Unique Load Cell Application
Temora Aviation Museum operates Australia’s largest collection of historic ex-military piston and jet aircraft outside of the military. The jet aircraft of the collection include a Gloster Meteor, E.E Canberra, de Havilland Vampire T 35 and the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly. With this fleet of rare aircraft and the forthcoming restoration of the CAC Sabre jet fighter, a decision was made by the Chief Engineer, Peter Pring-Shambler to build a mobile test stand to conduct jet engine testing in-house.
Load cells were required for thrust measurement and Peter contacted Control Overload Pty Ltd, the Australian agent for Vishay Nobel AB. For many years, Vishay Nobel has supplied special double cantilever KIS load cells for jet engine test stands.
KIS load cells are cylindrical in shape and are totally immune to side load. KIS are very rugged and can safely take a 100% overload without damage. Sealed to IP-67, these load cells are fully weatherproof. These unique properties make KIS load cells ideal for this application. Mounted either side of the engine, the load cells can bear the weight of the engine and are rotated in the mounting assembly to directly measure engine thrust.
Peter Pring-Shambler and engine technician David Finch designed the mobile test stand in-house. Computerised data logging developed by Perkins Technologies records thrust and other parameters such as engine RPM, temperature measurement in various locations, vibration measurement and fuel flow. The ability to remotely start/stop and run the engine between 0 to 100% thrust is incorporated in this system. Further complicating the design is the requirement for it to be mobile.
The first engine to be tested is an Avon turbojet with 7,500 pounds thrust from a CAC Sabre jet fighter. The RAAF operated this aircraft type in the 1950’s and early 1960’s prior to the introduction of the Mirage jet fighter. The Sabre has long been regarded as one of the most beautiful of jet aircraft and was made famous in the Korean War with the United States Air Force in air combat against Soviet built Mig-15 jet fighters. Australia licence built this aircraft and redesigned it to incorporate a British Avon jet engine.
Temora Aviation Museum is a very unique facility with all the aircraft fully airworthy. Ten aircraft engineers are kept very busy keeping this fleet of aircraft flying. It’s highly recommended that anyone, even with the slightest interest in aircraft and aviation history visit the Temora Aviation Museum located in Temora, 4 hours drive south west of Sydney.
