Abstract: There is provided an aeronautic vehicle including a first engine capable of providing propulsion and pressurising air and an environmental control system. The environmental control system includes an electrically powered compressor capable of pressurising air and a first pressurised air powered environmental control system pack. The environmental control system is configurable to provide pressurised air from the first engine to the first environmental control system pack, and the environmental control system is configurable to a ground configuration in which pressurised air is provided from the electrically powered compressor to the first environmental control system pack. There is also provided an environmental control system for an aeronautic vehicle and a method of operating an environmental control system of an aeronautic vehicle.

Abstract: An environmental control system (ECS) includes an air cycle machine (ACM), a condenser downstream of the ACM, a reheater between the condenser and the ACM, a primary heat exchanger upstream of the reheater, a first regulated flow path between the condenser and a first environment outside of the ECS, a second regulated flow path between a second environment to be conditioned and the reheater, and a third regulated flow path between the primary heat exchanger and the reheater.

Abstract: There is provided an aeronautic vehicle including a first engine capable of providing propulsion and pressurising air and an environmental control system. The environmental control system includes an electrically powered compressor capable of pressurising air and a first pressurised air powered environmental control system pack. The environmental control system is configurable to provide pressurised air from the first engine to the first environmental control system pack, and the environmental control system is configurable to a ground configuration in which pressurised air is provided from the electrically powered compressor to the first environmental control system pack. There is also provided an environmental control system for an aeronautic vehicle and a method of operating an environmental control system of an aeronautic vehicle.

Abstract: An environmental control system (ECS) includes an air cycle machine (ACM), a condenser downstream of the ACM, a reheater between the condenser and the ACM, a primary heat exchanger upstream of the reheater, a first regulated flow path between the condenser and a first environment outside of the ECS, a second regulated flow path between a second environment to be conditioned and the reheater, and a third regulated flow path between the primary heat exchanger and the reheater.

Abstract: An arrangement for the automatic application of milking apparatus to a milk animal including a milking apparatus store, a milking apparatus handling device including a milking apparatus carrier movable on the device and a teat sensor on the handling device together with at least one animal position sensor and a control unit responsive to the animal and teat sensors to operate the handling device, the arrangement being such that when an animal is sensed to be in milking position the control unit operates the handling device to take milking apparatus for a teat of the animal from the store in the carrier to a specific teat with the carrier moved to a sideways offset at a selected angle to the device and the teat sensor in range of the teat.

Abstract: A method of guiding a milking apparatus support towards at least one teat of a milk animal, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: moving a support to a fixed start position within a stall; illuminating a region expected to contain at least one udder with a sheet of light from the support; capturing images by viewing the region with a video camera; analyzing the captured images to identify possible teat candidates and selecting one of these teat candidates as a target teat; determining the position of the target teat and homing in the support and any supported milking apparatus to the target teat.

Abstract: An arrangement for the automatic application of milking apparatus to a milk animal including a milking apparatus store, a milking apparatus handling device including a milking apparatus carrier movable on the device and a teat sensor on the handling device together with at least one animal position sensor and a control unit responsive to the animal and teat sensors to operate the handling device, the arrangement being such that when an animal is sensed to be in milking position the control unit operates the handling device to take milking apparatus for a teat of the animal from the store in the carrier to a specific teat with the carrier moved to a sideways offset at a selected angle to the device and the teat sensor in range of the teat.

Abstract: A method of examining a milking animal presenting for milking including examining the animal with an optical (as herein defined) sensing device responsive to at least one characteristic significant in the acceptability of an animal for milking, assessing the response of the sensing device to determine the acceptability of the animal and controlling the continuance of the presentation of the animal in dependence on the determination.