Evolution of avionics

Many thousands of years

back homosapiens lived in
jungles. They were primarily
food
gatherers.
They
wandered around for food,
shelter and protection from
nature. They just had the
basic instincts of animals like
eating, sleeping, protecting
from
dangers
and
reproduction.

During the process of

evolution there came a stage
when he could think. This is
the time he realised that he
need not wander around for
food, shelter, protection and
reproduction. He could sow
seeds at one place, produce
his own food, build a
dwelling place to protect
himself and his people from
nature, animals and other

threats, choose his life mate

and live at one place,
reproduce, rear the off
springs etc.
During this time he also
questioned himself about
flying in the air like a bird and
swimming in side the water
like a fish. He did many
types of attempts to fly in the
air like a bird.

On December 17, 1903,

the first successfully piloted,
power-driven heavier-thanair machine viz Flyer was
flown four times by the
Wright
brothers.
Their
longest flight lasted for 59
seconds and covered 852
feet. This aircraft had three
instruments on board: a
stopwatch to time the length
of flights, a "Veedor" engine-

revolutions
counter
to
measure engine rpm and an
anemometer to measure the
distance.
More and more man flew
the aircraft, he realised that
there are many parameters
of aircraft he wanted to
know, he realised that he has
to monitor and control so that
he can fly to the destination
without any accident.

Initially his aim was to just

fly. Later he aimed at
reaching
a
known
destination.
During
this
process he realised that
navigation is important. He
had to know the places in
between. When he flew low
he could see the land. When
he flew high he could not see
the land. So, navigation was
difficult. Also a number of
times
the
engines

malfunctioned. The airframe

structure developed many
defects due to Foreign
Object Damages (FOD) and
stresses due to aerodynaics,
loads
carried
and
temperature. He did not
know at what altitude, speed,
elevation or roll he is flying.
At the time of landing,
altitude became a critical
parameter for him to be
known. He also faced lots of

problems during nights with

respect to navigation and
landing. Bad weather and
poor
visibility
added
problems. Rains, dangerous
clouds, lightening and all
such natural hazards added
additional problems. When
more aircraft flew in the air,
collision avoidance was a
challenge for him.
All these problems made
him to realise that he needed

to know many parameters.

He also realised that for
measuring the parameters
he had to place many
sensors at different places
outside and inside the
aircraft and engines.
Initially the sensors he
used were mechanical in
nature. For e.g for altitude
measurement he used the
technique of measuring the
outside pressure. He knew

that the pressure varies as

the altitude changes. So, by
placing a pitot tube which
projected outside to the front
he measured the dynamic
pressure. The static pressure
was measured by tapping
the air pressure on the
airframe skin by making
holes on the airframe. The
air pressure trapped was
transmitted to the gauges in
cockpit through metallic and

rubber tubes. So, the

transmission system was
also mechanical. The gauges
were bellow guages with
metal tubes which expanded
and moved the needle on the
graduated scale as per the
changes in the pressure. So,
the indication system was
also mechanical.
So, in the first stage the
sensors,
transmission
system and the indication

all three were mechanical in

nature. As years progressed
we realised that Barometric
Pressure measured this way
is the most reliable method
of measuring the altitude and
it is still used on board all
types of aircraft. But using
mechanical
systems
for
measuring, transmitting and
indicating
all
types
of
physical
parameters
on
engines and airframe was

not possible. So, many

parameters could not be
measure by him e.g fuel flow
rate, oil (used for cooling the
engines)
temperature,
engine vibration etc.
When
the
transducer
technology developed we
had primary and secondary
transducers.
With
these
some
of
the
physical
parameters could be sensed
and converted in to electrical

signals. Some of the physical

parameters e.g oscillatory
movement
could
be
converted
to
another
physical parameter which
could be converted into
electrial signal. So, the
sensors converted a physical
parameter into an electrical
signal. The sensors became
electrical devices.
When
parameter

the
was

physical
converted

into electrical signal the

transmission system became
electrical wires. This lead to
replacement of indicating
devices from mechanical to
electro
mechanical
i.e
moving coil gauges.
So, the second stage of
development had electrical
sensors,
electrical
transmission system and
electromechanical indication
system.

During this stage, the

transmission
system
involved many electronic
units like pre amplifiers,
power amplifiers, filters etc
which were referred to as
Signal
Conditioning
equipment.
Initially they
contained tube devices and
subsequently when solid
state electronics came into
existence,
they
were

replaced by semiconductor
components.
When analog signals were
converted into digital signals
the wires got changed to
bus. Only the power supply
high
currents
from
generators to the consumers
were carried by wires. As
technology
developed
further, optical fibre cables
became
part
of
the
transmission system.

When
electromagnetic
waves were invented they
also entered the aircraft and
transformed the avionics with
RF devices for generation,
transmission and reception
of EM waves. Magnetron
and TWTs were used on
board aircraft. Rigid and
Flexible waveguides were
used for transmission of EM
waves inside the aircraft
from one device to the other.

Different types of antennae

were fitted on the airframe
outside for the transmission
and reception of EM waves.
Visual navigation changed to
Dead
Reconing.
With
introduction
of
Radars
onboard the aircraft got their
eyes to see the front and all
around by few hundred
kilometers. They also helped
to establish the weather
around (weather radars) to a

distance of several hundread

kilometers. Weapon aiming
radars and fire control radars
were used to search, track,
aim and fire the weapons
towards the targets accuratly.
This helped the pilot to fly
the aeroplane to farther
distances and also use it for
several other roles like
transportation
of
goods,
people and animals, carry
troops from one place to the

other, especially to high

altitudes, jungles, deserts
etc. Aircraft were used for
military purposes. They were
also used at sea to detect
surface targets and sub
surface targets and destroy
them with bombs. When the
weapons
technology
developed they also carried
missiles and torpedoes.
This type of long range
flying far away from mother

base
necessitated
development
of
communication
equipment
which used EM waves. They
transmitted and received the
EM waves, converted them
into
audio
signals
for
hearing. Increased use of
aircraft for military purposes
also brought in a wide range
of tactical and warfare
electrical,
electronic,

magnetic
and
optical
equipment on board.
So,
invention
of
semiconductor devices and
EM waves lead to a major
change in the avoinics on
board.
The indicating and control
equipment in the cockpit and
else where in the aircraft
also
improved
as
the
technology developed.

Invention of mono chrome

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
resulted in replacement of
moving coil gauges in some
applications. E.g CRTs were
used to display targets as
bright spots in radars. CRTs
helped to display multiple
parameters in one display.
This also reduced number of
gauges in the cockpit and
associated hardware inside
the aircraft.

Subsequently when colour

CRTs were developed, it
could indicate warning signs
with red and related colours,
distinguishing
of
target
based on threat levels could
be
possible,
weather
displays
gave
better
appreciation of environment
to the pilot with different
colours for different types of
clouds / densities.

Development
of
LCD
displays reduced the size of
the displays, occupied less
space, multiple functions
could be displayed, a large
number of parameters could
be displayed, pictures for
better appreciation of targets
and tactical scenario could
be displayed.
Introduction of computers,
micro controllers, software
driven systems, embedded

systems
etc
increased
redundancy,
reliability,
modes
of
operation,
capabilities of systems and
reduced the errors of aircrew
in carrying out the missions.
Modular design, software
driven non destructive real
time testing methods while
the system is performing its
core tasks etc resulted in
easy
maintenance,
less
maintenance, less spares for

repairs, increased reliability,

airworthiness
and
role
worthiness.
All these developments
also lead to electronic
warfare technology where in
ESM, ECM and ECCM
techniques with associated
hardware
and
software
through
Electronic
Reconnaisance
Systems
could be used.

So, the modern aircraft of

today is a highly complicated
engineering marvel, a flying
high tech factory with all
scientific developments and
technologies
incorporated
onboard.
Possible Questions

1.

Describe how the

avionics evolved over a
period of time.

2. List
various
technological
developments that lead
to evolution of avionics.
3. What caused evolution
of
avionics
technological
developments or needs
of human beings in
exploitation of aircraft?