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Course structure

What you will learn

This course offers you the potential to refresh your understanding of military aircraft systems while also having the benefit of interfacing with the actual aircraft and our active laboratory demonstrations to explore a choice of key subsystems. Furthermore the parametric project helps to use software base tools to explore the various factors that affect the electrical systems.

On successful completion of the course you will be able to:

• Recommend the main military aircraft systems and explain their purposes and principles of operation,
• Evaluate the sources of systems power and their architecture, generation and distribution and control methods,
• Recommend the major considerations to be made in the design of aircraft systems,
• Analyse aircraft systems such as fuel and electrical requirements resulting from a given system’s presence on an aircraft by carrying out systematic calculations, simulations, design and analysis.

Core content

Actuation, Control surfaces and Data Transfer

• Control linkage systems; trim and feel; power control units; advanced actuation concepts; example systems, control databases.

Aviation Fuels & Fuel Systems

• Fuel quantity measurement; engine pressurization; engine feed; fuel transfer; refuel/defuel; vent systems; use of fuel as a heat sink; external fuel tanks; fuel jettison; in-flight refueling; aircraft examples.

Landing gear design

• Configurations; ground flotation; tyres; brakes; telescopic landing gears; lever suspensions; shock absorbers; retraction; steering.

Hydraulic/Pneumatic systems

• Circuit design; actuation; hydraulic fluid pressure; temperature and flow rate; piping and pumps; fluid conditioning; emergency power sources; warnings and status; aircraft applications.

Electrical systems

• AC and DC power generation principles; primary and secondary power distribution; power conversion and energy storage; electrical loads; emergency power generation; recent systems developments; control challenges and principles of electrical systems. Principles of Intelligent Power Management.

Pneumatic systems

• Bleed air control and indicators; bleed air uses; wing and engine anti-icing; engine starting; thrust reversers; pitot-static systems.

Environmental control systems

• The need for cockpit, cabin and avionics conditioning; refrigeration systems; humidity control; air distribution systems; cabin pressurisation; g-tolerance.

Emergency systems and De-Icing & Anti-Icing Systems

• Fire detection and suppression; emergency power sources; ejector seats.

Design exercise

• Familiarisation with the real-size aircraft(s) and subsystems.

Upgrade to a professional qualification

When taken as a Short Course for Credit, 10 credit points can be put towards the Military Aerospace and Airworthiness MSc.

Find out more about short course credit points.

Who should attend

Speakers

• Dr John Economou (Module Leader)
• Dr Derek Bray
• Mr Barry Grey

Concessions

A limited number of MOD sponsored places are available and must complete the course for credits only. 

Location and travel

ߣߣÊÓƵ Defence and Security (CDS) is a ߣߣÊÓƵ School based at the Ministry of Defence establishment on the Oxfordshire/Wiltshire borders.

Shrivenham itself lies in the picturesque Vale of the White Horse, close to the M4 motorway which links London and South Wales. It is 7 miles from Swindon, the nearest town, which lies off the M4 at the hub of Britain’s motorway network.

Bath, Cheltenham, Bristol and Oxford are all within an hour’s drive and London less than two hours away by car.

All visitors must be pre-booked in at reception by the person they are visiting on the campus.

For further location and travel details