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Aircraft Nose Cone

Why the Nose Cone in Aircraft is Important ?

 

Nose cone is also known as RADOME. As the Name Implies, it is the DOME which consists of Radar Equipment.

The function of the radome is to protect the antennas installed in the nose of the aircraft from airflow, rain, hail, lightning strike, bird strike,etc.

At the same time it must provide a radio-frequency transparent window, suitable for the microwave signals of the weather detection radar, instrument landing system and microwave landing system.

The most demanding system in terms of radome radio frequency specification is the weather radar.

 

Nose Cone/Radome

Sources of radome degradation

 

There are many reasons for the performance level of a radome to degrade below minimum requirements.

They range from lightning strike, bird strike, natural erosion, water ingress for some types of radomes, ageing, poor, repairs such as wrong material used, or over-painting.

 

How a degraded radome affects the radar system (Weather detection)

 

The radar transmits a radio-frequency pulse. Then it listens for the return pulse reverberated by an obstacle (rain,terrain) and measures its elapsed time. The distance between aircraft and obstacle is proportional to the elapsed time. The larger size and reflectivity of the target means a stronger return. A low transparency to radio frequency of a radome directly affects range detection and target size computation. This could end up underestimating a weather hazard. The measured signal must be the one returned by the main lobe of the antenna. A return signal from secondary lobes (also called “side lobes”) may generate false weather targets from ground echoes.

 

Materials used to Manufacture Radome:

 

Glass fiber, Kevlar, Quartz.


Note: Please figure out the Aircraft Manufaturer (Its an Single Aisle)

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