THE AIRCRAFT DESIGN ORGANISATION of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd.,
Has its headquarters in the Design Office at Weybridge, which is one of the largest buildings of its kind in Europe.
Over 1,000 people work under its roof. The Design Office itself is laid out on the open plan principle, emphasising that the finished design represents the combined efforts of many departments.
Design Work normally begins in the Project Office, virtually a design organisation in miniature, where the relative merits of alternative schemes are evaluated.
Within the Design Organisation are sub departments dealing with specialised subjects such as :-
aerodynamics,
stress,
structures,
weights
and airworthiness.
The actual detail design of aircraft is handled by sections of designers and draughtsmen, who provide drawings of every part of the aircraft airframe, undercarriage, furnishings, controls, hydraulics, electrics, radio, fuel system and power-plant.
A single modern type of aircraft may require over 50,000 such drawings.
The Mathematical Services Department,
Mould Loft,
Wind Tunnel
and Aircraft Laboratories
are all facets of the Design Organisation.
Ref Department
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1 T 337 Lithograph
2 T 337 Central Control
3 T 337 Production Control
4 T 337 Full Size D.O. (lst Floor)
THE MOULD LOFT is responsible for supplying the production departments with full-scale working drawings , based on designs issued by the Drawing Office, Many of the basic production drawings used by the shops are reproduced by the Mould Loft on metal, for precision, by the most modern methods of photographic and lithographic printing, The Mould Loft has the important function of "fairing" the overall lines of the entire aircraft in accordance with the parameters established by the Project office and Aerodynamics Department.
5 T 337 Sub-Contracts (lst Floor)
6 T 337 Data Processing
7 T 337 Systems Development
8 T 337 Organisation & Methods
Total T 337 = 87,197 ft^2
9 T 291 Wind Tunnel 28,450 ft^2
THE WIND TUNNEL DEPARTMENT forms an important part of the Aerodynamics Section of the Design Organisation, It gathers aerodynamic data by means of models both before and after aircraft projects reach the design stage. As the design advances, testing becomes increasingly detailed, and the accuracy required is such that models may cost £10,000 or more. At Weybrídge there are five wind tunnels covering the entire speed range up to Mach 3, 5, and the Department also has access to the Víckers-Arrnstrongs (South Marston) Ltd. , tunnel at the former Supermarine Works. As a member of the Aircraft Research Association, Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd., also uses the A.R.A. facilities including the Mach l.4 - 4,0 supersonic tunnel and the Mach 0.6 - 1,4 transonic tunnel. The foundation of BAC means that the new high speed wind tunnels at Warton are available to the group.
10 T 322 Rate-fixers
11 T 297 Tool Drawing Office 23,170 ft^2
THE JIG AND TOOL DRAWING OFFICE works in parallel with the Design Organisation from the start of a new project. As aircraft today are placed in series production from the outset, without the manufacture of hand-built prototypes , it follows that jig and tool design is a first step before construction can begin. The requirements for good quality components with the maximum degree of interchangeability calls for high quality jigs and tools. With the increasing size, refinement and complexity of aircraft, leading to higher production costs , it is necessary to obtain the maximum output from the minimum number of jigs and tools, without sacrificing quality, The ingenious solutions to these apparently conflicting requirements can be seen in every production shop in the factory.
12 T 304 Technical Publications
T 309 Technical Publications
TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT has two main functions: the production of aircraft manuals and the supply of spares provisioning data. Aircraft manuals are written and illustrated to conform to the British Civil Airworthiness Requirements and form part of the documentation necessary for the granting of a Certificate of Airworthiness. Manuals are prepared generally in accordance with the A.T.A, 100 Specification and are certified as meeting the requirements under the Vickers-Armstrongs Design Approval. One set of Vanguard manuals comprises forty volumes and include some 4, 500 illustrations.
Spares provisioning data are prepared and forwarded to all airline operators, advising them of the spares required to maintain their fleet during, normally, the first year of operation. This information is supplied progressively and completed approximately one year in advance of the first aircraft delivery in time for the parts to be ordered, manufactured and delivered concurrently with the aircraft.
13 T 304 Numerical Control
14 T 288 Drawing Office
15 T 288 Stress
16 T 288 Budgetary Control & Admin. Services
17 T 288 Aerodynamics
18 T 288 Drawings Library
19 T 288 Planning
20 T 288 Project Office
21 T 288 Project Office
22 T 288 Maths Services
THE MATHEMATICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT uses analogue and digital computers to assist the Design Organisation in a variety of ways. With the aid of the analogue Computer, for example, it is possible to simulate the response of an aircraft and its control system to the loads experienced under a Wide range of operational conditions. The digital computer, with its ability to perform arithmetic at superhuman speed, solves problems for the aerodynamics, stress, flight test and other departments; airline route and cost analyses are among its many functions.
Total T 288 = 74,732 ft^2
23 T 322 Production Statistics
24 T 322 Manufacturing Cost Control
Total T 322 = 2,728 ft^2
25 T 386 Accounts Building
26 T 321 Apprentice Training School
27 T 305 Systems
28 T 305 Production Design Control
29 T 305 Standards
30 T 305 Service Department
31 T 305 Aircraft Furnishing
32 T 305 Networth Analysis
33 T 305 Value Engineering
34 T 305 Resident Technical Office
Total T 305 = 86,370 ft^2