BBC - Inside The RAF - Chinook cockpit displays censored?
 

Having watched tonight's, 'Inside the RAF' programme, which focused on the Chinook display team, I couldn't help but notice that each time there was a view of the cockpit, the displays were censored! What could possibly be sensitive about the two LCD displays? One appeared to show standard flight information, atitude, altitude, speed, etc, the other seemed to be a moving map display, yet both were crudely blurred, what gives?

-RP

It would, of course, be entirely wrong (not to say abhorrently cynical) to suggest that somebody at RWTES Boscombe Down, having signed the Release To Service, does not wish it to be publicly known that these displays do not actually work. :rolleyes:

Hmmm...someone being ultra-ITAR sensitive? The cockpit is a subtly modified Thales Top Deck system which is used on several commercial aircraft, and MoD hasn't been shy of showing static pictures of it in the past;

Upgraded Chinook Operational in Afghanistan

Apart from over-blown TV commentary I thought it was a great programme.

Don't let weird Wally see this thread, or he'll start wittering on with his PRC112 conspiracy theory for the MoK accident again......:rolleyes:

The BBC programme was pretty good, although the commentary was a bit OTT. Some quite extraordinary Chinook manoeuvres, which were very interesting to see from the cockpit as well as from outside.

But I was rather surprised that the BBC didn't mention that the BBMF's Milly is the son of an ex-VDF display pilot - with both aircraft in the same programme, you'd have thought that someone might have known that!

If only....
 

If only it was RWTES that signed off the RTS. They might not have let it get past the drawing board given the chance. I think you'll find by the time RWTES get their hands on it its too late to do anything but recommend the best way to overcome any deficiencies. If their is any fault it is much further back in the procurement process.

Agreed. The commentator seems to have used Jeremy Clarkson as a voice coach, with the same silly style of delivery. That, and blowing up minor irritations into crises which supposedly threaten the displays, which of course are overcome each time.

Other than that it was very entertaining, that "roller coaster" manouevre in the Chinook is really impressive :ok:

Personally, I thought the handbrake turn aced it!

RP,

Didn't see the programme, but it is extremely hard to get video of a raster display. Your eyes don't notice it but the display appears one line at a time and the TV camera takes it's picture the same way. If the camera and the display are not specifically synchronised then the appearance and collection lines by the camera do not coincide often enough to get useable pictures.


N

Agree on the display. The Rollercoaster was dramatic, but the Handbrake Turn/Stop was equally dramatic and tactically relevant, so trumps.

TV use of Jeopardy and Suspense is tiresome at times, and a little like the boy who cried wolf, you no longer believe it.

Great footage of the Chinook, and the highlight for me was the team pretending to be the Red Arrows on the pleasure beach ride.

There HAS to be footage of the real Reds on that surely?

Having seen a lot of daytime TV recently I've noticed the use of dramatic music and over the top narration to build suspense on many scenes. The problem is that the programmes have been featuring such risky and dangerous occupations as: investigating fly tipping, dealing with dog mess or delivery drivers making deliveries :)

Thought it was an enjoyable programme, especially the concentration on some of the individual pilots who have been in the display world for a long time and who contribute enormously to the public's enjoyment and appreciation of the history and professionalism of the RAF.
The script was crap and the commentator was awful.
The highlight for me was the technical bit when the sharp point of the country's military sword couldn't be unsheathed because the canopy stuck. Consternation! High profile display doomed. The technicians try everything to no avail. Up comes an erk, gives it a thump and lo, it opens! Priceless!

Some erk? Nice.

Nice to see the Helicopter guys getting some publicity. What was that orange thingy that was flapping about around the pilots shoulder? :E

Where is CG of Chinook? And why is it called Wokka?
 

At first glance, I'd expect the CG of the Chinook to be towards the rear, given the rear engine layout. But watching some of its aerobatic manoeuvres, the rotation appears to be about a point much further forwards. Also, it has double wheels at the front and single at the back. So where approx is the CG?

Also, everybody thinks that Chinooks are called Wokkas because of the characteristic noise they make. However, I was recently in New Zealand and a Maori soldier there (who had served in UK army) told me that this was incorrect - and that the name is derived from Woka - which is Maori for war canoe. I quite like his version!

Perhaps the cockpit displays really are blurred........

CRTs are (usually) raster displays. LCD screens are (almost never) raster displays. The Chinook has non-raster LCD screens.

As for why they would be pixelate them for this TV program, while the LCD display itself is not "sensitive" the data displayed on them may be. And it's far easier to just pixelate them for public viewing all the time rather than pixelate them only if and when sensitive data is displayed.

Despite the censoring of the displays, you could see that the info being presented appeared to flight instruments and a map, and I still fail to see why that would be sensitive...

-RP

It's not about what IS sensitive. It is about what MAY be sensitive on those screens. The editors of the video simply pixelated the screens all the time because that is far easier than carefully reviewing every frame of the video to make sure no sensitive information was being displayed.