Abstract: The rate-of-climb indicator of this invention can indicate the existence of wind shear.

Abstract: An integrated primary flight display apparatus for an aircraft provides coordinated information with minimum eye scan distances. Various cathode ray tube generated presentations are centered toward a common electronic attitude director indicator having indicia thereadjacent and pointers centrally directed. A moving altitude scale is utilized with a fixed vertical speed scale employed to select the correct vertical speed for leveling off at a given altitude. An arcuate shaped heading indication is expanded in angular extent to achieve enhanced sensitivity.

Abstract: A combination altimeter and vertical speed indicator using digital displays. Digital logic technique are used to calculate vertical speed, eliminate drift in the vertical speed zero indication, correct vertical speed readings for altitude, and display altitude below zero. An automatic reading of barometric pressure setting for use as an offset is furnished at turn-on to permit initial setting of the instrument. Power to the instrument is pulsed to reduce consumption and permit long term battery operation.

Abstract: The basic heat pipe principle is employed to provide a self-contained passively cooled probe that may be placed into a high temperature environment. The probe consists of an evaporator region 13 of a heat pipe 10 and a sensing instrument 17. Heat is absorbed as the working fluid 22 evaporates in the probe. The vapor is transported to the vapor space 14 of the condenser region 15. Heat is dissipated from the condenser region and fins 20 causing condensation of the working fluid, which returns to the probe by gravity and the capillary action of the wick 18. Working fluid, wick and condenser configurations and structure materials can be selected to maintain the probe within an acceptable temperature range.

Abstract: This invention concerns an improved variometer which is used in aircraft which operates on a circuit that calculates the instantaneous speed hx.degree. of the aircraft and the potential vertical speed of the aircraft h.sub.T .degree.. A luminous display is also provided to display the values so calculated to alert the pilot of the aircraft.The instantaneous vertical speed hx.degree. is obtained by means of a circuit solving the equation: ##EQU1## in which j.sub.z.sbsb. is the component of the acceleration on the vertical axis of the aircraft, g is the acceleration of gravity, .phi. is the angle of roll of the airplane, s is the Laplace operator, .tau..sub.1 and .tau..sub.2 are constants of time and h.degree..sub.A is a signal of vertical speed.

Abstract: A variometer for an aerodyne. The variometer has at least one dial conventionally graduated to represent speed, a needle indicating on said graduation the instantaneous vertical speed. The variometer also has an indicator which is representative of the potential vertical speed, and can move around the dial so that the position of the indicator with respect to the needle indicates instantaneously the acceleration on the trajectory of the aircraft.

Abstract: A combined vertical speed and windshear indicator instrument for an aircraft has a graduated dial (2) and a conventionally driven pointer (3) for indicating the vertical speed. In addition the instrument has an independent pointer (4) which is driven so that it indicates, to the same scale as the vertical speed, the rate of change of total energy of the aircraft (energy rate) according to the formula dh/dt+(V/g)(dV/dt) where h is the height of the aircraft and V is its true air speed. Under stable flight conditions the pointers (3 and 4) will track together, but if there are any sudden changes, particularly changes due to windshear, the pointers will separate to indicate the effect of the changes so that the necessary corrective action can be taken by the pilot.

Abstract: A model aircraft with wireless earth-to-craft control. A device is aboard to emit signals indicating altitude change and visible by the operator on earth, this device being triggered operatively by signals produced by an air-pressure transducer of small size and having low inertia of movable parts.

Abstract: First and second sample-hold circuits sample and hold the atmospheric pressure alternately every time when a vehicle travels a predetermined distance. A signal representing a difference between the holding values of the first and second sample-hold circuits, that is, a signal representing a slope of the road on which the vehicle is travelling is displayed through a latch circuit.

Abstract: A filter for use in determining the vertical displacement of a body travelling through water relative to a datum such as mean sea level, and having specific application to underwater seismic systems in which a towed body forms a part of equipment for producing profiles of the terrain beneath bodies of water. A vertical displacement signal is produced from a signal, generated by an accelerometer, indicative of the vertical acceleration of the body and a position signal, generated by a pressure transducer, indicative of the vertical displacement of the body, the position signal being corrupted by pressure transducer noise. The filter comprises a first filter portion for receiving the position signal, the first filter portion having a transfer function which is substantially the product of a predetermined gain divided by the pressure transducer gain and a first real rational polynomial function of the form P.sub.1 (s)/Q(s).

Abstract: An electronic filter for use in determining the position of a body travelling through water relative to a datum such as mean sea level, and having specific application to underwater seismic systems that produce profiles of the terrain beneath bodies of water. The filter is connected to an accelerometer and a pressure transducer, physically located within the body, that respectively produce an acceleration signal indicative of the body's vertical acceleration and a pressure signal indicative of the body's vertical displacement with respect to the datum. The filter combines the acceleration and pressure signals to effectively isolate a signal proportional to noise generated by the pressure transducer. The filter then combines the signal so isolated with the pressure transducer signal to produce a vertical displacement signal relatively free from noise.

Abstract: An aircraft instrument responsive to altitude and airspeed change. The instrument includes a first pressure transducer responsive to the pressure change due to changes in the altitude of the aircraft and a second pressure transducer responsive to pressure change due to changes in the airspeed of the aircraft. The output of each transducer is amplified and uniquely combined to provide an electrical signal representative of the rate of climb of the aircraft. The instrument also optionally modifies the airspeed transducer output and combines the modified signal with the rate of climb signal to provide a signal representative of the vertical movement of air outside of the aircraft. Additionally, the instrument may optionally provide an indication whenever best speed to fly conditions exist.

Abstract: An inexpensive total energy sensor utilizing the principles of laminar flow separation around a small cylinder having the desired relationship between static and dynamic pressures for use with sensitive rate of climb instruments for maximum utilization of external pressures by aircraft, in general, and sailplanes in particular.

Abstract: The variometer includes a measuring chamber communicating with the atmosphere through a first passageway and an elastically deformable measuring box, positioned within the measuring chamber, communicating with the atmosphere through a second passageway. One of the passageways, preferably the second passageway, is provided with a system of orifice inserts serving to delay pressure equalization between the measuring chamber and the measuring box. The system of orifice inserts includes at least two orifice inserts with successive orifice inserts being separated from each other by an intermediate space. The orifice inserts are threaded into the internally threaded bore of a hollow screw, and preferably three orifice inserts are provided so as to define two intermediate spaces. At least one of the orifice inserts is displaceable axially of the hollow screw, and preferably two orifice inserts are so displaceable.

Abstract: The pressure of the atmosphere is sensed by a pressure transducer which causes a resistance to vary. The variance of this resistor is converted to a variable frequency. The number of cycles of this frequency in a set amount of time is counted by a counter and displayed by a digital display. An up/down counter is loaded with the count of the last digital readout in the previous cycle and counts down the number of cycles in the frequency of the next reading and displays the difference on a digital display or activates a sonic output if the countdown is greater than the stored previous count.