Simviation Forum - cockpit fogging

	Search the archive:

Simviation Main Site | Site Search | Upload Images

Simviation Forum › Real World › Real Aviation › cockpit fogging

(Moderators: Mitch., Fly2e, ozzy72, beaky, Clipper, JBaymore, Bob70, BigTruck)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Pages: 1

cockpit fogging (Read 491 times)

Nov 25^th, 2012 at 6:35pm

wahubna Offline
Colonel
WMU Bronco
Michigan

Gender:
Posts: 1064

I feel like I am losing my mind here. In another corner of the web I have been labeled an idiot because I made a comment of the F-16's cockpit that overran the runway at Oshkosh '11 was fogged up...I myself could barely see the pilot in the cockpit due to the intense fog IN his cockpit (not between me and the F-16).

A few folks claimed no fighter ever carried any form of air conditioning...yet thermodynamics and my experiences say YES.

So the question is, do aircraft (in particular fighters) need some form of air conditioning to control cockpit humidity?

All that I know screams yes.

‎"At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation."- Igor Sikorsky

IP Logged

Reply #1 - Nov 26^th, 2012 at 1:55am

SaultFresh Offline
Colonel
Flight Instructor, CYKZ
Woodbridge, Ontario

Gender:
Posts: 134

I don't know much, if anything at all, about fighters Tongue

but I do know that the small aircraft that I have flown, specifically the Zlin 242L, the Cessna 172S, and the Piper Seminal PA44, all had some variation of what one might call air conditioning. General Aviation aircraft tend to use ram air to help cool down the cockpit when selected, and that same ram air, can help heat the cockpit if it travels around the exhaust shroud in the engine, again, if selected. So it is possible that a fighter aircraft may use something similar, I don't know. But the technology exists Tongue

IP Logged

Reply #2 - Nov 26^th, 2012 at 2:42pm

CHUCK79 Offline
Global Moderator
"Good grief"
KOMK

Gender:
Posts: 4998

You seem perfectly sane to me, Wahubna.
If F-16s don't have air con.....then what would these switches (labeled Air Cond) be used for I wonder?? Roll Eyes

(From the Aerosoft F-16)

« Last Edit: Nov 26^th, 2012 at 6:24pm by CHUCK79 »

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings. Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun split clouds.....and done a hundred things you have never dreamed of.....wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hovering there, I've chased the shouting wind along and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delerious, burning blue I've topped the wind swept heights with easy grace where never Lark, nor even Eagle flew. While with silent lifting of mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of god"

IP Logged

Reply #3 - Nov 30^th, 2012 at 2:01am

Splinter562 Offline
Colonel
Tampa, FL

Gender:
Posts: 217

Jet aircraft almost always have air conditioning. It is part of what is typically called the Environmental Control System (ECS). The primary functions of the ECS is pressurization and temperature control. Most ECS systems also provide window defog as well. This Wikipedia article has an excellent summary of it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_control_system

The actual "air conditioner" in most jets (including the F-16), is significantly different from the condenser/evaporator air conditioner in a car. It's called an Air Cycle Machine (ACM) which is a turbine-based design. After the ACM, the cooled air passes through a water separator to keep the humidity down. Again, the Wikipedia article for this one is pretty good:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_cycle_machine

If you wanted to see a picture of the F-16's ACM, I found one here:
http://www51.honeywell.com/aero/common/documents/myaerospacecatalog-documents/De...

IP Logged

Reply #4 - Nov 30^th, 2012 at 7:07am

wahubna Offline
Colonel
WMU Bronco
Michigan

Gender:
Posts: 1064

Thank you guys, it is nice to know I was not losing my mind Grin

‎"At that time [1909] the chief engineer was almost always the chief test pilot as well. That had the fortunate result of eliminating poor engineering early in aviation."- Igor Sikorsky

IP Logged

Reply #5 - Nov 30^th, 2012 at 9:35am

expat Offline
Colonel
Deep behind enemy lines!

Gender:
Posts: 8499

Looks like this thread has been answered already, but I will throw in my 2 cents worth...........

Plane ( Grin

) and simple, tell the people at the "other websites" they are talking bollocks, big hairy sweaty dangley ones!! What the phuq do they think cabin/cockpit pressurisation is Roll Eyes

If it was not for copious amounts of cabin conditioning in the winter, the RAF's Harriers (dearly departed) and Tornado's would not be let out of the hangar for 6 months of the year. You only have to close the canopy on a Harrier and think about breathing and you are fogged up.

Matt

PETA People Eating Tasty Animals.

B1 Boeing 737-800 and Dash8 Q-400

IP Logged

Pages: 1

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Home

‹ Board

Top of this page