting a heavy load up to ten soldiers,in addition to its two men crew.


Sikorsky S-55
  Focke Achgelis Fa61 (Germany)

  Fa-61: Germany stepped to the front in helicopter development with the Focke Achgelis Fa-61, which it has two three-bladed rotor mounted on outriggers and power by a 160 hp radial engine. The Fa-61 had controllable cyclic pitch and set many of records .
In 1938, Fa-61 made an altitude flight of 11,243 feet and cross-country of 143 miles.In this year, the german aviator Hanna Reitsch became the world’s first woman helicopter pilot by flying the Fa-61 in the Deustchland-halle in Berlin. Germany continued its helicopter development during world war two and was the first to place the helicopter,Flettner Kolibri, into mass production.


Focke Achgelis Fa-61
  Jaun de la Cierva (Spain) / Autogiro

 Cierva C30A : An Autogiro, in 1923 , Juan de la Cierva , a young engineer made the first successful flight of an autogiro. An autogiro operates on a different principle than a helicopter.That was the rotor of autogiro was not driven by the engine but rotated itself as the aircraft was drawn along by its propeller. Autogiro used extreamely short take-off and landing but it could not move sideways or hover in still air like a helicopter. The Autogiro’s rotor is designed so that a blade set at a low positive angle of pitch will rotate automatically as long as an airstream is kept flowing through the rotor .However, the technology of the rotor head and the rotor blade developed for autogiro contributed importantly to the development of the successful of helicopter.


Cierva C30A
  Lawrence Bell (USA)

  Bell Model 30 :Bell Aircraft Corporation was formed in 1935 but it was until 1943 that the first Bell Helicopter Model 30 was successful flown. Several version of model 30 were built . Model 47 , built in 1945 and was granted the world’s first commercial helicopter licence. The Bell 47 developed into the most successful light – utility helicopters ever. A total of morethan 6,000 variants were built until the production was stopped in 1973.


Bell Model 30
Principle of Helicopter Flight
( page 1 )
GENERAL

Helicopter, Lift is obtained by means of one or more power driven horizontal propellers which called Main Rotor. When the main rotor of helicopter turns it produces lift and reaction torque. Reaction torque tends to make helicopter spin. On most helicopters, a small rotor near the tail which called tail rotor compensates for this torque. On twin rotor helicopter the rotors rotate in opposite directions, their reactions cancel each other.

rotor path
Main Rotor

The lifting force is produced by the main rotor . As they spin in the air and produced the lift. Each blade produces an equal share of the lifting force. The weight of a helicopter is divided evenly between the rotor blades on the main rotor system. If a helicopter weight 4000 lbs and it has two blades, then each blade must be able to support 2000 lbs.In addition to the static weight of helicopter ,each blade must be accept dynamic load as well . For example, if a helicopter pull up in a 1.5 g manouver (1.5 time the gravity force), then the effective weight of helicopter will be 1.5 time of static helicopter weight or 6000 lbs. due to gravitational pull.

Tail Rotor

The tail rotor is very important. If you spin a rotor with an engine, the rotor will rotate,but the engine and helicopter body will tend to rotate in opposite direction to the rotor. This is called Torque reaction. Newton’s third law of motion states , ” to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” . The tail rotor is used to compensates for this torque and hold the helicopter straight. On twin-rotors helicopter , the rotors spin in opposite directions, so their reactions cancel each other.

drive train

The tail rotor in normally linked to the main rotor via a system of driveshafts and gearboxes , that means if you turn the main rotor , the tail rotor is also turn.Most helicopter have a ratio of 3:1 to 6:1 . That is, if main rotor turn one rotation , the tail rotor will turn 3 revelutions (for 3:1)or 6 revolutions (for 6:1). In most helicopter the engine turns a shaft that connected to an input quill in the transmission gearbox. the main rotor mast out to the top and tail rotor drive shafts out to the tail from the tranmission gear box.

torque
Dissymmetry of Lift

All rotor systems are subject to Dissymmetry of Lift in forward flight . At a hover , the lift is equal across the entire rotor disk . As the helicopter gain air speed , the advanceing blade develops greater lift because of the increased airspeed and the retreating blade will produce less lift , this will cause the helicopter to roll (for example: if rotor speed = 400 km/hr , helicopter move forward=100 km/hr then advancing blade will have speed=500 km/hr but the retreating blade will has moving speed of only 300 kr/hr ) . This has to be compensated for in some way .

dissymmetry force
Blade Flapping

Dissymmetry of lift is compensated for by Blade flapping. Because of the increased airspeed and lift on the advancing blade will cause the blade to flap up and decreasing the angle of attack . The decreased lift on the retreating blade will cause the blade to flap down and increasing the angle of attack . The combination of decreased angle of attack on the advancing blade and increased angle of attack on the retreating blade through blade flapping action tends to equalize the lift over the two halves of the rotor disc.

flapping

Flight Direction Control
( page 1 )
GENERAL

Helicopter, Lift is obtained by means of one or more power driven horizontal propellers which called Rotors. When the rotors of helicopter turns it produces lift and reaction torque, reaction torque which tends to make helicopter spin. on most helicopters a small rotor near the tail which called tail rotor compensates for this torque. On twin rotor helicopter the rotors rotate in opposite directions, their reactions cancel each other. The direction of helicopter is controlled by inclining the axis of the main rotor path in that direction.

Function of Controls

There are three major controls in the helicopter that the pilot must use during flight. They are : ( 1 ) Collective pitch control. ( 2 ) Anti Torque Pedals or Tail Rotor Control. ( 3 ) Cyclic Stick Control.

control function top view

Collective Control
The collective pitch lever or stick is located by the left side of the pilot’s seat and is operated with the left hand. The collective is used to increase main rotor pitch at all points of the rotor blade rotation. It increases or decreases total rotor thrust. The collective lever is connected to the swash plate by a series of bush pull tubes. Raising the collective lever increases the pitch on the main rotor blade, lowering the collective lever decreases the main rotor blade pitch. The amount of movement of th elever determines the amount of blade pitch change. As the angle of attack increase, drag increases and Rotor RPM and Engine RPM tend to decrease . As the angle of attack decreases, drag decreases and the RPM tend to increase.Since it is essential that the RPM remain constant, there must be some means of making a proportionate change in power to compensate for the change in drag. This coordination of power change with blade pitch angle change is controlled through a collective pitch lever- trottle control cam linkage which automatically increases power when the collective pitch lever is raised and decreases power when the lever is lowered.

collective lever

The picture above is the typical collective lever but the detail of control may varies depend on each munufacturer .The main functions are still the same for all helicopters.

Collective Lever is connected to the rotor system via push pull tubes. It also has droop com pensation devics which sense change in the collective pitch lever and increases or decreases fuel to the engine automatically somewhat in anticipated of a change in power required. This helps to minimize the RPM fluctuations during collective pitch change.

Engine Control (Emergency) is the throttle twist grip. During emergency condition, between flight and flight idle positions. This is useful during any event which would cause engine or rotor RPM to go too high or while landing after a tail rotor failure.

Idle Release Button, when the throttle is rolled from ” off ” to ” idle ” the idle release button snaps into a detent which prevents the throttle from being rolled back to ” off “

Starter Button : Pushing this button will cause the starter / generator to act as a starter motor ( Starter / Generator is a component that funtion in either mode as a starter or generator ) , turning over the engine.

Landing Light Switch has a three position which are ” off ” , ” forward ” and “both ” . In forward , only the forward light is activated. In both, the forward and downward lights are activated .

Power Trim Switch ,by holding it in ” increase ” or ” decrease ” the pilot can set the RPM that the pilot attempt to maintain.

Function of Controls (Continue)

Anti-Torque Pedals or Tail Rotor Control
In accordance with Newton’s law of action and reaction, the helicopter fuselage tends to rotate in the direction opposite to the rotor blades . This effect is called torque . Torque must be counteracted and controlled to make flight is possible . Compensation for torque in a single main rotor helicopter is accomplished by means of a variable pitch antitorque rotor (tail rotor) located on the end of the tail boom extension at the rear of fuselage.

control function top view

Heading Control : In addition to counteracted torque, the tail rotor and its control linkage also permit control of the helicopter heading during flight . Application of more control than is necessary to counteract torque will cause the nose of helicopter to turn in the direction of pedal movement.

pedal control

In forward flight , the pedals are not used to control the heading of the helicopter (except during portions of crosswind takeoff and approach). They are used to compensate for torque to put the helicopter in longitudinal trim so that coordinated flight can be maintained.

The thrust of the tail rotor is depend upon the pitch angle of the tail rotor blades. The tail rotor may have a positive pitch angle or it may have a negative pitch angle which to push the tail to the right or pull the tail to the left.

tail pitch mechanism

With the right pedal pressed or moved forward of the neutral position will cause the tail rotor blades to change the pitch angle and the nose of helicopter will yaw to the right . With the left pedal pressed or moved forward of the neutral position will cause the tail rotor blades to change the pitch angle opposite to the right pedal and the nose of helicopter will yaw to the left.

Function of Controls (Continue)

Cyclic Control
As mention earier , the total lift force is always perpendicular to the tip-path plane of the main rotor. When the tip path plane is tilt away from the horizontal, the lift -thrust force is divide into two components of forces that are, the horizontal acting force, thrust and the upward acting force, lift.

control function top view

The purpose of the cyclic pitch control is to tilt the tip path plane in the direction that horizontal movement is desired. The thrust component of force then pulls the helicopter in the direction of rotor tilt. The cyclic control changes the direction of this force,thus controlling the attitude and air speed of helicopter.

control function

The rotor disc tilts in the same direction of the cyclic stick was moved. If the cyclic stick is moved forward, the rotor disc tilt forward: if the cyclic is moved aft, the rotor disc tilt aft, and so on. The rotor disc will always tilt in the same direction that the cyclic stick is moved.

cyclic control stick

The above picture is only typical for cyclic control stick which different manufacturer will have some detail different but the main fuction is the same.

The radio switch is used for pilot to transmit radio by clicking the switch.

The trim switch , pilot use this switch to neutralize stick force . Pilot can use the trim switch to put the stick to the right , left , forward or backward . This runs electric motor which will tension the spring which will tend to hold the stick. The cyclic will stay where it is even the pilot were let it go . This also release tension from pilot.

The cargo release switch is the option switch, some manufacturer may have other function switch.

cyclic control stick

Aircraft Propellers

General Information

     Thrust is the force that move the aircraft through the air.Thrust is generated by the propulsion system of the aircraft. There are different types of propulsion systems develop thrust in different ways, although it usually generated through some application of Newton’s Third Law. Propeller is one of the propulsion system. The purpose of the propeller is to move the aircraft through the air. The propeller consist of two or more blades connected together by a hub. The hub serves to attach the blades to the engine shaft. .

     The blades are made in the shape of an airfoil like wing of an aircraft. When the engine rotates the propeller blades, the blades produce lift. This lift is called thrust and moves the aircraft forward. most aircraft have propellers that pull the aircraft through the air. These are called tractor propellers. Some aircraft have propellers that push the aircraft. These are called pusher propellers.

Description

     Leading Edge of the airfoil is the cutting edge that slices into the air. As the leading edge cuts the air, air flows over the blade face and the cambe side.

Description

     Blade Face is the surface of the propeller blade that corresponds to the lower surface of an airfoil or flat side, we called Blade Face.

     Blade Back / Thrust Face is the curved surface of the airfoil.

     Blade Shank (Root) is the section of the blade nearest the hub.

     Blade Tip is the outer end of the blade fartest from the hub.

     Plane of Rotation is an imaginary plane perpendicular to the shaft. It is the plane that contains the circle in which the blades rotate.

     Blade Angle is formed between the face of an element and the plane of rotation. The blade angle throughout the length of the blade is not the same. The reason for placing the blade element sections at different angles is because the various sections of the blade travel at different speed. Each element must be designed as part of the blade to operate at its own best angle of attack to create thrust when revolving at its best design speed

     Blade Element are the airfoil sections joined side by side to form the blade airfoil. These elements are placed at different angles in rotation of the plane of rotation.

      The reason for placing the blade element sections at different angles is because the various sections of the blade travel at different speeds. The inner part of the blade section travels slower than the outer part near the tip of the blade. If all the elements along a blade is at the same blade angle, the relative wind will not strike the elements at the same angle of attack. This is because of the different in velocity of the blade element due to distance from the center of rotation.
The blade has a small twist (due to different angle in each section) in it for a very important reason. When the propeller is spinning round, each section of the blade travel at different speed, The twist in the peopeller blade means that each section advance forward at the same rate so stopping the propeller from bending.
Thrust is produced by the propeller attached to the engine driveshaft. While the propeller is rotating in flight, each section of the blade has a motion that combines the forward motion of the aircraft with circular movement of the propeller. The slower the speed, the steeper the angle of attack must be to generate lift. Therefore, the shape of the propeller’s airfoil (cross section) must chang from the center to the tips. The changing shape of the airfoil (cross section) across the blade results in the twisting shape of the propeller.

     Relative Wind is the air that strikes and pass over the airfoil as the airfoil is driven through the air.

     Angle of Attack is the angle between the chord of the element and the relative wind. The best efficiency of the propeller is obtained at an angle of attack around 2 to 4 degrees.

     Blade Path is the path of the direction of the blade element moves.

     Pitch refers to the distance a spiral threaded object moves forward in one revolution. As a wood screw moves forward when turned in wood, same with the propeller move forward when turn in the air.

     Geometric Pitch is the theoritical distance a propeller would advance in one revolution.

     Effective Pitch is the actual distance a propeller advances in one revolution in the air. The effective pitch is always shorter than geometric pitch due to the air is a fluid and always slip.

Forces and stresses acting on a propeller in flight

The forces acting on a propeller in flight are :
1. Thrust is the air force on the propeller which is parallel to the directionof advance and induce bending stress in the propeller.
2. Centrifugal force is caused by rotation of the propeller and tends to throw the blade out from the center.
3. Torsion or Twisting forces in the blade itself, caused by the resultant of air forces which tend to twist the blades toward a lower blade angle.

The stress acting on a propeller in flight are :
1. Bending stresses are induced by the trust forces. These stresses tend to bend the blade forward as the airplane is moved through the air by the propeller.
2. Tensile stresses are caused by centrifugal force.
3. Torsion stresses are produced in rotating propeller blades by two twisting moments. one of these stresses is caused by the air reaction on the blades and is called the aerodynamic twisting moment. The another stress is caused by centrifugal force and is called the centrifugal twisting moment.

TYPE OF AIRCRAFT PROPELLERS

Type of propellers

      In designing propellers, the maximum performance of the airplane for all condition of operation from takeoff, climb, cruising, and high speed. The propellers may be classified under eight general types as follows:

      1. Fixed pitch: The propeller is made in one piece. Only one pitch setting is possible and is usually two blades propeller and is often made of wood or metal.
Wooden Propellers : Wooden propellers were used almost exclusively on personal and business aircraft prior to World War II .A wood propeller is not cut from a solid block but is built up of a number of seperate layers of carefully selected .any types of wood have been used in making propellers, but the most satisfactory are yellow birch, sugar mable, black cherry, and black walnut. The use of lamination of wood will reduce the tendency for propeller to warp. For standard one-piece wood propellers, from five to nine seperate wood laminations about 3/4 in. thick are used.


Metal Propellers : During 1940 , solid steel propellers were made for military use. Modern propellers are fabricated from high-strength , heat-treated,aluminum alloy by forging a single bar of aluminum alloy to the required shape. Metal propellers is now extensively used in the construction of propellers for all type of aircraft. The general appearance of the metal propeller is similar to the wood propeller, except that the sections are generally thinner.

      2. Ground adjustable pitch: The pitch setting can be adjusted only with tools on the ground before the engine is running. This type of propellers usually has a split hub. The blade angle is specified by the aircraft specifications. The adjustable – pitch feature permits compensation for the location of the flying field at various altitudes and also for variations in the characteristics of airplanes using the same engine. Setting the blade angles by loosened the clamps and the blade is rotated to the desired angle and then tighten the clamps.

      3. Two-position : A propeller which can have its pitch changed from one position to one other angle by the pilot while in flight.

      4. Controllable pitch: The pilot can change the pitch of the propeller in flight or while operating the engine by mean of a pitch changing mechanism that may be operated by hydraulically.

      5. Constant speed : The constant speed propeller utilizes a hydraulically or electrically operated pitch changing mechanism which is controlled by governor. The setting of the governor is adjusted by the pilot with the rpm lever in the cockpit. During operation, the constant speed propeller will automatically changs its blade angle to maintain a constant engine speed. If engine power is increase, the blade angle is increased to make the propeller absorb the additional power while the rpm remain constant. At the other position, if the engine power is decreased, the blade angle will decrease to make the blades take less bite of air to keep engine rpm remain constant. The pilot select the engine speed required for any particular type of operation.

      6. Full Feathering : A constant speed propeller which has the ability to turn edge to the wind and thereby eliminate drag and windmilling in the event of engine failure. The term Feathering refers to the operation of rotating the blades of the propeller to the wind position for the purpose of stopping the rotation of the propeller to reduce drag. Therefore , a Feathered blade is in an approximate in-line-of-flight position , streamlined with the line of flight (turned the blades to a very high pitch). Feathering is necessary when the engine fails or when it is desirable to shutoff an engine in flight.

      7. Reversing : A constant speed propeller which has the ability to assume a negative blade angle and produce a reversing thrust. When propellers are reversed, their blades are rotated below their positive angle , that is, through flat pitch, until a negative blade angle is obtained in order to produce a thrust acting in the opposite direction to the forward thrust . Reverse propeller thrust is used where a large aircraft is landed, in reducing the length of landing run.

      8. Beta Control : A propeller which allows the manual repositioning of the propeller blade angle beyond the normal low pitch stop. Used most often in taxiing, where thrust is manually controlled by adjusting blade angle with the power lever.


Control and Operation   (page 1)

Propeller Control

      basic requirement: For flight operation, an engine is demanded to deliver power within a relatively narrow band of operating rotation speeds. During flight, the speed-sensitive governor of the propeller automatically controls the blade angle as required to maintain a constant r.p.m. of the engine.
Three factors tend to vary the r.p.m. of the engine during operation. These factors are power, airspeed, and air density. If the r.p.m. is to maintain constant, the blade angle must vary directly with power, directly with airspeed, and inversely with air density. The speed-sensitive governor provides the means by which the propeller can adjust itself automatically to varying power and flight conditions while converting the power to thrust.

      Fundamental Forces : Three fundamental forces are used to control blade angle . These forces are:
1. Centrifugal twisting moment, centrifugal force acting on a rotating blade which tends at all times to move the blade into low pitch.
2. Oil at engine pressure on the outboard piston side, which supplements the centrifugal twisting moment toward low pitch.
3. Propeller Governor oil on the inboard piston side, which balances the first two forces and move the blades toward high pitch
Counterweight assembly (this is only for counterweight propeller) which attached to the blades , the centrifugal forces of the counterweight will move the blades to high pitch setting

      Constant Speed, Counterweight Propellers
The Counterweight type propeller may be used to operate either as a controllable or constant speed propeller. The hydraulic counterweight propeller consists of a hub assembly, blade assembly, cylinder assembly, and counterweight assembly.
The counterweight assembly on the propeller is attached to the blades and moves with them. The centrifugal forces obtained from rotating counterweights move the blades to high angle setting. The centrifugal force of the counterweight assembly is depended on the rotational speed of the propellers r.p.m. The propeller blades have a definite range of angular motion by an adjusting for high and low angle on the counterweight brackets.
Controllable : the operator will select either low blade angle or high blade angle by two-way valve which permits engine oil to flow into or drain from the propeller.

Constant Speed : If an engine driven governor is used, the propeller will operate as a constant speed. The propeller and engine speed will be maintained constant at any r.p.m. setting within the operating range of the propeller.

      Governor Operation (Constant speed with counterweight ) the Governor supplies and controls the flow of oil to and from the propeller. The engine driven governor receives oil from the engine lubricating system and boost its pressure to that required to operate the pitch-changing mechanism. It consists essentially of :
1. A gear pump to increase the pressure of the engine oil to the pressure required for propeller operation.
2. A relief valve system which regulates the operating pressure in the governor.
3. A pilot valve actuated by flyweights which control the flow of oil through the governor
4. The speeder spring provides a mean by which the initial load on the pilot valve can be changed through the rack and pulley arrangement which controlled by pilot.
The governor maintains the required balance between all three control forces by metering to, or drain from, the inboard side of the propeller piston to maintain the propeller blade angle for constant speed operation.
The governor operates by means of flyweights which control the position of a pilot valve. When the propeller r.p.m. is below that for which the governor is set through the speeder spring by pilot , the governor flyweight move inward due to less centrifugal force act on flyweight than compression of speeder spring. If the propeller r.p.m. is higher than setting , the flyweight will move outward due to flyweight has more centrifugal force than compression of speeder spring . During the flyweight moving inward or outward , the pilot valve will move and directs engine oil pressure to the propeller cylinder through the engine propeller shaft.

Principles of Operation (Constant Speed with Counterweight Propellers)
The changes in the blades angle of a typical constant speed with counterweight propellers are accomplished by the action of two forces, one is hydraulic and the other is mechanical.
1. The cylinder is moved by oil flowing into it and opposed by centrifugal force of counterweight. This action moves the counterweight and the blades to rotate toward the low angle positon.
2. When the oil allowed to drain from the cylinder , the centrifugal force of counterweights take effect and the blades are turned toward the high angle position.
3. The constant speed control of the propeller is an engine driven governor of the flyweight type.

Governor Operation Condition

On-Speed Condition
The on-speed condition exists when the propeller operation speed are constant . In this condition, the force of the flyweight (5) at the governor just balances the speeder spring (3) force on the pilot valve (10) and shutoff completely the line (13) connecting to the propeller , thus preventing the flow of oil to or from the propeller.

  

The pressure oil from the pump is relieved through the relief valve (6). Because the propeller counterweight (15) force toward high pitch is balanced by the oil force from cylinder (14) is prevented from moving, and the propeller does not chang pitch

Under-Speed Condition
The under-speed condition is the result of change in engine r.p.m. or propeller r.p.m.which the r.p.m. is tend to lower than setting or governor control movement toward a high r.p.m. Since the force of the flyweight (5) is less than the speeder spring (3) force , the pilot valve (10) is forced down. Oil from the booster pump flows through the line (13) to the propeller. This forces the cylinder (14) move outward , and the blades (16) turn to lower pitch, less power is required to turn the propeller which inturn increase the engine r.p.m. As the speed is increased, the flyweight force is increased also and becomes equal to the speeder spring force. The pilot valve is move up, and the governor resumes its on-speed condition which keep the engine r.p.m. constant.

Over-Speed Condition
The over-speed condition which occurs when the aircraft altitude change or engine power is increased or engine r.p.m. is tend to increase and the governor control is moved towards a lower r.p.m. In this condition, the force of the flyweight (5) overcomes the speeder spring (3) force and raise the pilot valve (10) open the propeller line (13) to drain the oil from the cylinder (14). The counterweight (15) force in the propeller to turn the blades towards a higher pitch. With a higher pitch, more power is required to turn the propeller which inturn slow down the engine r.p.m. As the speed is reduced, the flyweight force is reduced also and becomes equal to the speeder spring force. The pilot valve is lowered, and the governor resumes its on-speed condition which keep the engine r.p.m. constant.

Flight Operation
This is just only guide line for understanding . The engine or aircraft manufacturers’ operating manual should be consulted for each particular aircrat.

      Takeoff : Placing the governor control in the full forward position . This position is setting the propeller blades to low pitch angle Engine r.p.m. will increase until it reaches the takeoff r.p.m. for which the governor has been set. From this setting , the r.p.m. will be held constant by the governor, which means that full power is available during takeoff and climb.
Cruising : Once the crusing r.p.m. has been set , it will be held constant by the governor. All changes in attitude of the aircraft, altitude, and the engine power can be made without affecting the r.p.m. as long as the blades do not contact the pitch limit stop.
Power Descent : As the airspeed increase during descent, the governor will move the propeller blades to a higher pitch inorder to hold the r.p.m. at the desired value.
Approach and Landing : Set the governor to its maximum cruising r.p.m. position during approach. During landing, the governor control should be set in the high r.p.m. position and this move the blades to full low pitch angle.

Hydromatic Propellers

Basic Operation Principles :
The pitch changing mechanism of hydromatic propeller is a mechanical-hydraulic system in which hydraulic forces acting upon a piston are transformed into mechanical forces acting upon the blades.

Piston movement causes rotation of cam which incorporates a bevel gear (Hamilton Standard Propeller) . The oil forces which act upon the piston are controled by the governor

      Single Acting Propeller: The governor directs its pump output against the inboard side of piston only, A single acting propeller uses a single acting governor. This type of propeller makes use of three forces during constant speed operation , the blades centrifugal twisting moment and this force tends at all times to move the blades toward low pitch , oil at engine pressure applied against the outboard side of the propeller piston and this force to supplement the centrifugal twisting moment toward the low pitch during constant speed operation., and oil from governor pressure applied against the inboard side of the piston . The oil pressure from governor was boosted from the engine oil supply by governor pump and the force is controlled by metering the high pressure oil to or draining it from the inboard side of the propeller piston which balances centrifugal twisting moment and oil at the engine pressure.

      Double Acting Propeller: The governor directs its output either side of the piston as the operating condition required. Double acting propeller uses double acting governor. This type of propeller , the governor pump output oil is directed by the governor to either side of the propeller piston.

      Principle Operation of Double Acting :
Overspeed Condition : When the engine speed increases above the r.p.m. for which the governor is set . Oil supply is boosted in pressure by thr engine driven propeller governor , is directed against the inboard side of the propeller piston. The piston and the attached rollers move outboard. As the piston moves outboard , cam and rollers move the propeller blades toward a higher angle , which inturn, decreases the engine r.p.m.
Underspeed Condition : When the engine speed drops below the r.p.m. for which the governor is set. Force at flyweight is decrease and permit speeder spring to lower pilot valve, thereby open the oil passage allow the oil from inboard side of piston to drain through the governor. As the oil from inboard side is drained , engine oil from engine flows through the propeller shaft into the outboard piston end. With the aid of blade centrifugal twisting moment, The engine oil from outboard moves the piston inboard. The piston motion is transmitted through the cam and rollers . Thus, the blades move to lower angle

The Feathering System

Feathering : For some basic model consists of a feathering pump, reservoir, a feathering time-delay switch, and a propeller feathering light. The propeller is feathered by moving the control in the cockpit against the low speed stop. This causes the pilot vave lift rod in the governor to hold the pilot valve in the decrease r.p.m. position regardless of the action of the governor flyweights. This causes the propeller blades to rotate through high pitch to the feathering position.

      Some model is initiated by depressing the feathering button. This action, auxiliary pump, feather solinoid, which positions the feathering valve to tranfer oil to feathering the propeller. When the propeller has been fully feathered, oil pressure will buildup and operate a pressure cutout switch which will cause the auxiliary pump stop. Feathering may be also be accomplished by pulling the engine emergency shutdown handle or switch to the shutdown position.

Unfeathering : Some model is accomblished by holding the feathering buttn switch in the out position for about 2 second . This creates an artificial underspeed condition at the governor and causes high-pressure oil from the feathering pump to be directed to the rear of the propeller piston. As soon as the piston has moved inward a short distance, the blades will have sufficient angle to start rotation of the engine. When this occurs , the un-feathering switch can be released and the governor will resume control of the propeller.

What Makes An Airplane Fly

GENERAL

This is just the basic informations for the beginners which did not know any things about the aircraft or airplane before and wants to know some principles that why the airplane can fly but not in deep details. For the people that want to know more than what I have in here, please go to the text book which have many professors wrote them and the details about the airplane have so much to put it all in the WEB.

INTRODUCTION

It was , of couse, the birds who were responsible for the whole complicated story and business. A man with the brain of a scientist began to think seriouly about attainment of the dream. This was Leonado da Vinci (1452-1519), whose detail study of bird flight nevertheless led him to the erroneous conclusion that man’s muscular power, so superior to that of the birds, should enable him to fly in a properly constructed ornithopter,or flapping-wing aircraft.

In 1680, Giovanni Alphonso Borelli’s has a result of his detailed study of bird flight, man did not have the power output needed to lift himself and a machine into the air. This brought an end to practically all heavier-than-air experiments until nineteenth century.

On October 15, 1783, Jean-Francois had made a flight in a Mongolfier hot-air balloon tethered flight for 4 minutes 24 second. Lessthan two month later a hydrogen-filled balloon had completed a successful two-hours free flight.

German Otto Lilienthal(1848-1896), whose graceful and beautifully-constructed hang-gliders enable him to become the first man in the world to fly confidently and regularly, total more than 2000 flights.He did not develop control surfaces for his gliders, but rely on body movements to provide limited control in the three axes of pitch, yaw, and roll. He lost his life at age of 48 on 10 August 1896 due to one of his gliders stalled and crashed to the ground. The persons who pioneer of the gliders were Otto Lilienthal (German), Percy Pilcher (England) He also lost his life in a glider clashed three years after Lilienthal, and Octave Chanute (American)(1832-1910)

Wilbur (1867-1912) and Orville (1871-1948) Wright, had been interested in the possibility of mechanical flight in the early years. By 1900, they became freinds with Chanute . Chanute encouraged , providing information, and directly assisted the Wrights to achieve their goal of power flight later.First flight they flied the flyer was on 17 December 1903.This is generally accepted as the first man to accomplised the dream.Eventhrough there are some controversy over the first powered aircraft.

Alberto Santos-Dumont a little brazilian living in France. During 1906, with his No.14-bis which was power by a 50 horsepower Antoinette engine, he made a first flight of 60 meter at Bagattelle, Paris on 23 October 1906. Some people believed that Santos-Dumont really had made the first power flight in history.

NOMENCLATURE or TECHNICAL TERM

Although we will describe certain terms or parts of airplane more in the next sections as we go along, but we should familier with all of these terms in order to understand the airplane better.

ctrl surface

Aerodynamics : Aero is derived from the Greek word meaning AIR, and Dynamics comes from the Greek word meaning Power, or branch of physics which considers bodies in motion and the forces that produce or change such motion. When Aero is combined with Dynamics ,we have Aerodynamics,Meaning ” The science relating to the effects produced by air or other gases in motion”.

Air Currents : are movement of the air with respect to the earth. If the air is rising from the earth , it is called a Vertical Current

Relative Motion : Motion is a movement.If an object changes it position,it is in motion. Relative Motion defined as an object which has moved or has changed its position with Respect to some other object. An Airplane must have Relative motion between Airplane and the Air in order to fly.The velocity of this motion is called the True Airspeed

Bernoulli’principle : This principle states that as the air velocity increases, the pressure decreases; and as the velocity decreases, the pressure increases

Airfoil : is technically defined as any surface, such as an airplane aileron, elevator, rudder, or wing, designed to obtain reaction from the air through which it moves.

airfoil

Angle of Attack : is the acute angle measured between the chord of an airfoil and the relative wind.

Cockpit : is the pilot’s compartment which is seperated from the rest of the cabin.

Control Stick or Control Column : A vertical lever or column by mean of which the pilot operates the longitudinal and lateral control surfaces of the airplane. The elevator is operated by fore-and-aft movement of the stick or column, and ailerons are moved by sideways movement of the stick or turn the wheel to left or right.

ctrl.column

Aileron : One of a pair of movable control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of each wing tip, the purpose of which is to control the airplane in roll by creating unequal or opposing lifting forces on the opposite sides of the airplane.

Elevator : A movable auxiliary airfoil or control surface designed to impress a pitching movement on the airplane, that is, to cause rotation about the lateral axis.

Flap : A hinged, pivoted, or sliding airfoil or plate, normally located at the trailing edge of a wing, extended or deflected to increase the lift and/or drag, generally used at takeoff and landing.

Rudder : A hinged or movable auxiliary airfoil used to impress a yawing moment on the aircraft.

Rudder Pedal : Either one of a pair of cockpit pedals for operating a rudder or other directional control device. The pedals are on the floor and feet operated.

Stabilizer : A fixed or adjustable airfoil or vane that provides stability for an aircraft.

HISTORY of FLIGHT
Ornithopters (Flapping- wing)

The beauty and freedom of birds has always drawn our admiration and envy. The freedom to move in any direction over all obstacles is a capability that all of us would enjoy. early attempts to defy gravity involved the invention of machines, such as Ornithopters.

frosts

This type of flying machine utilizes the flapping of the wings in order to achieve flight. Needless, is to say that all attempts to fly using this type of machine failed.

Machine lighter-than-air

In the year between 1650 and 1900 , there was a second attempt at flying with a less sophisticated but more efficient generation of flying machines, the lighter-than-air craft. The idea of filling a closed container with a substance that normally rises through the atmosphere was known as early as the thirteen century. Over a five hundred year span, different substances came to be known as being lighter-than-air. The most common gas proposed was water vapor, helium and hydrogen. The first successful attempts at achiveing flight using his type of crafts were made by the Montgolfier brothers in France. Their most successful attempt was in 1783.

The most successful builder of this type of lighter-than-air craft was Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (picture above) . In the early 1930′s the German Graft Zeppelin machine was able to make a Trans-Atlantic flight to the United States. The large Hidenburg was equally successful until it was destroyed by fire while attempting a landing in 1937 at Lakehurst,New Jersey.

Orville and Wilbur Wright

In the early 1900s two American brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright from Dayton, Ohio began to experiment with gliders. The gliders were built using data from Otto Lilienthal in Europe. Most of these flights turn out to be a failure. In 1901, they decided to gather their own wing data by conducting systematic experiment on different type of wing configurations. In 1902, Glider has wingtip to wingtip measurement of 32 ft. and wing width of 5 ft. This was the first aircraft with three-axis control. This mean that the aircraft could go up or down, left or right, and could also roll about its longitudinal axis. At Kitty Hawk, they perform over 800 flights, the early problem of aircraft were solved .

The Wright brothers, now confident about their ability to flight, decided to turn their attention to power. In 1903, after redesigning the airframe of their 1902 glider, the Kitty Hawk Flyer was born. In December 17 , 1903 , with this aircraft, Orville and Wilbur Wright demanstrated the flight of self powered aircraft.
Following the Wright Brothers success, the aeronautical activity took place basically everywhere in the world.

Bleriot XI Monoplane
bleriot

The future potential of the airplane was realized when Louis Bleriot (France) flew his XI monoplane across the Einglish Channel in 1909. This was made Britain could no longer feel secure because England rely only on the royal navy.

Henri Fabre Seaplane

The first Seaplane was built and flown by Henri Fabre (France) in 1910 at Martigues, France. The great pioneer of marine flying was Glen Curtiss of the United States. In 1911 he fitted floats to his pusher biplanes and flow it off the water.

fabre5

First flight of a seaplane called a Hydravion was created by Frenchman Henri Fabre. Using a 50 horsepower Gnome rotary engine, Fabre flew 1650 feet on water (March 28, 1910).

Vikers Gunbus:
gunbus

Until 1914 , As the war progressed, the manufacturers were pressed to equip airplanes with guns, bombs and torpedos. This Vicker Gunbus (England) had been accomplished by 1914.

F.X. Trimotor:
trimotor

From the United States, Ford Trimotor is the world’s first airline services were in 1910. With the advances in aircraft designed brought about by war, the enclosed cabin airplane became the standard for commercial airline travel by the early 1920′s.

As the time went by, the speed of airplanes began to increase. From the famous 12 mph top-speed of Wright Brithers Kitty Hawk Flyer , until in 1947, a test pilot named Chuck Yeager flied exceeded the speed of sound. From that point on a series of experimental supersonic aircraft took to the sky breaking speed record after speed record. Today we still can see some of supersonic aircrafts that were built in the 1960′s like Concorde(mach 2), TU-144 (mach 2.2), SR-71 Blackbird (mach 3).

PRINCIPLES
Forces Acting on An Airplane

There are four forces acting on the airplane all the time during airplane is flying.The four forces are
(1) Lift, (2) Gravity force or Weight, (3) Thrust, and (4) Drag.
Lift and Drag are considered aerodynamics forces because they exist due to the movement of the Airplane through the Air.

four forces

Lift: is produced by a lower pressure created on the upper surface of an airplane’s wings compared to the pressure on the wing’s lower surfaces,causing the wing to be LIFTED upward. The special shape of the airplane wing (airfoil) is designed so that air flowing over it will have to travel a greater distance and faster resulting in a lower pressure area (see illustration) thus lifting the wing upward. Lift is that force which opposes the force of gravity (or weight).

lift

Lift depends upon (1) shape of the airfoil (2) the angle of attack (3) the area of the surface exposed to the airstream (4) the square of the air speed (5) the air density.

lift equation

Weight: The weight acts vertically downward from the center of gravity (CG) of the airplane.

Thrust: is defined as the forward direction pushing or pulling force developed by aircraft engine . This includes reciprocating engines , turbojet engines, turboprop engines.

thrust equation

Drag: is the force which opposes the forward motion of airplane. specifically, drag is a retarding force acting upon a body in motion through a fluid, parallel to the direction of motion of a body. It is the friction of the air as it meets and passes over an airplane and its components. Drag is created by air impact force, skin friction, and displacement of the air.

drag equation
Aircraft Flight Control

An airplane is equipped with certain fixed and movable surfaces or airfoil which provide for stability and control during flight. These are illustrated in the picture.

Flight Control

Each of the named of the airfoil is designed to perform a specific function in the flight of the airplane. The fixed airfoils are the wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the horizontal stabilizer. The movable airfiols called control surfaces, are the ailerons, elevators, rudders and flaps.The ailerons, elevators, and rudders are used to “steer” the airplane in flight to make it go where the pilot wishes it to go. The flaps are normally used only during landings and extends some during takeoff.

Aileron: may be defined as a movable control surface attached to the trailing edge of a wing to control an airplane in the roll, that is , rotation about the longitudinal axis.

Elevator: is defined as a horizontal control surface, usually attached to the trailing edge of horizontal stabilizer of an airplane, designed to apply a pitching movement to the airplane. A pitching movement is a force tending to rotate the airplane about the lateral axis,that is nose up or nose down.

Rudder: is a vertical control surface usually hinged to the tail post aft of the vertical stabilizer and designed to apply yawing movement to the airplane, that is to make it turn to the right or left about the vertical axis.

flap

Wing Flaps: are hinged or sliding surfaces mounted at the trailing edge of wings and designed to increase the camber of the wings. The effect is to increase the lift of the wings.

FLIGHT DIRECTIONAL CONTROL
THE AXES OF ROTATION

An airplane has three axes of rotation, namely , the longitudinal axis, the vertical axis, and the lateral axis. see figure below and you will understand what we mean. The simplest way to understand the axes is to think of them as long rods passing through the aircraft where each will intersect the other two. At this point of intersection, called the center of gravity.

axis

The Axis that extends lengthwise (nose through tail) is call the longitudinal axis, and the rotation about this axis is called “Roll”

The axis that extends crosswise (wing tip through wing tip) is called the lateral axis, and rotation about this axis is called “Pitch”

The axis that passes vertically through the center of gravity (when the aircraft is in level flight ) is called the vertical axis, and rotation about this axis is called “Yaw”

The Longitudinal Axis:
roll

The Axis Running from the nose to the tail of an aircraft is the longitudinal axis (see picture above). The movement around the longitudinal axis is called roll. The cause of movement or roll about the axis is the action of the ailerons. Ailerons are attached to the wing and control through the control column in a manner that ensures one aileron will deflect downward when the other is deflected upward.

When an aileron is not in perfect alignment with the total wing, it changes the wing’s lift characteristics.To make a wing move upward, the aileron on that wing must move downward. The wing that has aileron downward produce more lift on that wing. the wing that has the aileron upward will reduce lift on that wing . This cause the aircraft to roll.

The ailerons are attached to the cockpit control column by mechanical linkage. When the control wheel is turned to the right (or the stick is move to the right ), the aileron on the right wing is raised and the aileron on the left wing is lowered. This action increases the lift on the left wing and decreases the lift on the right wing, thus causing the aircraft to roll to the right. Moving the control wheel or stick to the left reverses this and causes the aircraft to roll to the left. See Roll Action Animation Click Here

The Lateral Axis
pitch

The lateral axis runs from wingtip to wingtip.The movement around the lateral axis is called pitch.What causes this pitching movement ?. It is the elevator which is attached to the horizontal stabilizer. The elevator can be deflected up or down as the pilot moves the control column (or stick) backward or foreward.

Movement backward on the control column moves the elevator upward. (see picture above) The relative wind (RW) striking the top surface of the raised elevator pushes the tail downward. This motion is around the lateral axis, as the tail moves (pitches) downward, the nose moves (pitches) upward and the aircraft climbs.

Movement forward on the control column moves the elevator downward . The relative wind (RW) striking the lower surface of the elevator causes the tail to pitch up and the nose of the aircraft downward causing the airplane to dives. See Pitch Action Animation Click Here

The Vertical Axis:
yaw

The third axis which passes through from the top of the aircraft to the bottom is called the vertical or yaw axis. The aircraft’s nose moves about this axis in a side-to-side direction. The airplane’s rudder, which is moved by pressing on the rudder pedals which are on the floor. The airplane’s rudder is responsible for movement about this axis.The rudder is a movable control surface attached to the vertical fin of the tail assembly. By pressing the proper rudder pedal, right pedal moves the rudder to the right, and left pedal moves the rudder to the left, when pilot press the left rudder pedal, that mean the pilot sets the rudder so that it defects the relative wind to the left. This then creates a force on the tail, causing it to move to the right and the nose of the aircraft to yaw to the left.

LONG RANGE NAVIGATION

LONG RANGE NAVIGATION

LORAN (Long Range Navigation) The latest system known as LORAN-C .This system will be discontinued due to cost not effective. The US will continue to operate the LORAN-C system beyond the previously planned December 31, 2000. The termination date is continuing to evaluate the long term need for continuation of the system. User will be given reasonable notice so that they will have the opportunity to transfer to alternative navigation aids. At this time we will talking about this system a little because they might keep this system as a back up system.

OPERATION LORAN is a net work of land based radio transmitters and was developed to provide an accurate system for long range navigation. LORAN Stations Operations are organized into sub-groups of four to six stations called ” CHAIN “.One station in the Chain is designated the ” MASTER ” and others are called ” SECONDARY ” or ” SLAVE ” Stations.


The theory is to calculate the time between reception of the signals from the MASTER and SLAVE stations, which are emitted at different frequencies , at low or very low bands 90kHz – 110 kHz. in pulse group and has power of 400 – 1600 kilowatts. The master station emits its own signal first, when that signals reach the slave station , it emits its own signal after a predetermined delay. When the master station’s signal reaches the aircraft , its Navigation system counts the time until the slave station’s signal arrives. Your position is found as the intersection of the line of two LORAN stations.

LORAN UNIT

  • SIGNAL PROCESSOR
  • NAVIGATION COMPUTER
  • CONTROL and DISPLAY
    Signal Processor receives the signals and measures the difference between the time of arrival of each secondary station pulsegroup and the master station pulse group. The time difference is depend on the location of the receiver on the aircraft in relation to the three or more transmitters.Each time difference value is measured to a precision of about 0.1 microseconds.
    Navigation Computer converts time difference values to location corresponding latitude and longitude.
    Control and Display


    The functions of the LORAN UNIT is:

  • Preset Position in Latitude-Longitude and/or relative to a destination, waypoint or check point.
  • Bearing and distance to your destination
  • Ground speed and estimated time enroute.
  • Course Deviation Indicator.
  • Storage in memory of airports.add-on programable and updatable database.
  • Continuous computation of bearing and distances to the nearest airports. computation of wind direction and velocity.
  • Add-on such as fuel flow analyzers to estimate fuel need to reach destination.etc.

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

GPS (Global Positioning System) is the only system today able to show you where your exactly position on the earth at anytime and any weather condition. 24 satellites are all orbit around the earth at 11,000 nautical miles or approximately 20,200 kms. above the earth. The satellites are placed into six different orbital planes and 55 degree inclination. They are continuously monitored by ground stations located worldwide.

GPS ELEMENTS We can divide GPS system into three segments.

  • SPACE SEGMENT
  • USER SEGMENT
  • CONTROL SEGMENT

SPACE SEGMENT The space segment comprises a network of satellites . The complete GPS space system includes 24 satellites, 11,000 nautical miles above the earth, take 12 hours each to go around the earth once or one orbit. They are orbit in six different planes and 55 degrees inclination. These positions of satellites, we can receive signals from six of them nearly of the time at any point on earth. Satellites are equipped with very precise clocks that keep accurate time to within three nanoseconds ( 0.000000003 of a second or 3e-9)


This precision timing is important because the receiver must determine exactly how long it takes for signals to travel from each GPS satellite to receiver.
Each satellite contains a supply of fuel and small servo engines so that it can be moved in orbit to correct for positioning errors.
Each satellite contains four atomic clocks. These clocks are accurate to a nanosecond .
Each satellite emits two seperate signals , one for military purposes and one for civilian use.
SOME SPECIFICATION OF SATELLITE

  • Weight     930 kg.(in orbit)
  • Size     5.1 m.
  • Travel Velocity      4 km/sec
  • Transmit Signals      1575.42 MHz and 1227.60 MHz
  • Receive at      1783.74 MHz
  • Clocks      2 Cesium and 2 Rubidium
  • Design life      7.5 year (later model BlockIIR 10 years)

USER SEGMENT As the pilot fly , the GPS receiver continuously caculates the current position and display the correct position / heading.The GPS unit listen to the satellite’s signal and measure the time between the satellites transmission and receipt of the signal. By the process of triangulation among the several satellites being received, the unit computes the location of the GPS receiver. GPS receiver has to see at least four satellites to compute a three dimensional position (it can compute position with only three satellites if know altitude). Not only latitude and Longitude , but altitude as well. There are numerous forms of display among the various manufacturer. No frequency tuning is required , as the frequency of the satellite transmissions are already known by the receiver.

CONTROL SEGMENT The control Segment of GPS consist of:

  • Master Control Station ( one station ): The master control station is responsible for overall managment of the remote monitoring and transmission sites. As the center for support operations , It calculates any position or clock errors for each individual satellite from monitor stations and then order the appropriate corrective information back to that satellite.
  • Monitor Stations ( four stations ): Each of monitor stations checks the exact altitude , position , speed , and overall of the orbiting of satellites. A station can track up to 11 satellites at a time. This check-up is performed twice a day by each station as the satellites go around the earth.

OPERATION The principle of GPS is the measurement of distance between the receiver and the satellites. The satellites also tell us exactly where they are in their orbit above the earth . The receiver knows our exact distance from satellite , knows the distance between satellites. GPS receivers have mathematical method by computer to compute exactly where the GPS receiver could be located.

AUTOMATIC DIRECTION FINDER

AUTOMATIC DIRECTION FINDER

ADF (Automatic Direction Finder) is the radio signals in the low to medium frequency band of 190 Khz. to 1750 Khz. It was widely used today. It has the major advantage over VOR navigation in the reception is not limited to line of sight distance. The ADF signals follow the curvature of the earth. The maximum of distance is depend on the power of the beacon. The ADF can receives on both AM radio station and NDB (Non-Directional Beacon). Commercial AM radio stations broadcast on 540 to 1620 Khz. Non-Directional Beacon operate in the frequency band of 190 to 535 Khz.

ADF COMPONENTS

  • ADF Receiver : pilot can tune the station desired and to select the mode of operation. The signal is received, amplified, and converted to audible voice or morse code transmission and powers the bearing indicator.

  • Control Box (Digital Readout Type) : Most modern aircraft has this type of control in the cockpit . In this equipment the frequency tuned is displayed as digital readout. ADF automatically determines bearing to selected station and it on the RMI.
  • Antenna : The aircraft consist of two antennas. The two antennas are called LOOP antenna and SENSE antenna. The ADF receives signals on both loop and sense antennas. The loop antenna in common use today is a small flat antenna without moving parts. Within the antenna are several coils spaced at various angles. The loop antenna sense the direction of the station by the strength of the signal on each coil but cannot determine whether the bearing is TO or FROM the station. The sense antenna provides this latter information.
  • Bearing Indicator : displays the bearing to station relative to the nose of the aircraft.
    Relative Bearing is the angle formed by the line drawn through the center line of the aircraft and a line drawn from the aircraft to the radio station.
    Magnetic Bearing is the angle formed by a line drawn from aircraft to the radio station and a line drawn from the aircraft to magnetic north (Bearing to station).
    Magnetic Bearing = Magnetic Heading + Relative Bearing.

TYPE OF ADF INDICATOR
Four types of ADF indicators are in use today. In every case, the needle points to the navigation beacon.Those four types are:

  • Fixed Compass Card : It is fixed to the face of instrument and cannot rotate. 0 degree is always straight up as the nose of aircraft.


    The relationship of the aircraft to the station is refered to as ” bearing to the station ” MB or aircraft to magnetic north. This type of indicator, pilot must calculate for the bearing by formular
    MB = RB + MH

  • Rotatable Compass Card : The dial face of the instrument can be rotated by a knob. By rotating the card such that the Magnetic Heading (MH) of the aircraft is adjusted to be under the pointer at the top of the card.


    The bearing to station (MB) can be read directly from the compass card without calculation and make it easy for pilot. Today , they designed automatically rotate the compass card of the instrument to agree with the magnetic heading (MH) of the aircraft . Thus MB to station can be read at any time without manually rotating the compass card on the ADF face.

  • Single-Needle Radio Magnetic Indicator : Radio Magnetic Indicator is an instrument that combines radio and magnetic information to provide continuous heading , bearing , and radial information.


    The face of the single needle RMI is similar to that of the rotatable card ADF.

  • Dual-Needle Radio Magnetic Indicator : The dual needle RMI is similar to single needle RMI except that it has a second needle. The first needle indicated just like single needle. inthe picture , the yellow needle is a single which indicate the Magnetic Bearing to the NDB station . The second needle is the green needle in the picture.

    The second needle (green) is point to VOR station .The dual needle indicator is useful in locate the location of an aircraft.

OPERATION

ADF operate in the low and medium frequency bands. By tuning to NDB station or commercial AM radio stations. NDB frequency and identification information may be obtained from aeronautical charts and Airport Facility Directory. The ADF has automatic direction seeking qualities which result in the bearing indicator always pointing to the station to which it is tuned. The easiest and perhaps the most common method of using ADF , is to ” home ” to the station . Since the ADF pointer always points to the station , the pilot can simply head the airplane so that the pointer is on the 0 (zero) degree or nose position when using a fixed card ADF . The station will be directly ahead of the airplane. Since there is almost always some wind at altitude and you will be allowing for drif, meaning that your heading will be different from your track. Off track , if the aircraft is left of track, the head of the needle will point right of the nose. If the aircraft is right of track , the head of the needle will point left of the nose.

  • For fixed compass card , if you are not fly Homing and you want to fly heading at some degrees. You must use the formular MB = MH + RB to find out what degree the ADF pointer should be on. Today , the fixed card indicator is very unsatisfactory for every day use which can still be found on aircraft panels but not many planes that pilot actually uses it due to it has easier type of indicator.
  • For rotatable compass card, it was a big step over the fixed card indicator. The pilot can rotate the compass card with the heading knob to display the aircraft MH ” straight up ” . Then the ADF needle will directly indicate the magnetic bearing to the NDB station.
  • For Single needle Radio Magnetic Indicator , the compasscard is a directional gyro and it rotates automatically as the aircraft turns and provide continuous heading . It is accurately indicates the magnetic heading and the magnetic bearing to the beacon. This instrument is a ” hands off ” instrument.
  • For dual needle Radio Magnetic Indicator, it is give the pilot information the same as the single needle such as aircraft heading and magnetic bearing to the NDB . The seacond indicator will point to VOR station . This help pilot to check the location of the aircraft at that time .

VERY HIGH FREQUENCY OMNI-RANGE

VERY HIGH FREQUENCY OMNI-RANGE

VOR (VHF Omni-Range) is the basic Electronic navigation that in use today . This VHF Omni-Range navigation method relies on the ground based transmitters which emitted signals to VOR receiver. The VOR system operates in the VHF frequency band , from 108.0 to 117.95 MHz. The reception of VHF signals is a line of sight situation . You must be on the minimum altitude of 1000 feet (AGL) above ground level in order to pick up an Omni signals service range.

VOR Range

VOR Class= Low Altitude       1,000-18,000 feet     Range 40 nautical miles

VOR Altitude       1,000-14,500 feet     Range 40 nautical miles

VOR Altitude      14,500-60,000 feet     Range 100 nautical miles

VOR Altitude      18,000-45,000 feet     Range 130 nautical miles

OPERATION

The VOR facility at ground base transmits two signals at the same time. One signal is constant in all directions as a reference phase. Another signal, it is variable-phase signal and it rotates through 360 degrees, like the beam from the lighthouse. Both signals are in phase when the variable signal passes 360 degrees (reference to magnetic north) and they are 180 degrees out of phase when the rotating signal passes 180 degrees The aircraft equipment receives both signals. The receiver will calculate the difference between the two signals, and interprets the result as a radial from the station to pilots on the aircraft.

RADIALS: The two signals from VOR transmitter generate 360 lines like spokes in a wheel . Each line is called a Radial . VOR navigation equipment on the airplane will determine which of those 360 radials the airplane is on.

VOR INDICATOR

VOR Indicator

A : Rotating Course Card is calibrated from 0 to 360 degrees, which indicates the VOR bearing chosen as the reference to fly by pilot.
B : Omni Bearing Selector or OBS knob , used to manually rotate the course card to where the point to fly to.
C : TO-FROM indicator . The triangle arrow will point UP when flying to the VOR station. The arrow will point DOWN when flying away from the VOR station. A red flag replaces these TO-FROM arrows when the VOR is beyond reception range or the station is out.
D : Course Deviation Indicator (CDI). This needle moves left or right indicating the direction to turn the aircraft to return to course.
DOT : The horizontal dots at center are represent the aircraft away from the course . Each dot represent 2 degrees deviate from desired course.

How It Works

The followings are just the typical, some aircraft may be vary in details . The pilot can set VOR receiver to selected ground station or another word is to select a radial to define a magnetic course toward or away from VOR station on receiver. The Radial of the VOR receiver is divided into 360 degrees, at the point 360 is representing Magnetic North . When we called out , we called in three digits such as 090 that means on the East and 270 means on the West .

The proper time to tune navigation receivers is while the aircraft is on the ground because the pilot has to do the flight planned and known where to go. After takeoff, usually start from altutude of 1000 feet minimum above ground level, the VOR receiver will get signals from transmitter and the flag will show arrow FROM (left picture).

     

When the aircraft has gone half way or close to next VOR station and VOR receiver got that signals from next station . The arrow flag will change from FROM to TO arrow (from right picture) . At this time, pilot should select OBS to Radial of next VOR station.

CDI on the indicator shown off center by four dots and that means eight degrees off the course, the pilot must correct the heading of aircraft.

If the aircraft out of transmitter range or VOR station not operates, the VOR receiver will show red flag or indication to tell pilot that don’t misunderstand because CDI needle will stay at center all the time.

AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION SYSTEM

NAVIGATION INTRODUCTION

Finding the way from one place to another is called NAVIGATION. Moving of an aircraft from one point to another is the most important part for any kind of mission. Plotting on the paper or on the map a course towards a specific area of the earth , in the passed, used to be a task assigned to a specialised member of the aircraft’s crew such a navigator. Such a task was quite complicated and not always accurate. Since it depended on the observation , using simple maps and geometrical instruments for calculations. Today, aerial navigation has become an art which nears to perfection. Both external Navaids (Navigational Aids) and on-board systems help navigate any aircraft over thousand of miles with such accuracy that could only be imagined a few decades ago.

The Method of Navigation
There are three main methods of air navigation. There are:
1. Pilotage , 2. Dead Reckoning , 3. Radio.

  • Pilotage or Piloting is the most common method of air navigation. This method, the pilot keeps on course by following a series of landmarks on the ground. Usually before take-off, pilot will making pre-flight planning , the pilot will draws a line on the aeronautical map to indicate the desired course. Pilot will nots various landmarks , such as highways , railroad tracks, rivers , bridges . As the pilot flies over each of landmark , pilot will checks it off on the chart or map. If the plane does not pass directly over thelandmark , the pilot will know that he has to correct the course.
  • Dead Reckoning is the primary navigation method used in the early days of flying. It is the method on which Lindberg relied on his first trans-Atlantic flight. A pilot used this method when flying over large bodies of water, forest, deserts. It demands more skill and experience than pilotage does. It is based on time, distance, and direction only. The pilot must know the distance from one point to the next, the magnetic heading to be flown. Pilot works on the pre-flight plan chart , pilot plan a route in advance. Pilot calculate the time to know exactly to reach the distination while flying at constant speed. In the air, the pilot uses compass to keep the plane heading in the right direction. Dead reckoning is not always a successful method of navigation because of changing wind direction. It is the fundamental of VFR flight.
  • Radio Navigation is used by almost all pilots. Pilots can find out from an aeronautical chart what radio station they should tune to in a particular area. They can then tune their radio navigation equipment to a signal from this station. A needle on the navigation equipment tells the pilot where they are flying to or from station, on course or not .
    see sample of aeronautical chart , preflight plan chart : click here

Pilots have various navigation aids that help them takeoff,fly, and land safely. One of the most important aids is a series of air route traffic control , operated throughout the world. Most of the traffic control uses a radar screen to make sure all the planes in its vicinity are flying in their assigned airways. Airliners carry a special type of radar receiver and transmitter called a transponder. It receives a radar signal from control center and immediately bounces it back. When the signal got to the ground, it makes the plane show up on the radar screen.
Pilots have special methods for navigating across oceans. Three commonly used methods are:
1. Inertial GuidanceThis system has computer and other special devices that tell pilots where are the plane located.
2.LORAN Long Range Navigation The plane has equipment for receiving special radio signals sent out continuous from transmitter stations. The signals will indicate the plane location
3.GPS Global Positioning System. is the only system today able to show your exact position on the earth any time, anywhere, and any weather. The system receiver on the aircraft will receives the signals from sattelites around the globe.

TERMINOLOGY

ADF Automatic Direction Finder. An aircraft radio navigation which senses and indicates the direction to a Low/Medium Frequency non-directional radio beacon (NDB) ground transmitter.

DME Distance Measuring Equipment. Ground and aircraft equipment which provide distance information and primary serve operational needs of en-route or terminal area navigation.

EAT Estimated Approach Time

EFIS Electronic Flight Instrument System , in which multi-function CRT displays replace traditional instruments for providing flight, navigation and aircraft system information, forming a so-called ” glass cockpit “.

ETA Estimated Time of Arrival

GPS Global Positioning System . A navigation system based on the transmission of signals from satellites provided and maintained by the United States of America and available to civil aviation users.

HDG Heading. The direction in which an aircraft’s nose points in flight in the horizontal plane, expressed in compass degrees (eg. 000 or 360 is North, 090 is East)

HSI Horizontal Situation Indicator. A cockpit navigation display, usually part of a flight-director system, which combines navigation and heading.

IFR Instrument Flight Rule . prescribed for the operation of aircraft in instrument meteorological condition.

ILS Instrument Landing System . consists of the localizer, the glideslope and marker radio beacons (outer, middle, inner). It provides horizontal and vertical guidance for the approach.

INS Inertial Navigation System. It uses gyroscopes and other electronic tracking systems to detect acceleration and deceleration, and computes an aircraft’s position in latitude and longitude. Its accuracy, however, declines on long flights. Also called IRS, or Inertial Reference System.

KNOT (kt) Standard Unit of speed in aviation and marine transportation, equivalent to one nautical mile per hour. One knot is equal to 1.1515 mph., and one nautical mile equals to 6,080 feet or 1.1515 miles. One knot is equal to one nautical mile per one hour.

LORAN C Long Range Navigation is a Long-Range low frequency Radio Navigation. Its range is about 1,200 nm by day to 2,300 nm. by night.

MAGNETIC COURSE Horizontal direction, measured in degrees clockwise from the magnetic north.

MACH NUMBER Ratio of true airspeed to the speed of sound. Mach 1 is the speed of sound at sea level. Its values is approximately 760 mph.

NDB Non-Directional Beacon. A medium frequency navigational aid which transmits non-directional signals , superimposed with a Morse code identifier and received by an aircraft’s ADF.

RMI Radio Magnetic Indicator. A navigation aid which combines DI ,VOR and /or ADF display and will indicate bearings to stations, together with aircraft heading.

RNAV Area Navigation. A system of radio navigation which permits direct point-to-point off-airways navigation by means of an on-board computer creating phantom VOR/DME transmitters termed waypoints.

TACAN TACtical Air Navigation. Combines VOR and DME and used by military aircraft only.System which uses UHF frequencies , providing information about the bearing and distance from the ground station we have tuned into.

TCAS Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System. Radar based airborne collision avoidance system operating independently of ground-based equipment. TCAS-I generates traffic advisories only. TCAS-II provides advisories and collision avoidance instructions in the vertical plane.

TRANSPONDER Airborne receiver / transmitter which receives the interrogation signal from the ground and automatically replies according to mode and code selected. Mode A and B wre used for identification, using a four digit number allocated by air traffic control. Mode C gives automatic altitude readout from an encoding altimeter.

VFR Visual Flight Rules. Rules applicable to flights in visual meteorological conditions.

VHF Very High Frequency. Radio frequency in the 30-300 Mhz band, used for most civil air to ground communication.

VOR Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range. A radio navigation aid operating in the 108-118 Mhz band. A VOR groun station transmits a two- phase directional signal through 360 degrees. The aircraft’s VOR receiver enables a pilot to identify his radial or bearing From/To the ground station . VOR is the most commonly used radio navigation aid in private flying.

VORTAC A special VOR which combines VOR and DME for civil and military used . System provides information about the bearing and distance from the ground station we have tuned into.

AIRCRAFT GAS TURBINE ENGINES

ENGINE TYPES and APPLICATIONS

Introduction

Most of modern passenger and military aircraft are powered by gas turbine engines, which are also called jet engines. There are several types of jet engines, but all jet engines have some parts in common . Aircraft gas turbine engines can be classified according to (1) the type of compressor used and (2) power usage produces by the engine.
Compressor types are as follows:
1. Centrifugal flow
2. Axial flow
3. Centrifugal-Axial flow.
Power usage produced are as follows:
1. Turbojet engines
2. Turbofan engines.
3. Turboshaft engines.

Centrifugal Compressor Engines
Centrifugal flow engines are compress the air by accelerating air outward perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the machine. Centrifugal compressor engines are divided into Single-Stage and Two-Stage compressor. The amount of thrust is limited because the maximum compression ratio.

  

Principal Adventages of Centrifugal Compressor
1. Light Weight
2. Simplicity
3. Low cost.

Axial Flow Compressor Engines
Axial flow compressor engines may incorporate one , two , or three spools (Spool is defined as a group of compressor stages rotating at the same speed) . Two spool engine , the two rotors operate independently of one another. The turbine assembly for the low pressure compressor is the rear turbine unit . This set of turbines is connected to the forward , low pressure compressor by a shaft that passes through the hollow center of the high pressure compressor and turbine drive shaft.

  

Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages: Most of the larger turbine engines use this type of compressor because of its ability to handle large volumes of airflow and high pressure ratio.
Disadvantages: More susceptable to foreign object damage , Expensive to manufacture , and It is very heavy in comparision to the centrifugal compressor with the same compression ratio.

Axial-Centrifugal Compressor Engine
Centrifugal compressor engine were used in many early jet engines , the efficiency level of single stage centrifugal compressor is relatively low . The multi-stage compressors are some what better , but still do not match with axial flow compressors. Some small modern turbo-prop and turbo-shaft engines achieve good results by using a combination axial flow and centrifugal compressor such as PT6 Pratt and Whitney of canada which very popular in the market today and T53 Lycoming engine.

Characteristics and Applications

The turbojet engine : Turbojet engine derives its thrust by highly accelerating a mass of air , all of which goes through the engine. Since a high ” jet ” velocity is required to obtain an acceptable of thrust, the turbine of turbo jet is designed to extract only enough power from the hot gas stream to drive the compressor and accessories . All of the propulsive force (100% of thrust ) produced by a jet engine derived from exhaust gas.

The turboprop engine : Turboprop engine derives its propulsion by the conversion of the majority of gas stream energy into mechanical power to drive the compressor , accessories , and the propeller load. The shaft on which the turbine is mounted drives the propeller through the propeller reduction gear system . Approximately 90% of thrust comes from propeller and about only 10% comes from exhaust gas.
The turbofan engine : Turbofan engine has a duct enclosed fan mounted at the front of the engine and driven either mechanically at the same speed as the compressor , or by an independent turbine located to the rear of the compressor drive turbine . The fan air can exit seperately from the primary engine air , or it can be ducted back to mix with the primary’s air at the rear . Approximately morethan 75% of thrust comes from fan and less than 25% comes from exhaust gas.

The turboshaft engine : Turboshaft engine derives its propulsion by the conversion of the majority of gas stream energy into mechanical power to drive the compressor , accessories , just like the turboprop engine but The shaft on which the turbine is mounted drives something other than an aircraft propeller such as the rotor of a helicopter through the reduction gearbox . The engine is called turboshaft.

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