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At a meeting of the Institute of Marine Engineers in London on October 22, K. Byer, RNSS (Admiralty Engineering Laboratory), V. J. Dallimore, CEng, MIMechE (British Railways Board) and C. B. Lowe, CEng, MIMechE (British Railways Board) presented a paper with the intention of installing confidence in the use of chromium plating of crankshaft journals in medium‐sized diesel engines as a design feature, or, reclamation process. The paper clarified important features of chromium plate and compared this with other methods of surface treatment. The success of the technique was demonstrated by reference to the results of fatigue tests on full‐sized specimens and extensive experience with crankshafts in commercial service. It is this part of the paper that we have mainly reproduced here in shortened form, by kind permission of the Institute of Marine Engineers.

The importance of hydraulic fluid cleanliness is appreciated by every user of large modern hydraulic systems and the introduction of higher operating pressures, plus improved response from the systems, have made freedom from contamination even more important. An important paper on this subject was given to The Institute of Marine Engineers in February by D. L. Kitch, CEng, MIMechE, RNES, (Ministry of Defence, Bath). His paper covered design, manufacture, operation and maintenance aspects. We base the following upon these sections of the paper dealing mainly with contamination control in hydraulic systems, and although the author has marine systems in mind, what he had to say is applicable to most hydraulic systems on land also.

Captain J. A. Beadon, MSc, BSc (Eng), CEng, MIMechE, MRAES, RN, joined the Royal Navy as a graduate engineer and was commissioned as an Air Engineer Officer from the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon, in 1945.

FOR several years training technologists and educationalists have been advocating use of the “systematic approach” method of training. British Airways Engineering Apprentice Training Centre has developed, and is practising with considerable success, a programme based on this concept. Its implementation has resulted in improved efficiency and provides advantages not available from previous “traditional” methods.

The definition and measurement of Productivity are controversial subjects so an outline of some of the problems that arise and the definitions that are generally considered to be most acceptable will not be out of place as an introduction. Productivity is a ratio of an output to input; it is therefore somewhat akin to the engineering concept of efficiency, but unfortunately without the accompanying rigour of definition of input and output in energy terms.

This is the first in a series of articles covering the various aspects of aviation safety. FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS have now reached the stage where predictions can indicate that they reach the level of safety required by certificating authorities. This stage has been achieved by a combination of experience and techniques which regocnise that the majority of the components of which systems are composed may fail.

Central Training Council Members Twenty‐eight members of the Central Training Council were named by the Minister of Labour on 6th May. In addition to Mr Lindley and Mr Longley, four other chairmen of industrial training boards will be appointed to the Council, but the Minister is keeping these seats in hand until boards have been appointed to cover a wider range of industry.

Helicopter vibration is like toothache; many operators put up with it because the cure might be painful, but the more enlightened seek treatment. No operator likes to counterance the down‐time and disruption caused by traditional diagnosis and tuning methods. Nowadays, thanks largely to pioneering work carried out in this country, the cure for excessive vibration can be quick, sure and inexpensive. This article describes how the situation has been changed by the evolution of scientific tuning methods over the last fifteen years.

In the past electromechanical actuators have been used to operate and control functions that demanded reasonably low power whilst the more arduous requirements of secondary and primary flying control surfaces have been powered by hydraulic motors and drives. With the advent of rare earth permanent magnet electrical machines with greatly enhanced magnetic properties allowing higher powers to be achieved without significant increases in mass and dimension, together with the development of high voltage power electronic devices, it is now possible to extend the application of electomechanical actuation even to primary flying control surfaces. This paper highlights some design aspects in the development of electromechanical actuators (EMA's), draws attention to the several advantages of EMA's and their rare earth drive motors and addresses some of the problems that need to be tackled in order to achieve full certification for future aircraft.

Rolls‐Royce has completed a successful series of tests on a Pegasus vectored‐thrust engine fitted with Plenum Chamber Burning (PCB) at a new open‐air facility within the Ministry of Defence test establishment at Shoeburyness, Essex.