2Fife: попробуйте зайти на avsim.ru или flightsim.ru - поистине две "Мекки" русских симмеров. Там все че-угодно можно найти

Господа шоферы и автолюбители, вы уж сильно на меня не обижайтесь.

Да, ладно! Чего там!  

Желаю Вам побыстрее изыскать возможность записаться в аэроклуб и воплотить свою мечту в жизнь!
Не забудьте и с нами впечатлениями поделиться.

На МАКСе-2003 продавалась пара книжек. Но не совсем по теме, очень дорогие и отвратительного полиграфического качества. Одна по обслуживанию самолета, стоила 1200 рублей - это скорее для техников-ремонтников. Другая - пособие для пилотов-инструкторов, стоила 2400 рублей.

Литература про авиацию, а цены космические.

Наверно, лучше всего это знают в Аль-Кайде, да еще Якубович  

Еще народный артист России Юрий Николаев - тот, что в советское время "Утреннюю почту" вел. На телевидение мне, что-ли, написать? Как у В.С. Высоцкого:

Отвечайте нам, а то -
Если вы не отзоветесь,
Мы напишем... в Спортлото!

Друзья! Может быть, кому-нибудь интересно - я одно время немного переписывался с отставным пилотом Конкорда, и он мне ответил на некоторые вопросы по пилотированию Конкорда и его устройству.

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You name the equipment and I will tell you where it is, what it does, how it dose it and why.

1. In the flight deck, between the seats, I see some handles. What are they for, how do they work?

The four long levers on the top of the centre consul are the throttles to control the power of each of the four Rolls-Royce Olympus engines. On the front of each throttle is a smaller lever that controls the reverse thrust.  Reverse thrust can be selected, when the throttles are closed, by raising the small levers and pulling them rearward.  This closes "buckets" behind each engine that act as target type thrust reversers and increases engine power with more rearward movement of the levers  To slow the aircraft in flight, the two inboard engines, numbers two and three, can be selected to idle reverse.  For safety this action has to be armed by the flight engineer before it can be used by the pilots. The reheats, or after burners, are selected by switches behind the throttles.

2. I would like to know how some devices are constructed, how to use them, and for what purpose they are designed. I don't know for sure how they are called in English (there should be probably special dictionaries). Maybe you will guess, in Russian they sound like AVIA-HORIZON and AIR-SEXTANT. Where are they, what are they look like, and how are they used?

The artificial horizon is used to provide the crew with an indication of the aircraft attitude in pitch and roll.  It is part of a ball behind a glass front.  The top half is blue to represent the sky and the lower half is black to represent the ground.  Ahead of the ball is an orange marking to represent the aircraft.  The ball, a representation of the outside world, rolls vertically to show pitch attitude and about a shaft in line with the axis of the aircraft to show roll.  It is essential and is the most important instrument for all weather instrument flying.  Concorde has two main artificial horizons, one ahead of each pilot and driven for inertial navigation units.  A third standby unit, with its own internal gyro, is positioned on the left side of the centre front panel.

Concorde does not carry a sextant.  A sextant is used for astronomical navigation using the sun, moon and stars.  With a sextant you can measure the elevation of a star, that is the angle it is above horizontal, and by checking the angle to the aircraft perform a check on the accuracy of the compasses.

3. Are there accelerating engines (or just an accelerating mode) in Concorde?

I do not understand the question but part of the answer may be in the answer to the first question.  The engines are controlled entirely by electronics.  Limits on the various engine parameters can be changed by manual switching to provide various engine ratings, namely Take-off, climb and cruise.  There is also a contingency power that can be selected manually by the flight engineer or automatically if particular conditions are satisfied.  It is intended to provide additional power to the remaining engines if one was to fail on take-off.  Additionally there are engine schedules that change the ratio between the high and low pressure spools of the engines.  They basically refer to the speed of the low pressure spool relative to the high pressure spool; they are LO, MID, HI and F/O; that is low, medium, high and a flyover setting to increase mass flow and reduce noise on the approach.

4. For what purpose does the nose of Concorde low? For better view, or for airdynamical purposes, or what?

Because of the wing shape, Concorde has to fly very nose high to develop enough lift at low speed.  To be streamlined for high speed flight Concorde needs a long pointed nose.  The nose is manually selected, electrically controlled and hydraulically actuated.  It is necessary to move the nose only to enable the pilots to see where they are going at low speed.  The nose has three positions, up, 5 degrees down and 13.5 degrees down. A framed glass visor in mounted as the top part of the nose and can be either up or down.  For taxi and take-off the visor should be down and the nose at 5 degrees.  For landing the visor should be down and the nose at 13.5 degrees.  Above about 250 knots the nose and visor are normally both selected up.

5. During the flight, the nose of Concorde is raised so high. Do the pilots have a direct view from the front windows, or do they pilot Concorde using the equipment only?

I mentioned in the previous answer that the visor is a framed glass structure. It is ahead of the pilots and provides a reasonable view of the sky ahead. Two of the windows are curved and inevitably produce some visual distortion.

6. What is the purpose of VASI on the runway, how do they use it?

The VASI is a Visual Approach Slope Indicator.  Normally three rows of long boxes either side of the runway, in line with the touch down zone. Each box contains a lights that with accurately set filters appear as red if you are below the centre line of the box and white if you are above the centre line.  These boxes are set at the angle required for a visual approach, normally between 2.9 and 3.3 degrees.  For the correct approach descent angle on large aircraft, the far boxes should appear red and the middle and near boxes should appear white.  For a smaller aircraft the two far rows should appear red and the near row white.  If they are all red you are too low.  If they are all white you are too high. VASIs are being replaced by PAPIs, Precision Approach Path Indicators. Very similar to VASIs but normally four boxes in one row on one side of the runway.  Each box is set at a slightly different angle so that if two are red and two are white you are at the correct angle.  More red, too low. More white, too high.

7. Are the engines of Concorde direct-flow reactive, or do they have any kind of turbine?

Concorde engines are two spool pure jets, no by-pass or large fan. Two nine stage compressors and two single stage turbines.  A ram jet was never considered.  You have to get a ram jet faster than about 250 knots before it will function.  Some missiles use a ram jet but they are either carried by an aircraft at above 250 knots or boosted by rocket power to above 250 knots.

You may be interested to know that the variable intakes on Concorde were the first use of digital computer control for a safety critical system on a certified civil aircraft.

1. Is there a pre-flight medical examination for Concorde pilots? What does it consist of? Also, is there an annual one? What does it consist of? What are the health requirements for Concorde pilots? Are there any age restrictions?

Yes, Pilots every six months, Flight Engineers every twelve months. Full check of heart, lungs, hearing, sight, nerverous system, balance, height/weight, bloud, urine and an opinion, based on the conversation, of the mental alertness.  Concorde crew have the same medical requirements as other crew with the addition of being required to breathe and talk with positive pressure in an oxygen mask.  Britisn Airways crew normally retire at 55 years, that applies to Concorde as well.  Legally we can hold an Air Transport Pilots Licence to 60 years, a Commercial Pilots Licence and a Flight Engineers licence to 65 years.

2. What is the fuel for the Concorde engines? The same as for ordinary planes or special?

Jet A1. The same as all other commercial jet aircraft.  American JP4 and some wide cut Russian fuels are not allowed.

3. Does Concorde have a built-in computer? Where is it?

Yes, many.  There is no central computer.  When a system requires a computer, such as navigation, a dedicated navigation computer is fitted. Major computers control navigation, flight instruments, flight director, auto pilot, flying controls, engine controls, intake control and collission avoidance.  There are many other minor computers for fuel gauging, centre of gravity calculation, cabin temperature control, flight recorders, passenger display units and many more.  Most of the computers are mounted either side of the rear of the flight deck or below the forward cabin floor.  I programmed a hand held computer for all Concorde crew to enable them to: -
1.  Check on engine condition, EGT trend.
2.  Do the very complex loadsheet.
3.  To accurately determin the fuel required for a sector and from a position to destination.
4.  To calculate the fuel in each tank for particular loads and fuel densities.
5.  To determin the accurate centre of gravity, in case of onboard computer failure.
6.  To calculate take-off limits and speeds for the main airfields used.
(This was programmed by one of my pilot colleagues.)

The Captain on the first of the recently re-started London to Barbados services saw me and said they had needed "my" computer for the sector because the company fuel flight planning system suggested the flight was not possible.  He confirmed my fuel flight planning program was very accurate, within 0.1%.  Nice to know they still use my work.

4. What radiowaves (short, ultrashort, etc.) and what modulation (amplitude, frequency, etc.) are used for communication? I am a radio amateur, and I am interested.

We use VHF, 108mHz to 118mHz, amplitude and frequency modulated together, for navigation.  We use 118mHz to 136mHz, amplitude modulated for line of sight voice communications.
For long range communications we use HF 3mHz to 30mHz, upper side band. Concorde has provision for satellite navigation and communication but neither BA or Air France have used this facility.

5. Does Concorde have a radar? Where is the display and what does it look like? What is its diagram? Can the pilots see somehow what goes on behind the plane, or is it not necessary?

Yes, two sets but only one scanner.  The scanner is a flat plate, scanning, multi dipole type.  The displays are to the left of the captain's left leg and to the right of the co-pilot's.  The displays are colour to provide information on the strength of the return.  Yellow is a return, red is a strong return and black, in the middle of red, is to be avoided.  There is no rearward looking device.  What goes on behind Concorde?  All the other aircraft go on behind Concorde.

6. Does Concorde require a special runway? An ordinary one is probably too short for it?

No.  Any runway of normal strength and of 2,000 meters or greater length is useable.  The heavier the take-off weight the longer the runway required; the same as other aircraft.  3,800 meters is long enough for most maximum range departures.

7. Does anything happen (a sound, shock, etc.) when Concorde breaks the sound-speed limit?

Inside, Concorde, going faster than sound is a non-event; just a twitch of the instruments and no sonic boom. Outside, whenever Concorde is above the speed of sound it drags along a
shock wave, like a three dimentional bow wave of a ship, but conical, with Concorde at the tip.  The higher the Mach number the more swept back is the cone.

8. Does Concorde have any satellite communication or navigation equipment? Where is it and what does it look like?

See question 4.

9. In the middle of the front panel, I see a square with 20 clock-like devices. What are they?

Primary engine instruments.  Instruments for each engine are in a line down the pannel.
The top row is the N2%, the speed of the high pressure spool.
The second row is the N1%, the speed of the low pressure spool.
The third row is the EGT, exaughst gas temperature.
The forth row is the fuel flow.
The fith row is the area of the primary nozzle that controls the ration between N1 and N2.

10. They say that at the altitude where Concorde flies, the air is so rare that the passengers can see the stars. Is it true or just a myth?

True.  The sky is a very dark blue and some low magnitude stars are visible.

Я чо то не понял.. А причем тут астрономия то???

Вы правы. Каюсь - офф-топик, и я заранее это знал, когда открывал тему. В свое оправдание могу сказать, что, во-первых, офф-топик безобидный, в пределах разумного, а во-вторых, тема все-таки немного родственная, хотя действительно далекая от астрономии. Примерно так: астрономия->космонавтика->авиация. Просто не знал, куда эту тему сунуть. В следующий раз надо, наверное, в "Клуб общения звездочетов"?

А "Конкордов" больше нет...

Да и мне с моим-то левым глазом вряд ли светит не-пассажирское место где бы то ни было...

Друзья! Спасибо за ответы!

Вообще-то есть у меня "Руководство летчику ЯК-52",  остатки  прежней  роскоши  после  аэроклуба... А  вот как  будет  возможность  снять  на  цифровик  я  буду  отправлять...

Сделайте, пожалуйста, как только будет возможность. Буду очень благодарен.

А "Конкордов" больше нет...

Не говорите-ка, удар ниже пояса. Я воспринимаю закрытие проектов "Конкорд" и ТУ-144 (а также "Буран") как мою личную трагедию. Может быть, кто-то посмеется над моей наивностью, но я так сильно влюблен в авиацию (и космонавтику)... От Конкорда остался только сайт его поклонников: http://www.concorde-jet.com

Книжка есть: "Ваши крылья", Джорданов А. - Практическое пособие по устройству, аэродинамике и технике пилотажа на легкомоторных самолетах. Про нее можно много всего найти в разных поисковых системах.

Не понял, книжка есть у Вас или "просто есть", существует в природе? Если у Вас, не могли бы Вы ее отсканировать и мне прислать или выложить где-нибудь в Сети? Если она есть в Сети - подскажите, пожалуйста, адрес. Спасибо.

Круто! Спасибо, это то что нужно. Если будет еще что-то известно - добавляйте!

Пошлите на silkin@tues.yartelecom.ru и на serge-silkin@yandex.ru одновременно. Спасибо.