History and Radio Age

Avionics : Aviation Electronics

Combining two large engineering fields that
reached maturity during 20 th century.
Major development in aviation dated back in
18th century with experiments in lighter-than-
air craft.
Much of the fundamental electromagnetic /
electricity theories were developed and
experiments were conducted during 18th and
19th centuries.
1901: Trans-Atlantic radio wave transmission
by Marconi, the most advanced application of
electricity for that time. Mark the beginning of
radio engineering.
Dec. 17, 1903: Wilbur and Orville Wright
performed taking off, flying and landing in a
manned, powered, heavier-than-air craft.
Early aircraft were dangerous, mostly suited
for air shows at county fairs.
WW1: Aircraft enter the service for forward
observation and dropping munitions.
Requirement for command staff on the ground to
have contact with the pilot were highlighted.
The idea of passengers transportation using
aircraft over water and mountain at greater
speed than train were later conceived.
Weather is the most important obstacles in
the early aviation.
Lead to the instrumented flying (Blind Flying)
In early 20th century, flying requires consistently
fine weather.
For long distances, consistence fine weather along
the route and at destination is almost impossible.
1925 US Army began investigation into Blind
Flight
To make blind flight possible require:
An altimeter of sufficient accuracy
A reference to natural horizon
Due to several forces acting on the pilot,
determining which way up is not as easy.
A navigation system to guide pilot to a
destination without seeing landmarks, stars
or other features outside the cockpit.
Important during landing
Blind flight panel
Optical system for guidance were found
not practical because light cannot
penetrate clouds.
Solution: Radio navigation.
In Sept. 24, 1929, Lt. James Doolittle
flew the first Blind Flying.
Instrument used: Artificial horizon,
directional gyro and radio receiver
In USA, the first commercial broadcasting
commenced in Aug. 20, 1920.
Although no audience at that time.
The electronics of the period were large and
heavy and the cost for every gram of mass in an
aircraft is high.
The environment was harsh;- wide temperature
variation (-40o C to 45o C), enormous vibration
due to propeller engine and shock and low
frequency shake while landing on rough surfaces
(concrete and grass).
Providing communication was difficult in
the early aircraft. The problems were
Require to install transmitter with large
power consumption.
Mounting the a long antenna
No practical technology for VHF
transmitters and receivers
In 1920s, the first light beacons were placed
on the mountain tops to cover the greatest
range and warn aviators of obstructions.
The first navigation aid was Non-Directional
Beacon, NDB
It provide a heading to fly
With no crosswind, the flight path is straight line.
Because the first equipment was for
navigation and one-way radio reception, only
receivers, with no transmitter, were needed.
It was common for an aircraft to blink a landing
light or wiggle its wings in response to a
transmission from controller on the ground.
The ground environment wasnt much better.
The first navigation aids for night flying were
bonfires maintained by farmers paid to
perform the task.
The first navigation system with course
information was A-N range.
Also known as the Four Course Radio Range.
Placed along airway routes at an intervals.
Used 1,500 watts transmitter to operate between
190 to 565 kHz with wire loop antenna.
 Pilot listen to the Morse code signals (A and N)
from ground transmitter.
If an aircraft was exactly on one of four courses
emanating from the station, the pilot heard a
steady tone as the two signal overlapped.
If deviate, either A or N would be heard.