Dear members of the KIVI Department of History of Technology and of Histechnica,

The boards of the association Histechnica and of the KIVI Department of History of Technology are pleased to invite you to attend a lecture to be delivered by Mr Prof J.F. Abbink entitled: "Towards a 1-man cockpit?"

Entrance is from car park behind high-rise building. Access to car park is by driving licence.

Programme:

  • 10.30 am: Walk-in with coffee and tea
  • 11:00: Welcome and introduction
  • 11.05:00: Lecture by Mr Fred Abbink
  • 12:00: Break
  • 12:15: Continuation of lecture and closing discussion
  • 12:45: End of the meeting

please register to attend this lecture:

  • KIVI members can register via the KIVI website
  • Members of Histechnica can register through the secretary hotzeboonstra@gmail.com.
  • Interested parties who are not members can also register through the above channels. There will then be a cost of ā‚¬5.00.

The lecture will be broadcast live; you should also register for this through the above channels. There is no charge for this.

Summary of the lecture

In the first half of the 20th century, the aeroplane developed from a relatively risky, experimental vehicle, which could only be flown in good weather and visibility conditions, into a reliable means of transport, which could be flown and landed safely and efficiently in almost all weather and visibility conditions.

Radio communication and radio navigation and approach and landing systems enabled navigation and landing in almost all visibility conditions. Autopilots greatly eased the workload of pilots.

The generation of transatlantic commercial aircraft in the late 1940s flew with a cockpit crew of five, namely two pilots, a flight engineer, a navigator and a radio operator.

New electronic (avionics) systems like the High Frequency (HF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) radiotelephony systems meant that the two pilots could take over the duties of the radio operator. The same applied to the introduction of inertial navigation systems. These meant that the two pilots could also take over the navigator's role in terms of reliable and accurate navigation.

The development of semiconductor technology and electronic displays made it possible in the 1980s for the two pilots to also take over the tasks of the flight engineer.

In the 1920s, research began into the possibilities of further reducing the cockpit crew. The first step will be that aircraft will be started and landed with two pilots in the cockpit, but during cruise flight only one pilot will be active.

Information about the speaker

Fred Abbink graduated as an electrical engineer from TU Delft in 1968. After his military service in the navy, he started working at the 'Netherlands Aerospace Laboratory' (NLR) in 1969.From 1980 to 1997, in addition to his work at the NLR, Fred was a part-time professor of 'flight test instrumentation and avionics' at TU Delft's Faculty of Aeronautical Engineering. He also held various positions at NATO and other national and international organisations, among others.Even after his retirement at the end of 2009, Fred remained active in his field of aviation.

Upcoming activities at Science Center Delft:

  • Saturday 15 March 2025 at 11:00 lecture by Dr N. de Hilster: "A quadrant like Blaeu's: Construction, use e accuracy"
  • Saturday 12 April 2025 at 11:00 am by Dr N. de Vreeze: "Icons of Dutch public housing".
  • Saturday 17 May 2025 at 11:00 am lecture by ir A. Burgers: "From the Scheldt to the Rhine: The waterway quarrels between the Netherlands and Belgium".
  • Saturday 28 June 2025 at 11:00am lecture by Dr H.G Heijmans: "The deception of Alexandria; Robert Fryer and the Pocahontas"

A 2-day study tour to Liege and its surroundings will take place on Thursday 22 May and Friday 23 May 2025

On the occasion of Histechnica's 50th anniversary, a book "Out of Failure Making Progress" was published on Saturday 20 April 2024. The book will be available free of charge during the lecture.