FLIGHT International, 30 October 1976
been based on foghorns and ear-trumpets, just so long as
•-To"and "Fro'scan c y c l e -
Received
signal
strength
A T related to 6
Time • build FRSB systems, with Hazeltine and ITT Gilfillan work-
Time-referenced scanning beam MLS
TRSB MLS uses two narrow fan beams which are
scanned rapidly to-and-fro in the azimuth and eleva-
tion sectors. In every scan cycle two pulses, one
each during the "to" and "fro" scans, are received
in the aircraft.. An aircraft receiver within the
coverage volume derives its position directly from
measurement of the time difference between these
pulses. Precise solid-state timing devices and inte-
grated digital circuitry are used to determine each
angle accurately.
The American TRSB proposals use four beams, or
"elements," for azimuth, elevation, back-azimuth
and flare measurements. These can be transmitted
in any order—preamble instructions are used to
identify each signal—but all four signals, plus any
auxiliary data which are desired, are synchronised
so that one time difference is measured on each
signal in each 150msec "frame."
Reflected-beam reception is eliminated by time-
gating and time-averaging techniques, and beam
scanning can be achieved either by mechanical
means or by phased-array switching.
electronic scanning would be too complex for a production
system. The US industry now believes that electronic scan-
ning has lost a lot of its terrors, but it is still out of favour
in Britain for Category 3 uses because the required
integrity is difficult to achieve.
Soon after the appearance of the SCI 17 report, the Icao
AWOP presented an operational requirement to the Air
Navigation Commission. This was adopted at the next Air
Navigation Conference and has been the guiding light for
development teams ever since. Icao had meanwhile con-
cluded that it would have to issue a new standard practice
if the world's conflicting international and domestic
requirements were to be reconciled and a new common
worldwide landing aid chosen.
Over the next three years, teams in five countries worked
on the best way of satisfying the AWOP operational
requirement. Though the Icao requirement makes no
specific reference to microwave frequencies, most of the
development teams chose to use this band. But as far as
Icao was concerned, the new landing system could have
1323
the requirements were met.
Britain and the US launched the two most significant
national programmes. Eight-month Phase 1 development
contracts were awarded by the FAA to six US companies.
Four were instructed to study frequency-referenced scan-
ning beam techniques (Texas Instruments and AIL con-
sidered mechanically scanned systems, with Bendix and
Raytheon working on electronically scanned alternatives),
and two concentrated on commutated Doppler (Hazeltine
and ITT Gilfillan).
Phase: 2, which did not begin until much later, called
for the demonstration of hardware representative of future
landing-guidance systems. Four companies won Phase 2
contracts: Texas Instruments and Bendix were asked tc
ing on commutated Doppler equipment. Hardware was
called for by the end of 1973, in readiness for flight
evaluation in January 1974.
The British followed a similar, two-phase timescale. The
initial phase involved theoretical studies and simulation
of the three preferred techniques—frequency-referenced
and time-referenced scanning beam, and commutated
Doppler. Much of this work was carried out by RAE
Farnborough, and it was when RAE comparisons of
predicted performance showed up in its favour that UK
interest shifted finally to commutated Doppler. British
Phase 2 work began with the award of a £1 million con-
tract to Plessey in June 1973. Under the terms of the
contract, Plessey—to which STL's experience had passed
with the acquisition of its landing-guidance interests in
1971—continues to share UK MLS funding with the Civil
Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Defence and the
Department of Industry.
Other British MLS research concentrated on a ground-
derived interferometry system—giving rise to MEL's
Madge—and Marconi carried out studies of ground-derived
Doppler and hybrid scanning-beam MLS. These are no
longer under consideration as possible future international
systems and, apart from Madge, have stayed on paper.
Five states made initial submissions to Icao in 1973.
These, with the techniques proposed, were Australia
(TRSB), France (FRSB), West Germany (DME-based land-
Texas Instruments delivered its TRSB MLS
to the FAA this year. From left to right, the
system comprises an equipment cabin, azimuth
antenna and elevation antenna
ing system, DLS), UK (commutated Doppler) and the USA
(FRSB and comimutated Doppler).
The Australian TRSB "InterScan" was radically different
from the other submissions. Germany's DLS was a DME-
based, ground-derived system which has remained virtually
unchanged up to the present. It is not strictly an MLS at
all, demonstrating that the Icao requirements do not
specify microwave guidance.
The Icao AWOP then set up a Working Group' to
evaluate the technical submissions. It has been the work-
ings of the Group, and a sudden American decision to
change techniques, which have captured the headlines
over the last two> years.
The initial Working Group meeting was held at The
Hague in March 1974, followed by a second in September
of the same year. The Working Group comprises 10
members, eight of whom are considered to have sufficient
expertise to judge the proposed techniques. They come
from Australia, Canada, France, West Germany, the
Netherlands, the UK, USA and USSR, and are joined by