PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Is integrated INS/FMC/Autopilot that common on older jets?
Old 18th Jan 2004, 09:51
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411A
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
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In the beginning...

There was astro nav, and believe it or not, was surprisingly accurate. (lost a bet with a nav on this and had to buy the whole (FD) crew a dinner on fishermans wharf in SFO (a not inexpensive experience...).

Then along came LORAN (A), quite useful, if you learned to read the screen properly.

Doppler nav followed, Bendix and Marconi provided most of the sets, and was quite accurate, if updates with astro were used.

Along the way was pressure pattern nav, with a high range radio altimeter. Will leave the explanation of this to the navs here, i'm sure there are many who understood this more than yours truly....

Early INS units provided very accurate navigation, with a radial error of half a mile per hour (nav) possible with the Litton and Delco units....

IF maintained properly.

Of course, in the early days, there were Ocean Stations...Coast Guard cutters with 2000 watt LF beacons, steaming in a (broadcast) grid pattern, for positive fixes.

Ah...the good 'ole days, and believe it or not, worked very well.

Ah yes, Fishermans wharf...the navigator (departing HNL) mentioned that he would 'try his best' to get within five miles of BEBOP, then on the 236 radial of Woodside VOR (enroute SFO).
Sun shots the whole way...and we ended up within ONE mile...and it was worth every dime to see the smile on his face.

PS: He was 20 years old at the time, and knew how to navigate....for sure...civvy, NOT military.
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