Blind take off in fog experiments.
 

In the Fifties I think a BAC One-Eleven was used for the first of Cat 3 landing experiments at Heathrow in thick fog. About that time trials took place on the practicability of blind take offs using a device called a PVD (Para Visual Direction?) I understand it was a device that showed you if you were tracking correctly during the take off run in zero visibility.
Does anyone have any information on the use of the PVD?

I THINK the VC10 had it? Not sure - Beagle will know:)

If it was the 50's then It didn't involve the VC-10 or 1-11 due to the fact that they first flew in 1962 and 1963 respectivly. Not sure what It was though. Sorry!!.

M5DND

Quite right m5 - it was, I think, the BLEU Varsity that trialled the units. We are looking, however, to find which - if any - a/c had them fitted operationally? I would guess the aagggh!! TRIDENT (there, I said the word:eek: ) did?

Done a quick bit of reading - it was the Hatfield product (could this be aviation's variation on "the Scottish play" theme?) that made the first fully automatic landing by commercial aircraft in fog at Heathrow in 1966 - John Cunningham was part of the crew. Aircraft was G-ARPB. Sorry, don't know nuffing about the take off kit that A37575 mentions.

The DH Trident was one of the earliest commercial aircraft to be equipped with PVD (Para-Visual Display).
A device resembling a horizontal striped barber's pole, it uses the ILS localiser signal to assist centre-line guidance during low-viz take-offs. The stripes remain stationary so long as the aircraft is on the runway centre-line. If the aircraft deviates, the stripes appear to move in the direction of the runway centre-line, helping to guide the pilot back to the middle of the runway.

This topic was previously discussed here:-
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=240962

Thanks for the replies which were invaluable.

Did the Varsity have an observers position in the Belly? When I was an apprentice at Aberporth in the Late 70's early 80's The fire training hulk was a twin in RAE colours with BLIND LANDING EXPERIMENTAL UNIT down the side and afore mentioned window just aft of the nose wheel. It was burned out and scrapped shortly after I finished my time there. A shame it wasn't placed with a museum considering it probably had more historic value than the examples that have been preserved.

Dunno. Do you want to crawl in the snow and find out? :}
http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/WebPix/WF417.jpg

B*gger Me That's the very one! The wonder that Is PPRUNE strikes again!
The Old Girl looked a good deal sadder when I had her acquaintance.

It was also discussed here:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...=blind+landing