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Post by PB on Feb 16, 2015 11:59:52 GMT
Hi "ex".. The distant Concorde was doing its act for Farnborough at the time of the photo in question. She gave an interesting bit of "added value" to the photo of some of our Farnborough visitors. Concordes visit to Blackbushe would have been at a later date. Sadly, I missed the experience of an SST tearing up the usually peaceful Blackbushe circuit. Certainly won't have another chance..We also had the Brabazon and the Princess Flying Boat salute Blackbushe during the fabulous fifties Farnborough's. Do try and find your Concorde photos, they would be a great addition to the forum's value.
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Post by PB on Feb 16, 2015 12:11:27 GMT
Apologies to A30yoyo for not offering more speedy thanks for the shots of Heron's roosting at Blackbushe. Another British delight when four seemed better than two. the shot of Eagle's G-APKT is interesting also for some Blackbushe infrastructure shown.
In the distance, beneath the tail plane, can be seen the very distinctive orange and white marker boards that lined the side of the A30 in line with the approach to runway 32. The idea would have been to encourage aeroplanes on finals to 32 to try and avoid landing on the A30, obviously that would have had undesirable consequences. I don't recall seeing too many arrivals on that runway, but it was always exciting to see Dunlops dangling from a different direction.. In latter years it was an invaluable runway when the wind was a bit much for light aeroplanes to manage the main strip. 32 is also the runway upon which I made my first landing under instruction, and the aeroplane was serviceable afterwards, before you ask....
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2015 12:33:04 GMT
OK Peter on the EKCO radar- made by E K Cole hence the name. I presume there must have been Farnborough ATCOs on standby as, so far as I know, Blackbushe has never had a licensed ATC unit since MoA times.
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Post by PB on Feb 16, 2015 13:45:51 GMT
Bren, I should have got EKCO right, they had significant influence on the lives of my family!! My father owned the first car radio company in the UK, and was very successful. Sadly, the war came and my Dad was grabbed up by the Government to work on radio/radar development. Relocation to RAE Farnborough followed, and EKCO acquired his business for below market prices, shall we say...The family related consequence of such a blow to a manufacturer of radios, products that could actually be fitted and played in an automobile in an age when there was no competition, does not bear thinking about! I might be able to afford private health care for my septic toe...the Government nailed it, you might say?
Regret I can offer no more info on the control aspects employed when the EKCO unit was in situ at BB. Your presumption may well be correct...
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Post by a30yoyo on Feb 16, 2015 15:00:29 GMT
That reminds me of Bill Lear's story en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Lear I think he built the first car radio in the USA (Motorola), then moved into Aviation Electronics, converting Lodestars then the Learjet. Was also the first Western private pilot to fly into the USSR, Cessna 310, 1956, Tushino. PS the text only a30yoyo 'avatar' or ikon was an experiment to see if a slim format avatar would reduce the amount of waste column length...didn't work ! :-)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2015 15:23:55 GMT
OK Peter. EKCO also produces the R1155 and T1154 seronautical Tx and Rx, well known to amateur radio ops. The EKCO ARAA radar was a weird device. The controller doing the talk down would hold a periscope type arrangement to steer the antenna through the tower roof. Of course, ATC being populated largely by lunatics, it didn't take long to start the trick of undoing the bloke's trousers so the SRA was performed with his trousers round his ankles. I believe that at Southend such an event took place as the Airport Commandant was entering the tower with distinguished guests.......
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2015 16:55:55 GMT
Yes gents. SRA in your underpants. Those were the days !! Below, a few words from by book.
Clint.
In ’73, Southend did not have an Instrument Landing System or ILS. Instead, Surveillance Radar Approaches, were carried out using an EKCO ARAA (Aerodrome Radar Approach Aid) This was an amazing piece of equipment, manufactured by a local electrical company, E K Cole.
It hung from the ceiling of the tower rather like a periscope in a submarine. The operator stood looking into a small ‘A’ scope tube. He was able to follow the aircraft by literally rotating the entire radar receiving unit by turning it on its axis. Azimuth control was maintained by turning two hand grips either side of the unit. It was very, very basic but in the hands of a skilled operator, very accurate. If it was set up precisely, Surveillance Radar Approaches could be carried out down to half a mile with an OCL of about 250 feet. The OCL is the Obstacle Clearance Limit. This is the height at which the pilot must instigate a go around or over shoot if he does not have the runway lights in sight.
Once the approach was commenced, the controller was committed to it. He stood upright looking into the ‘A’ scope. Both hands on the azimuth controls and at the same time talking on the R/T. Favourite trick was to wait until the talk down had commenced, then we would loosen the poor unfortunates trouser belt so his trousers fell to the floor. He had no spare hands to help himself so the SRA would be conducted with his trousers round his ankles, much to the mirth of everybody else in the tower.
Our game came to an end however when one day the Airport Commandant, appeared in the tower with a party of very influential visitors from Southend Corporation Council. An SRA was in progress as they climbed the stairs into the VCR (Visual Control Room). They were met by the sight of an Air Traffic Controller conducting a Surveillance Radar Approach to an inbound aircraft in his underpants. I can still see it now as plain as if it was yesterday. The underpants were red and yellow stripes. The red was not quite as vivid as the face of the Commandant or his visitors. He made a polite cough and then made his excuses and left.
We didn't get away with it for long. Within an hour a letter was posted to all ATC staff that from now on no more SRA's were to be conducted in one's underpants. What a spoil sport we all thought.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2015 17:25:51 GMT
Thanks Clint. I knew I'd read it recently somewhere... Fun days, eh?
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Post by PB on Feb 16, 2015 18:02:01 GMT
..and thereby hangs a tale?
Thanks Bren and Clint!!
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Post by britisheagle on Feb 20, 2015 10:08:42 GMT
Peter, I can feel an emotional turn coming on. Oh the beloved Vikings! keep them coming
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