Branch Newsletter

Spring 2018 Edition

Yeovil

The 2018 ‘Reggie Brie’ Lecture Competition Entrants & Judges alongside Miss Brie

(Left to Right) Bradley Antell, Ed Randall, Ruben Laranjeiro, Jonathan Mead, Elizabeth Brie, Tuesday Lewis, Andrew Lee, Mike Overd, and Mike Williams

The Chairperson’s Column written by Jeremy Graham As Chair of the Specialist Group Chairpersons must show that a significant contribution has been Committee it was my privilege to hold ex-officio achieved in respect of the advancement of the art and positions on Council, on the Learned Society Board science of aerospace engineering. and on the Medals and Awards Committee. At the Those of you that receive Aerospace will have beginning of 2018 my tenure with the Specialist Groups seen that a number of senior Leonardo staff have been expired and I have handed over all of these obligations elected as Fellows of the Society. For the engineering to the new chair, Bernard Chan from Lockheed Martin, team this is the result of a proactive move initiated by Ampthill. Alisdair remains an elected member of the Yeovil site Chief Engineer to demonstrate the Council and members of the Yeovil Branch support inherent competence of the senior engineering team many of the committees and working groups that keep through the examination of their experience, the Society running smoothly. knowledge and skill by an independent learned body. It has been my honour to accept an invitation to Congratulations are extended to Alan Staple, Tim take up a full committee member post on the Medals Moore, John Shackell and Stephen Vellacott. Our new and Awards Committee which will keep me busy and Branch President, Geoff Munday has also been elected connected with the heart of the Society HQ activities. as a Fellow as of April 2018. The deadline for award nominations in the 2018 I would like to draw your attention to the coverage season has now passed and the committee will now of the Reggie Brie Young Persons Lecture Competition deliberate to determine the awards that Council will provided in this edition of the Newsletter. Once again make in September. I would like to remind all members the evening was a fascinating mix of subjects, of the branch as well as those that retain a less formal presented with skill and commitment by young link with the Society that the awards scheme is open to engineers beginning their career in our Industry. all comers and that anyone (member or otherwise) can Congratulations are due to Bradley Antell, the winner of submit a nomination. Details are on the Society web the 2018 Reggie Brie Trophy, but our thanks must be site and it’s not too early to plan for the 2019 round. extended to all of the 2018 competitors for giving us all The key criterion for success is that the nomination a most entertaining evening.

Page | 1 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Meet The Yeovil Branch Committee

Capt Craig Peaple, REME, BEng (Hons), MSc opportunity came up for the Bldg 100 (MOD) liaison officer. I have a passion for Engineering and enjoy Continuous Professional Development especially in the wider aviation community.

What is your role on the committee and what does it entail?

My role is to ensure that the MOD personnel in Bldg 100 and wider afield have an awareness of the branch and its lecture series.

What do you value most about the RAeS?

The excellent opportunity to keep up to date with advancements across the industry and wider engineering aspects.

What do you think the RAeS should focus on in the future?

The RAeS needs to ensure it encourages young Background engineers into its ranks but also to keep the more middle aged qualified engineers interested. The Yeovil Craig joined the Army and the Royal Electrical & Branch is particularly good at getting apprentices Mechanical Engineers (REME) on the 4th August 1991 involved and has a good engineer cohort to attract in. at 18 years old and began his training as an Aircraft Technician at Middle Wallop. During this time, he enjoyed postings to RNAS Yeovilton, Dishforth in North Yorkshire and Wattisham in Suffolk working in both 1st and 2nd line workshops maintaining Lynx and Gazelle aircraft. In 2004 Craig attended Artificer training, and throughout this period was deployed to Oman, Canada, Bosnia, Kenya and Iraq.

Post Artificer training in 2005, Craig developed a close support repair platoon that focussed on general (metal) airframe repairs, along with composite structure repairs. He then trained on The Islander/Defender fixed Tell Us About Yourself wing aircraft and Apache Mk1, whilst simultaneously completing a Bachelor’s in Aircraft Engineering. Again, Where do you work and what is your role? throughout this period, Craig was deployed to a variety I am the Apache Project Team Engineering of locations, including Iraq, USA, Afghanistan, as well Performance Manager and I trouble shoot issues daily as to the Mediterranean on HMS OCEAN for 7 months. that affect performance of the main operating base on The work Craig was involved in was mainly either behalf of JHC as the customer, whilst monitoring the training for operations, or conducting them. contract performance of JHC and Leonardo Helicopters In 2012 Craig was promoted to Warrant Officer for Defence Equipment and Support. 1st Class and assigned to 5 Regt Army Air Corps in What is your greatest professional or personal Northern Ireland as Artificer Sergeant Major, before achievement? being Commissioned to the rank of Captain in the REME in 2013. He then completed 3 years working in Completing my MSc in Engineering and Larkhill with the Royal Artillery working on and Management in September 2017 developing Unmanned Air Systems. Recently in 2016, What is the biggest challenge you have faced? Craig was assigned to the Apache Project Team within Leonardo Helicopters, which has added a different As a soldier and therefore land based I spent 7 perspective to his career and given him the opportunity months deployed on HMS OCEAN during the Libya to complete an MSc in Engineering and Management. operation. Living inside the machine is not something I ever thought I would have to do and it was challenging Outside of work, Craig has interests in road and delivering Apache daily from those confines. mountain biking, mountain walking, SCUBA diving, How do you relax? kayaking and has recently bought a VW campervan.

RAeS Involvement I have recently bought a VW Campervan and enjoy many outdoor pursuits. When did you join the Yeovil Branch committee and Describe yourself in three words. why?

I joined the committee in Oct/Nov 2016 as the Professional, sociable and adventure-seeking.

Page | 2 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Meet The Yeovil Branch Committee

Sophie Watt, MEng, ARAeS promoting a better understanding of ‘engineering’ to the general public, conveying the huge variety in the industry and the large range of skills required to have a successful engineering industry here in the UK.

Tell Us About Yourself

Where do you work and what is your role?

I work in the Material Laboratory at Leonardo Helicopters as a Non-Metallic Materials Engineer. I deal with non-metallic materials queries, production support and new composite material qualifications.

What is your greatest professional or personal

achievement? Background Being invited to join the RAeS Structures &

Sophie grew up in Kent and was fortunate Materials Group. enough to attend a Grammar school for her secondary education. This allowed her to pursue a variety of How do you relax? subjects she found interesting mainly maths, science, I am an avid fan of classical music and am an music and strangely textiles. This resulted in a bizarre experienced singer and flautist. I am also in the contrast in options for university where she chose process of renovating my Georgian house here in between fashion design and engineering! Yeovil, a long-term but very rewarding pastime!

Sophie went on to study Aeronautics and Describe yourself in three words. Astronautics at University of Southampton, achieving an MEng in 2012. She joined AgustaWestland on the Organised, Creative, Kind graduate programme and spent her placements in AW101 Design, Rotors, Shop support, Transmissions, Name the Aircraft Projects and the Materials Laboratory where she currently works as a Non-metallic materials engineer.

Sophie is half French loves to travel, spending a lot of her spare time traveling (or dreaming about traveling!)

RAeS Involvement

When did you join the Yeovil Branch committee and why? Westland’s Historic Archive has a large array of I joined the committee in July 2014 as I wanted to images over a wide range of aircraft. become more involved in the Society and develop my This is a snap shot of an historical Westland professional network. aircraft post flight, but what is the aircraft? And what is What is your role on the committee and what does it the connection with Westland? entail? Page 3 Model I am currently the Deputy Secretary, taking care of meeting minutes when our secretary David is not available. I have a keen interest in STEM and try and get involved in our local events as much as possible.

What do you value most about the RAeS?

I think the knowledge and experience of the RAeS members is invaluable and being a young member provides great opportunities to learn from others, both in my field of interest, and in a wider range engineering disciplines.

What do you think the RAeS should focus on in the future? The Westland WS-51 Dragonfly helicopter was a Promoting engineering; both in young people to licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-51. encourage them to pursue it as a career and hopefully The Dragonfly entered service with the Royal Navy in fill the skills gap that will soon become critical, and in 1950 in the air-sea rescue role. Page | 3 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

RAeS AeroChallenge 2018

GKN versus Leonardo in the Final Round The Team from Yeovil came 2nd Overall On 21st February 2018, the annual RAeS team had half an hour to design and build a glider from AeroChallenge was held at RAeS HQ in Hamilton wooden sticks, tissue paper and foam. The gliders were Place, London. The AeroChallenge is a team to compete in two rounds; an accuracy round where the competition for young RAeS members consisting of glider had to land as close to a target on the floor as table and panel quizzes and a practical team challenge. possible and a distance round. Stability was key, with It also acts as a networking opportunity designed to the most successful teams having the most accurately encourage aerospace industry-related knowledge and placed Centre of Gravity allowing them to reach their teamwork. This year saw entries from around 14 gliders’ potential without veering off. The scores for this companies and interest groups including Leonardo, round were not announced, only the names of the top GKN, Buckinghamshire New University and the RAeS four teams from the first two rounds which had made it Pakistan Division. to the final round.

The four team-members representing the Yeovil The final round of the competition was a head-to- Branch this year were; Joshua Sleeman, James Barber, head, ‘University Challenge’ style panel quiz where the Richard Wilkinson and Christopher Frazer, all top four teams from the previous rounds competed in a engineering graduates at Leonardo Helicopter Division. semi-final. The winning teams from the semi-final then It was the first time Leonardo had entered a team and, competed in a final. The questions were read out and as one of the largest and most popular young persons’ the first member of either team to come up with an events, Leonardo had also elected to sponsor it. answer could ‘buzz’ with the bicycle horn provided and

The day began with a ‘pub-quiz’. A table quiz for offer what was thought to be the answer. Should that be which questions asked at the front were answered by incorrect, the opposing team were allowed the chance the teams. There were a number of categories, all to answer as well, with the opportunity to confer. The aerospace related, including; Aviation History, Current Leonardo team were amongst the top four, and went on Affairs, Aircraft Recognition and Flight Principles. to win the semi-final to be in the final against a team Questions had a range of difficulty from easy to obscure from GKN. The team from Yeovil put up a valiant fight but few were too obscure for the team from Leonardo, until the final question, but were unfortunately beaten to the punch in the final question, leaving Leonardo in a especially James. As a result, the Leonardo team nd finished the pub quiz in the lead by 20 points. close 2 place. Our congratulations go out to GKN.

The next part was a build challenge where each Article written by Christopher Frazer

Teams queuing up to test their gliders The Leonardo AeroChallenge Team in the Final Page | 4 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Reggie Brie Lecture Competition 2018

Miss Brie and Bradley Antell Miss Brie and Ruben Laranjeiro The annual RAeS Yeovil Branch Reggie Brie might take in future. Young Members Lecture Competition was held in the For the lecture on the F35 and whether it provided Dallas Conference Room at Leonardo Helicopters in good value for money to the tax payer, Bradley gave a February. This year saw four entrants take to the stage balanced overview of the aircraft programme, what it giving presentations on a diverse range of subjects: had achieved and some of the challenges it had  Ed Randall on ‘The Basics of Stock Market encountered. The audience were left to decide for Investing’; themselves whether the project offered value for money.  Bradley Antell on ‘F35, is it Worth the Money?’;  Jonathan Mead on ‘Air-to-Air Refuelling: Past, The competition was judged by Mike Overd, the Present and Future from the Perspective of a Head of Engineering for LHUK, Tuesday Lewis, Simulation and Modelling Engineer’; Cobham Mission Systems Engineering Development Manager, Mike Williams, former Chief Systems  Ruben Laranjeiro on ‘Autopilot Flyaway after Integration Engineer at LHUK and a trustee of the Engine Failure’. Reggie Brie Trust and Andrew Lee, cofounder of Ed, Bradley, and Ruben all work within LHUK, AVoptics and a trustee of the Reggie Brie Trust. whilst Jonathan works at Cobham Mission Sys tems. The judges expressed how difficult it was to The competition began with Ed and his lecture on choose a winner given the high calibre of the stock market investment, giving the audience a brief presentations. Eventually it was decided that Bradley introduction to the history and elements of the stock Antell had won with his lecture on the F35. market before moving on to shares, what they are and The branch was delighted to welcome back Miss how to go about acquiring and managing them. Elizabeth Brie to present the prizes. Miss Brie is the The next to present was Jonathan, who explained daughter of Reggie Brie, after whom the competition the fundamentals of the main system configurations takes its name. used in air-to-air refuelling. He went on to describe how This edition of the newsletter features several these systems are modelled in the modern industry, articles written by the presenters on the topic of their along with some personal predictions on the direction it presentations.

Miss Brie and Jon Mead Miss Brie and Ed Randall Page | 5 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

F35 - Is it Worth the Money? with an estimated final cost of $1.5 trillion come its completion. Currently, 9 countries have a financial investment in F-35 and a further 3 have made clear intentions of operating the aircraft come a time of its availability, all in all, producing procurement requests for over 3000 airframes. To date, over 200 aircraft are currently flying with over 75,000 flight hours between them, partly assisted by the US Marine Corps & US Air Force who already have an initial operating capability – the UK Forces can expect to have theirs later this year.

Detailed reports of the aircraft’s capabilities are highly classified, due to the nature of the operations it

The F-35 is the latest step change in jet fighters can be expected to conduct in the near future, however, evidence within the public domain strongly suggests The financial burden on the United Kingdom there are huge advancements in key areas. Specifically, associated with the development of the F-35, and the stealth and electronic warfare systems on-board seem further estimated cost to operate the aircraft have long to far excel anything else we can currently see on fast been a topic for discussion in the political and social arena. In a time where government budgets are forever being squeezed and the general population of this country are finding it increasingly more difficult to make ends meet, the question has to be asked, ‘Is it worth the money?’

The F-35 was born out of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Programme, from which US and UK forces identified the requirement to provide a successor to the ageing aircraft fleets they currently had in service, the US had the F-16, F-18 and the A-10, whilst the UK had the Tornado and the Harrier. The intention was to produce a single platform which was capable of performing all the combat roles of the ageing aircraft, and as such, an associated cost saving would become available from no longer operating multiple platforms.

The programme officially launched on the 27th January 1994, and by November 1996 Boeing and The F-35 features a significant amount of British Lockheed Martin had been awarded contracts to developed components and 15% of every jet sold produce prototypes which satisfied the identified globally is being built in Britain requirement, the X-32 and X-35 respectively. By this jets operating in any military. This has been backed by point the UK had provided over £200 million of funding Lockheed Martin who openly labels this aircraft as and a subsequent 5 years later Lockheed Martin were ‘virtually invisible’ to RADAR systems. Although the awarded the contract to start the development of 3 F-35 technology advancements and certain capabilities of variants; the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C. this fifth generation fighter are unquestionably some of The JSF programme has become the most the best we have ever seen, it has been heavily expensive international defence programme in history, criticised from both sides of the Atlantic.

The different variants of the F-35 offer distinct advantages depending on the operational situation Page | 6 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

F35 - Is it Worth the Money? of data from its battlespace, and when in ‘stealth’ mode the storage of data is preferred as opposed to transmitting to additional assets due to fear of detection. So much data is extracted that it simply cannot all be stored on the limited internal memory. To overcome this, the pilot must manually select what data he/she wishes to retain, and subsequently all remaining information is then disregarded and lost.

On that particular sortie, it can be assumed that the pilot has a level of ability to identify what information is necessary for retention and what is redundant, however, it doesn’t account for changes in the war zone or the information demands. Although specific information may not have been required on that particular sortie, changes in the war further down the line may promote the requirement for that particular data, which is now unavailable.

Across the pond, the Director of Operational Test & Evaluation, Dr. J. Michael Gilmore whilst in his role during the Obama administration, compiled a report in which he assessed the current progress and capability of the F-35. Within this report he identified 27 Category 1 deficiencies, for which the criteria states that the issue, ‘…may cause death, severe injury or occupational illness ’. In addition to a further 64 Category 2 deficiencies which have the ability to, ‘… impede or constrain successful mission Criticism of the F-35 has been widely published accomplishment’. Due to Gilmore’s position within the across the UK Press White House, it can be expected that he had greater access to classified information to assist in the making Deborah Haynes, Defence Editor for ‘The Times’ of his conclusion, providing a more reliable and produced an article in July 2017 in which she stated that accurate report. the aircraft was, ‘…way over budget, unreliable, full of software glitches and potentially unsafe’. She supported The UK Currently own 14 F-35B’s, which has cost her conclusion by citing the US government bail-out of an estimated £2.5 Billion, which are intended to operate Lockheed Martin in 2010 for an undisclosed sum, out of RAF Marham later this year, before conducting followed swiftly by a quote from the US Government flight trials from HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Autumn. In Accountability Office from 2012, in which they stated there was a 93% rise in cost per aircraft. Haynes also identified operational constraints with concerns regarding the limited internal memory storage of the aircraft, which was later formally recognised by Lockheed. Due to the vast array or sensors on the aircraft, the F-35 has an ability to attract large amounts

Dr J Michael Gilmore, Director of Operational T&E, A summary of the major problems that have been noted several issues in the design of the F-35 in a publicised about the F-35 publicly available report Page | 7 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

F35 - Is it Worth the Money? ellipsis, as shown in the ’USMC conceptual F-35 operational scenario’ image to the left, and that when an aircraft enters that range, it will be detected. The same principle shall be considered for the enemy aircraft and the red ellipsis. Due to the advancements we are expecting to see from the F-35 with the inclusion of the new APG-81 Active Electronically Scanned Array it can be assumed that the F-35 will have a greater ability to detect enemy aircraft over its counterpart. From which, it can be further assumed that a scenario where the friendly aircraft will be aware of enemy presence before that enemy is aware of the F-35.

On the other hand, the USN have adopted a different attitude on what role they want the F-35 to USMC conceptual F-35 operational scenario provide, and have viewed the asset as a ‘force total, the UK MoD has made a commitment to buy a multiplier’, complimenting their entire arsenal as total of 138 F-35B aircraft, expected to set their budget opposed to identifying the benefits of the aircraft on a back £9.1 Billion by 2026. With the ever increasing price solitary basis. This allows the USN to engage in battle tag per aircraft and rising cost of ownership, the UK scenarios using the strength of all assets available to may have to deviate from the intended procurement them, which they hope, will provide a more potent plan in order to suit their budget and settle political capability. However, to allow this to happen effectively, pressure surrounding this issue. Realistically, this could the USN has to ensure the F-35 has the ability to be achieved in a variety of ways such as; a reduction in communicate effectively with the other resources the final number of aircraft bought, a prolonged currently in service. procurement schedule to allow the MoD more time to Link 16 is a NATO standard of data link, installed secure funding or reverting away from the ‘B’ variant on a large variety of land, air and sea assets which towards the cheaper ‘A’ variant, albeit with a loss in allows the successful transfer of data across platforms. capability. However, this form of data link is considered to have a Understanding whether the F-35 is worth the high probability of intercept, meaning there is a greater money, would require extensive research in a variety of chance that the link can be received and interpreted by areas, however, one particular area that may be enemy assets. The F-35 also shares this capability; assumed to be of significant importance is recognising however in addition, exclusively has the ability to what role we are expecting the aircraft to perform once transmit via an additional link, called the Multifunctional it comes into service. Once again we can look across Advanced Data Link (MADL). In comparison, this form the pond to understand the strategies of our American of data link has an extremely low-probability of intercept counterparts, namely the US Marine Corps (USMC) and which allows the aircraft to maintain a high level of the US Navy (USN). stealth whilst operating in hostile environments. The US The USMC have adopted the theory that the F-35 have such high level of confidence in the low intercept- is best suited as a traditional ‘Strike Fighter’ role, ability of MADL transmission that trials were conducted stealthily entering contested airspace and engaging on the Northrop B-2 Stealth Bomber, but these were enemy targets using its advanced electronic warfare later terminated due to MADL immaturity. However, the systems to track and lock on to a target long before it sheer principle that these tests were conducted even knows of the F-35’s presence. The aircraft does establishes the confidence the US has with this data suit this type of operation very well, with extremely low link. Currently, the F-35 is the only asset fitted with such observability to enemy assets, both land and air, functionality, meaning communication intra-platform is coupled with the vast array of sensors on-board provide the pilot with an unrivalled situational awareness of their battlespace which in turn will allow for better informed decisions to be made and less reliance on additional assets to support the aircraft during an offensive movement. However, this type of offensive action highlights the aircraft to enemy resources and it can expect a higher proportion of enemy offensive retaliation which is increasing the risk the expensive F-35 must endure to conduct its operation.

We can therefore imagine an example of contested airspace using an imaginary USMC operation consisting of F-35s and enemy aircraft such as Russia’s SU-35s or China’s J-15s. Proposing that the lead F-35 The RAF conducting a MADL interoperability test has an observability range of that of the blue shaded between the F-35B and the Typhoon Page | 8 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

F35 - Is it Worth the Money? engaging with the expensive F-35 asset, the USN now has the ability to engage using the F-18 which is more accustom to this type of dog fight scenario, with improved kinematic performance and higher ordnance payload. This improves the survivability of the F-35, whilst also improving the likelihood of a successful enemy engagement. Suddenly, the USN has created a battle space where capabilities which were once redundant, can now be utilised and used effectively. The fleet has an increased offensive potency, with capabilities far greater than that of the solitary F-35.

The UK currently only has the infrastructure to operate the F-35 in-line with the USMC, in a strike fighter concept, as no programmes are in place to The first British F-35B to visit the UK, flown by an procure a BACN at this time, removing the ability to RAF pilot and greeted by the Chief of the Air Staff perform an ISR role. Critics may question whether this is an extremely expensive asset to assume the achievable, however, as it stands there is a sufficient traditional role of a fast jet, accomplished for many lack of cross-platform communication, at least if there is years with cheaper and more reliable aircraft such as the intention of exploiting the stealth capability that the the Eurofighter Typhoon. Although the expenses have F-35 offers – which quite simply is one of the key long surpassed the original intentions, it may be felt that advantages of this aircraft. further investment to bring the F-35 in line with an ISR To overcome this issue investment has been fighter role enhances the entire UK arsenal, and made by the USN in an attempt to provide a solution to subsequently, allows the UK a suitable return for the enable assets to receive information from the F-35, money spent. which has been transmitted in MADL format. Trials have So, is it worth the money? The JSF programme been conducted by the USN to provide a Battlefield and the procurement of the F-35 will undoubtedly Airborne Communications Node (BACN) in the form of improve the effectiveness of the UK forces in whatever an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which can fly outside role it undertakes, and in conjunction with the QEC of contested airspace, receive the stealthy MADL carriers, provide a level of offensive and defence transmissions from the F-35 and then relay the capability which we lost with the retirement of the Sea information in a Link-16 format which can then be Harriers in March 2006. But to form an opinion on accepted by various other platforms, outside the range whether it has been worth the financial expense, more of enemy interception. This then allows additional assets definition on the capabilities the aircraft can offer the UK to assist in the offensive movement being conducted, need to be decided. These capabilities, as we’ve each offering a unique set of strengths, all of which can identified from across the pond, can differ dependant on be utilised due to the data being sent from the F-35, the infrastructure supporting the asset and role the such as target identification and acquisition information. aircraft performs. With the relatively small number of An example could be represented in the ‘USN aircraft the UK will have serviceable at any one time, conceptual F-35 operational scenario’ image below, insurance that the available aircraft are going to be as where target acquisition data can be obtained by the effective as possible, is vital to ensure that we get the F-35, relayed to the BACN via MADL where it can be best return on our investment. translated into Link 16 format for the acceptance by Article written by Bradley Antell additional platforms such as the F-18. Rather than 2018 Reggie Brie Winner

MADL

Link 16

Link 16

USN conceptual F-35 operational scenario Is the F-35 value for money? Page | 9 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Automotive Turbocharging - Testing & Improvement in the Efficiency Age detailed understanding of what happens internally and what can be done to further develop turbocharger performance.

One of the ways they are tested, both for experimental and production purposes, is on a rig known as a hot gas stand. The hot gas stand uses a combustor or burner, usually gas, to provide a flow of hot gases into the turbine to rotate it and, in turn, the compressor. The combustor can be adjusted and the pipework into and out of the turbine can be used to create a variety of test conditions. Instrumentation is then mounted in the pipework to measure factors such as; mass flow rate, temperature and pressure. This Basic Hot Gas Stand Setup allows the energy input to the turbine to be set at certain levels and the output to be measured to see how much High fuel prices and ever-tightening carbon of the available energy the turbine is using. On the emissions restrictions placed on car manufacturers compressor side, the pipework is also used to create a have made it increasingly worthwhile to continuously set of conditions into and out of the compressor. The improve the efficiency of piston engines. One instrumentation around the compressor is also used to particularly effective method is turbocharging. measure temperature, pressure and mass flow rate etc., A turbocharger works by harvesting some of the but instead these factors are used to determine how wasted energy in the exhaust gases, mainly heat, and much work the compressor has done on the airflow and using that energy to increase the air intake to the what pressure difference it is providing. engine. It uses a turbine section to expand the hot Turbocharger compressors have a limited exhaust gases which push through a turbine wheel, operational envelope. The upper limit is known as causing it to rotate. The turbine wheel is connected via ‘choke’, when the mass flow rate through the a shaft to a compressor wheel, which draws in air from compressor is high enough for the flow velocity to reach its immediate environment, compresses it and forces it the sound barrier. The lower limit is known as ‘surge’, into the air intake of the engine. The higher the air when the mass flow rate through the compressor pressure is on intake, the more oxygen is present at chamber is insufficient for the compressor blades to combustion, making the combustion more efficient. This work and they stall, failing to push the air through the allows a greater relative output from the overall chamber to compress it. One of the most beneficial combustion process. As the engine accelerates, it improvements that can be made to a compressor is the produces more exhaust gases which allow the widening of this envelope, so it is producing a useful turbocharger to force more air into the intake, up to a output across the widest possible range of mass flow point. This boosts the power available from the engine. rates. An example of where a lot of testing is done is to A naturally aspirated engine (one without forced establish what factors influence the onset of these induction) is designed around producing the maximum conditions and the effects of attempts to move them power the car needs. For example, if it needs 150bhp to further apart. travel at its maximum design speed, the engine capacity The turbocharger has allowed car manufacturers is driven by that requirement. Cruising, town driving and to reduce engine sizes and increase the efficiency of other ‘day to day’ driving conditions, however, do not cars. There is still a long way to go in understanding require that much power so the engine is throttled for how it can be used to its maximum potential but hot gas those conditions, i.e. the fuel intake is reduced to limit stand testing is bringing turbocharger manufacturers the power to whatever is needed, for example, ever closer. 30-40bhp. Limiting a large engine to obtain a certain power is much less efficient than using a smaller one Article written by Christopher Frazer which is being more fully utilised to achieve that power. With a turbocharger, a smaller engine with lower fuel consumption can be used to meet the power requirements of average driving conditions and then boosted to fulfil higher power requirements when needed.

The increasing trend towards carbon footprint reduction and public desire for fuel efficiency means turbochargers are more widely used than ever. In order to keep a competitive edge in the fast-moving automotive industry, turbocharger manufacturers must continue to improve their product designs to meet demand. This starts by developing a deeper, more Turbocharger Diagram Page | 10 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition The Basics of Financial Markets and Stock Market Investing financial markets were physical places, where physical goods or paper contracts and ownership certificates exchanged hands. Nowadays there are many types of financial market which deal in many types of financial products. They are now almost all essentially vast computer networks, upon which companies and traders

from around the world buy and sell.

The main types of financial market can be categorised as:

 The Bond Market,  The Equity Market,

 The Foreign Exchange Market,

This article is intended to give the reader a broad  The Commodity Market, overview of financial markets and basic stock market  The Derivatives Market, investing. Its primary intention is to spark interest, as the topics covered are enormous in potential scope, and  The Futures Market. to describe them fully would require much more than a few hundred words. Hopefully after reading this article Each of these deals with a different type of the reader will have a basic understanding of one of the financial product that is needed for different reasons. forces which shapes the modern market driven world. The Bond Market is where debt is bought and

The fundamental questions addressed in this sold. Companies use this market to borrow money from article are: How did financial markets come about? others in the market place. To do this they sell ‘bonds’, What are the basic types of financial market? What is which are a legal obligation to pay the lender an agreed the purpose of each of the various financial markets? amount of interest, normally yearly, for the duration of the bond and to repay the amount of money lent at the All the various financial markets came about end of this time. The lenders of the money hold this through the need of enterprises to raise the capital ‘bond’ but have no ownership of the company. The required to undertake new ventures and/or to reduce company has to pay the interest on the bond when it is the capital risks for those involved. due, whether or not the company has made a profit. If it They continue to be shaped by these fundamental decides not to pay (known as defaulting) it can legally principles and are constantly evolving as the need for do so, but will find it very hard to convince others to lend more and more complex financial products, to deal with it money in the future. more and more complex company operations, The Equity Market is slightly different; on this increases. market, companies raise money by selling small stakes

Before the days of telephones and computers, in the ownership of the company in the form of shares.

Page | 11 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition The Basics of Financial Markets and Stock Market Investing the economy of Brazil is going to expand, and thus increase the value of the Real in future, they may choose to exchange lots of Pounds for Reals now, to save them money in the future.

As an alternative to using lots of money now, which could be put to better use in the meantime, Company A could make an agreement with Company B to buy the amount of whatever they need in the future, for a price set today. This is what the Futures Market is for.

The Futures Market allows companies to plan their future expenditure by agreeing set prices today, for things being delivered and paid for in the future. This is done by the purchasing of ‘futures contracts’, which In return for this, the buyer receives the legal right to determine the price paid and the date of payment and delivery. receive a portion of the company’s profits, in proportion to the stake of the company that he/she owns. As the The Commodity Market is where commodities legal owners of the company, the holders of shares are such as oil, wheat, copper, gold, silver, etc are bought also entitled to vote on various issues at the annual and sold. Rather than physical goods changing hands, shareholders meeting. these are essentially electronic contracts for the delivery of the stated goods. The market came about largely for However, the shareholders only get a portion of the same reasons as a physical market place. It brings the profits of the company (in the form of a dividend) if the many producers and buyers of goods to one place, the company management decide to that the company saving both the time and effort of searching for each is in a healthy enough financial position to make a other, and enabling the exchange of goods to take payment. Therefore, by its nature, the amount paid is place quickly and efficiently. As all the buyers and variable. sellers are in one place it allows standards to be set and If the management decide that the money the enforced, protecting buyers from sub-par goods and company has could be better used, they may decide not sellers from other sellers trying to undercut them with an to pay anything to the shareholders. Though they would inferior product. need to have good reason for this, as reducing the The Derivatives Market is where the most dividend paid will have a negative effect on the market complex financial products are bought and sold. These price of the company’s shares, and could result in many are mostly ‘derivations’ of the products traded on other angry shareholders (who could vote to oust the markets, hence the name. This market came about management team). through the need of companies to protect themselves The Foreign Exchange Market is where against loss on other financial products. For instance, companies and banks exchange their currency. contracts can be purchased here which pay out if the Companies and banks need to do this when they have deliverer of a futures contract goes bust and can’t payments to make in other currencies or they think that deliver the goods which have been agreed. geopolitical events will change the value of one Another type of product, probably the most basic currency against another. on this market, is known as an Option. These are For instance, if a Company A in the U.K. needs to contracts that allow, but (unlike futures contracts) do not purchase oil/wheat/aggregate from a Company B in oblige, the holder to buy something (normally shares) at Brazil, they will probably need to exchange a large a set time in the future, at a price set today. Originally quantity of Pounds (GBP) into Reals (BRL). If they need this product was used like an insurance product, to to make these purchases regularly but they think that hedge a portfolio of investments against future declines

Page | 12 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition The Basics of Financial Markets and Stock Market Investing good investment and suit your needs) you need to buy from someone selling them (who, quite possibly, does not think they are a good investment).

Private investors, like you and I, generally only invest in Shares or Bonds. Though a great many do so through other investment vehicles such as Funds (including pension funds). Funds allow investors to hand over their money to a more experienced person or team, who invest the money on their behalf, for a small fee. Many investors choose to do this because they see it as an easy option and assume that they will make better returns than if they choose their investments themselves. While this may be true in some cases, there is much evidence to suggest that the majority of funds perform no better than the market index they are in value, by allowing the buyer to sell at a known price trying to beat. Even though they charge fees far in set today. excess of the cost of a passive market tracking fund The derivatives market is a contentious beast, (one which is generally computer controlled and which many believe that the products on offer are too matches the performance of a list of shares, for complex, and evolve too fast, for regulators to keep up. example, the shares of the 100 biggest UK companies). A huge amount of speculation takes place on this Thank you for reading this article, I hope that it market and regulators are worried that the magnitude of has been interesting and informative. I will leave you, this speculation may eventually lead to another market the reader, with two final maxims as food for thought: meltdown. “Successful Investing takes time, discipline and All the markets mentioned above have a ‘primary’ patience. No matter how great the talent or effort, some and ‘secondary’ element. Buying a things just take time: You can’t produce a baby in one share/commodity/derivative product from the original month by getting nine women pregnant.” company selling it is known as buying on the primary market. Buying from someone else who has bought the “Price is what you pay: value is what you get.” product but who now wishes to sell it, is buying on the secondary market. The vast majority of share trading, Warren Buffet which the rest of this article is concerned with, is done in a secondary capacity. This is worth remembering, as Article written by Ed Randall for you to buy shares (presumably thinking they are a 2018 Reggie Brie Finalist

Page | 13 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Flying Start Challenge Grand Final 2018

Teams Undertake a Challenge beneath Concorde at the Fleet Air Arm Museum On Wednesday 21st March 2018, over 80 students about different engineering topics, such as students from 13 schools in the South-West arrived at aerodynamic principals and aerospace materials. The the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton to take part employees also provided guidance during the design in the 12th annual Grand Final of the Flying Start and building phase of the competition. Challenge competition. The lessons were delivered either in the form of Flying Start Challenge (FSC) is an engineering weekly lessons or by running a full day of learning in competition in the South West of England run by nine certain regions. The lessons were then followed on by a aerospace companies: Airbus, Atkins, BAE Systems, design phase where the students drew up designs for GKN Aerospace, Leonardo, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, their gliders based on what they had learnt. From then Safran Landing Systems and Triumph. The end goal of on, the students dedicated time and effort into building the competition is to design and build a hand launched their ideal aircraft. glider which will fly as far and as straight as possible. The students, in teams of four, then competed in The scheme aims to build young people's key their local Regional Final. The finals comprised of engineering skills and increase their awareness of the presenting their design through a poster presentation, fantastic span of careers they could pursue in showcasing their knowledge learnt through a quiz and engineering. Over the past five months, a team taking part in an engineering activity where their team comprising of over 70 apprentices, graduates or early work was tested. The regional finals then finished off career employees from each of the sponsoring with the all-important ‘Fly-Off’ where the teams companies have been attending local schools to teach competed against each other for the furthest flight.

Testing of a Wing Design One of the Teams Taking Part in the Fly Off Page | 14 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Flying Start Challenge Grand Final 2018

(Left) Participating Pupils from the Yeovil Regional (Right) Students from Clifton High in the Design Final Phase of the Competition Following on from these successful Regional that took part in the Grand Final received a Bronze Finals, the top teams from the Yeovil, Bristol and Industrial Cadets Award. This is an accredited award Gloucestershire regions then progressed to the Grand given by the Engineering Development Trust (EDT). Final for an activity filled day with guest presentations, The EDT provides opportunities for young people to engineering challenges, a tour of the Fleet Air Arm enhance their technical, personal and employability Museum, and the final glider fly-off. skills through industry-led projects, industrial placements and specialised taster courses. The guest presentation was taken by Rob Kay who is the UK Chief Engineer of the Airbus A320. His Julie Feest, CEO of the EDT, was in attendance presentation detailed to the students the numerous at the grand final and presented to the students about tests that were performed on aircraft before they were the EDT and the benefits of STEM. About the final, allowed into service. This was then followed by the Julie said;

students taking part in a wing bending activity where “EDT were delighted to be involved with the they designed and built a wing structure that was then Flying Start Challenge again this year, recognising the tested to failure. Grand Finalists with their Bronze Industrial Cadets The students’ knowledge and ingenuity was also Award. It was fantastic to see the students so tested when their teams were tasked with designing a enthusiastic and passionate about the Challenge and bridge structure out of straws and constructing a their teams involvement. Graduates from the 9 parachute and capsule that was capable of safely Aerospace companies sponsoring the Challenge did a delivering an egg from a height. great job in delivering the event and it’s great to see

The top three teams from each of the regional organisations working collaboratively together to inspire the next generation of Aerospace employees.” finals were invited to take part of the Grand Final ‘Fly Off’ on the day. Each of the teams were given two Throughout the day there was the ability for all of throws to try and fly their glider as straight and as far the students to win prizes. There were prizes for the as possible. engineering activities, the wing bend workshop, best

Following on from last year, each of the students poster, fly off winners and then the top three teams on the day with all activities cumulating towards their score. The prizes ranged from an Airbus A350 Model to a quadcopter and the winner of the fly-off getting the opportunity to have a flight experience in a real glider. Alongside the student’s prizes, the top three teams were respectively awarded £250, £500 & £1000 of STEM vouchers for their schools.

At the end of all the lessons, designing, building and taking part, the Flying Start Challenge winner of 2018 was team “The Squawking Albatross” of Castle School, Bristol. This team had worked hard throughout the day in all the activities to have the highest overall score.

Further information on the Flying Start Challenge can be found at www.flyingstartchallenge.co.uk 1st Place Winners of the 2018 Grand Final “Squawking Albatross” Article written by Mark Crooks Page | 15 Yeovil Branch Newsletter Spring 2018 Edition

Name the aircraft… the answer 2018 Upcoming Lectures & Events

Thursday 17th May

Annual General Meeting

followed immediately by lecture

AW169 - Entry into UK HEMS Service

Capt Mario Carretta - HEMS Chief Pilot

Note: A charity collection will be taken for the Air Ambulance

Thursday 14th June

Curtiss 75 Mohawk From Nowhere to Normandy: The Rise of the Mohawks were the first combat aircraft to be British Glider Forces delivered to Europe during WW2 as part of the lend lease programme, all for the French Air Force. They Richard Folkes were in fact the first allied aircraft to engage with the

Luftwaffe. Thursday 21st June A number came to the UK after Dunkirk, and deliveries were planned for the RAF direct from the 63rd Henson & Stringfellow USA in a separate agreement. Westland had a contract to convert the French aircraft to UK standard (radios, Dinner and Lecture armament detail, labelling and instrumentation), to pass into service as Mohawk Mk III. Lecture subjects and dates may change due to unforeseen

The aircraft from the UK order differed in having circumstances

Wright Cyclone engines in the place of the Twin Wasp and still required extensive work to include them in the Contacting The Branch

RAF operational Inventory as Mohawk Mk IV, subsequent contracts also included Tomahawk and We welcome your feedback. If you have Kittyhawk. any suggestions for future lectures/the newsletter, or

Mohawks never saw service in the UK, all the have an article to submit, please feel free to e-mail us: aircraft were shipped to the Far East (India, Burma and Joint Chairs Singapore to serve with Nos 5,140 & 155 Squadrons.

Harold Penrose was heard to comment that the Jeremy Graham

Mohawk’s handling characteristics were the best he had [email protected] ever encountered. Alisdair Wood Article written by Dave Gibbings [email protected] Branch News Branch Secretary Hannah Nobbs, former committee member of the Branch, has recently joined the board of trustees at the David McCallum

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance after a number of [email protected] years as a volunteer. Hannah worked in the Rotors department of Newsletter Editor Engineering at AgustaWestland (as it was then) from Daniel Young 2006 to 2016 and now works on the Innovation Team at the RNLI. The Branch sends it congratulations! [email protected]

Yeovil Branch Committee

General Mailbox

[email protected]

For more information about the Society, or alternatively to become a member, please go to:

Hannah Nobbs, newest member of the Dorset and www.aerosociety.com Somerset Air Ambulance Board of Trustees Page | 16