VAAC Auto Landing
 

I read this week that the VAAC Harrier completed the first ever auto landing on a moving surface. Must be a hell of an approach to do a STOL on a moving surface with hands off! Anyone got any details?

A true milestone by DERA at both Boscombe and Bedford. Shame they don't better publicise this sort of achievement.

Then again judging by the routine, invarably unjustified in my opinion, slagging off they get on Military Aircrew I doubt if many of the (test) crews (i.e. NOT the lodgers!) down BDN way would bother to even access the site let alone post.

This is a major achievement that has sadly gone without much recognition other than the odd paragraph here or there, both inside and outside of the organisation.

It represents a leap forward in reducing pilot workload (though personally I'm not sure how easy I would feel hands-off) and full marks to FS, TH and the rest of the team.

Let's see them do it at night...

PS For moving surface, read moving target - but this in no way diminshes anything.

And I find it hard enough to do a normal approach to a fixed target...

What most people fail to realise is that technology and the people that make it are doing the same tasks in less than a hundred years that mother nature took millions of years to do.

Well done to all involved. Maybe I'll see some of you in July. ;)

-tacc

(danm spelung!)

[This message has been edited by Teenyweeny ATC Cdt Cpl (edited 14 June 2001).]