Britannia Throttle Levers
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Britannia Throttle Levers
Can anyone please advise as to why the throttle levers on the Brit have different coloured knobs. On the Brits I have seen 1&2 are the same colour with 3&4 being another colour. Any guidance from ex Brit crews is gratefully appreciated.
Temps
Temps
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You might care to try the Bristol Britannia Preservation Society, although they are preserving one aircraft only.
However, I'm sure that team must have some Britannia experts on board.
However, I'm sure that team must have some Britannia experts on board.
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It might be a Bristol option as Instone’s B.170s were similarly equipped, though only one of each colour😂
G-BISU and G-AMLK (2nd) as I recall. To avoid confusion ‘SU was silver overall and ‘LK was white overall.
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David
G-BISU and G-AMLK (2nd) as I recall. To avoid confusion ‘SU was silver overall and ‘LK was white overall.
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
It's because co-pilots can't count. "Shut down number three" would create confusion, whereas "shut down the left-hand green one" would be understood.
Perhaps if the OP said which colours we are talking about,it may be helpful...
edit; having just looked at a few cockpit photos,it seems that 1 & 2 were yellow,,3 & 4 were green;others were all yellow ,or a mix of black yellow and green.......!!!!
edit; having just looked at a few cockpit photos,it seems that 1 & 2 were yellow,,3 & 4 were green;others were all yellow ,or a mix of black yellow and green.......!!!!
Maybe the colours indicated which hydraulic system was powered by that engine-driven pump?
Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” has eight throttles, labelled from 1 to 7 as EHEHHHE and number 8 is blank.
The letters indicate whether that engine runs an electrical generator or a hydraulic pump. Number 8 had it easy!
Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose” has eight throttles, labelled from 1 to 7 as EHEHHHE and number 8 is blank.
The letters indicate whether that engine runs an electrical generator or a hydraulic pump. Number 8 had it easy!
I don't claim to by a Britannia expert and sadly have no operational; experience of the type but have the following observations to offer which whilst they do not answer the OP's question may add to the intrigue.
It appears that The Original Britannia 102 and the latter 312 and RAF aircraft had flat-topped Throttles the handles being covered in a hard coloured bakelite material, Yellow for Engines 1&2 and Green for Engines 3 and 4.Later export models of the Britannia with side facing Engineers station had rounded tops to the controls which were a uniform colour.
I've consulted Two Airlines Brit technical (312/308) Bristol 300 Series crew notes and the RAF Crews notes AP and found no mention as to why the throttles were colour coded.
Could it have been something to do with the installation and wiring process as the early type leavers are handed?
It appears that The Original Britannia 102 and the latter 312 and RAF aircraft had flat-topped Throttles the handles being covered in a hard coloured bakelite material, Yellow for Engines 1&2 and Green for Engines 3 and 4.Later export models of the Britannia with side facing Engineers station had rounded tops to the controls which were a uniform colour.
I've consulted Two Airlines Brit technical (312/308) Bristol 300 Series crew notes and the RAF Crews notes AP and found no mention as to why the throttles were colour coded.
Could it have been something to do with the installation and wiring process as the early type leavers are handed?
Last edited by brakedwell; 18th Jul 2019 at 17:37.
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Thank you for your feedback folks. I worked on military and civil Britannias and noted the permutations of the colours of throttle lever knobs. It always puzzled me and still does. Hopefully there is an ex Bristol/Shorts production person who has access to PPrune who may be able to cast some light on this.
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Throttle Lever Colours
This may not answer the question fully but, as a member of the team preserving XM496 at Kemble, my answer when asked by visitors why the throttles are topped with different colours, is usually that red for port and green for starboard would be logical but red levers and red lights on a flight deck are often for emergency use or are warning indications so the manufacturer presumably chose yellow for numbers 1 and 2 as a safer alternative. I may be wrong, in fact as Britannia aircrew from 50 plus years ago, I can't remember for certain what colours the levers were originally and the manuals are all in black and white!
