Introduction to Avionics Systems - Tapa dura

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Following service in the Royal Navy, I studied electrical engineering at London University, graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering. I joined Elliott Brothers (London) Ltd. in 1953 and was continually employed by the company, which later became part of GEC Avionics Ltd., Rochester, Kent, UK, ,retiring in late 1991. I progressed to the position of Chief Systems Engineer in 1960, my main activities up to that time being the design and development of inertial navigation (IN) systems where I was the Project Leader for the IN system for the Blue Steel missile;, the first British IN system. I was appointed Manager of the newly formed Flight Automation Research Laboratory in 1962, responsible for the development of new systems and technology which could be exploited by the product divisions of the Company. I was Manager of the Research Laboratory for a total of 21 years, with a break from 1966 to 1971 when I was Manager of Flight Instruments Division and then Manager of Inertial Navigation Division. During this period, I held over-all responsibility for the development and production of the first Air data Computers to be exported to the USA for the Lockheed C-5A and the development of the Navigation/ Weapon Aiming System for the Jaguar strike aircraft. The Laboratory has been responsible for many innovative systems and techniques which have subsequently been used in the development of avionic equipment for many current European and United States aircraft, Examples of the Laboratory’s achievements are digital Fly- by-Wire flight control systems, strap-down attitude/ heading reference systems, helmet mounted sights, binocular helmet mounted displays, holographic combiners for HUDs, colour moving map displays, Mil Std 1553 B data transmission chip sets. I was awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1989 for my contribution to the research and development of advanced avionic equipment. Since retiring, I have givennumerous talks on avionic and aviation topics to both lay and technical audiences and given specialist lectures at two universities.