What would you change on your favorite?

[brickhistory]

For those that have been there done that - whether in the cockpit or arms deep fixing them - what would you change about the air(aero)plane?

Please keep it within the realm of physics and aerodynamics, but not necessarily considering budget.

[WeeMan18]

If Boeing can make an airliner airtight and pressurised, they should be able to make a Chinook cockpit waterproof. Having one's map dissolve in the puddles on the combing, whilst the intercom fails and your seat swamps was not ideal. Other than that, a pretty awesome aircraft.

[brickhistory]

For Vulcan crew, would it have been possible to put a canopy with bigger windows (would they have helped?).

I've talked with some about rearcrew ejection seats. Would that have been practical?

[Gainesy]

Martin Baker made and demonstrated a rear crew triple ejection system but the idea was dropped as the Vs were "not going to be in service much longer". That was in about 1963 I think.

[cornish-stormrider]

Gainsey, you of all people should know that phrase translates to "suck it up, no money for it, no interest in the big house and you are only peons anyway"

I would like an aeroflyingmachine that is possible to be simply and easliy maintained, and not be designed "for example" not to need wire locking and yet be wire locked anyway due to the insistance of some crusty old duffer that doesn't understand what is possible now.

Ah well, wishful thinking

[PFMG]

An oven that actually gets hot and a kettle with a spout would be wonderful additions to the Sentinel R1

[Shack37]

Is wire locking still in fashion now? Used to be tons of it on Griffons.
s37

[Gnd]

I'd like some engins that didn't whimp out at +30 degrees!

[N Joe]

A suggested improvement for each ac I worked on:

Tornado GR1 - F3 engines.

Tornado F3 - Bombs, another gun and green paint.

Jags - The aircraft was fine, we just needed a smaller Earth (increased curvature to help them get off the ground with their bomb even in hot weather).

Herc J - All the bits that the Gucci Mk1s have (apart from the Nav).

N Joe

[9.81m/s/s]

Shawbury being equipped with helicopters in which the crewman can stand up! Lets stave off those injuries for as long as we can................

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

"Herc J - All the bits that the Gucci Mk1s have (apart from the Nav)."

Not long now chap and I will bet my house the J will never stink of wee

[BEagle]

Hmm, if I might be permitted:

Chipmunk: Bigger engine, proper radios and a way of knowing where you were above cloud without having to ask some ground-pounder!

Jet Provost: Anti-skid brakes. Otherwise the Mk 5A was great - could have done with the Finningley tip tanks though.

Gnat: More fuel and a better pilot! Oh - and more fuel!

Hunter 6/9: Offset TACAN! And a better fuel gauging system.

Buccaneer: A MUCH better pilot!

Vulcan: Bigger cockpit windows, lower glareshield, radios on the flight deck - and something to tell you where you were without having to ask the lower deck all the time. And definitely bang seats for the lower deck team!

Jetstream: Scrap the bastard thing and start again!

Hawk: Offset TACAN and a more swept wing. Never flew one with AHARS, so I guess they now have a compass system which actually works?

Phantom: A quieter cockpit and a better pilot.

VC10: Better headsets, a modern autopilot and lighter controls.

Bulldog: Bigger engine and a less draggy cockpit canopy. And a GPS.

[StopStart]

Really dull but the ability to schedule a lower blade angle in flight and actually slow the bugger down (herc J).

Oh, and laser cannon.

[brickhistory]

Oh, and laser cannon.

Try for an exchange tour with the 417th Test Squadron, Airborne Laser 747

[ProfessionalStudent]

Nothing major - on the CH47, I'd change the "D" for a "F"...

[Take That]

F4: Better engines, soft wings and a quieter cockpit.

F3: Bigger engines, wings, twin fins, integral steps and a bubble canopy. Keep the load out, JTIDS and RHWR as all leading edge.

[peppermint_jam]

Tornado GR1/4 - Better Radios

[Truckkie]

C130K:-

ANR headsets
JTIDS display in the front
HEVS displays where the pilots can see them
An NVG compatible weather radar
A fully supported RWR with raw audio

More powerful engines with the new wings to support them

Wessex HC2:-

A better coupling gearbox/transmission to allow the full power of the mighty Gnome turboshafts!

[PFMG]

A fully supported RWR with raw audio

I take it you're not massively impressed with 56M then?

[airborne_artist]

Whistling Chicken Leg:

Seats that don't force you to sit with a curved back.

Tail that does not strike the ground when less experienced aviators practice autos