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ibbon heater
other aerofoil essentially in chordwise direction; in highly
swept wing axis may occasionally be aligned more with
aircraft longitudinal axis but essential feature is that *
joins leading and trailing edges and maintains correct
section profile.
2 Light peripheral member not part of primary structure
whose purpose is to maintain profile of aerofoil and
support fabric or thin wood covering (see compression *,
nose *).
ribbon heater Electrothermal tape coiled around pipe to
prevent freezing, sections joined by approved connectors.
ribbon microphone Comprises thin corrugated strip of
aluminium alloy suspended between poles of permanent
magnet; output is signals generated by strip vibrating
perpendicular to field.
ribbon parachute One whose canopy is formed from
rings (rarely, spiral) of ribbon, giving high porosity but
reduced opening shock and good stability.
ribbons Medals.
ribbon spray Water flung sideways by planing bottom at
high speed; caused by first contact of hull or float with
water and leaves at high speed at shallow angle; also called
velocity spray.
riblet 1 Portion of rib, eg extending only from front spar
to LE.
2 Carefully profiled microgroove, no larger than fine
scratch, which, repeated millions of times to cover entire
non-laminar part of aircraft skin, can reduce drag up to c
3 per cent.
RIBS Readiness in base services.
RIC 1 Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (RAF
Marham).
2 Reconnaissance interpretation center.
rich Having excess of fuel (well above stoichiometric)
for given flow of air or other oxidant. Hence * mixture.
Richardson effect See thermionic emission.
Richardson number Ri, non-dimensional quality in
study of vertical shear in atmosphere.
rich cut Sudden loss of piston engine power caused by
over-rich mixture, notably caused by flooding of floatchamber
carburettor under negative g.
rich extinction Failure of combustion caused by excessively
rich mixture.
rich mixture Piston engine fuel/air mixtures significantly
above stoichiometric, among other things reducing
combustion temperature and enabling higher boost pressure
to be used without detonation. Thus 100-octane
Avgas has an RMO rating of 130.
RICS Rubber-impregnated chopped strands.
RIDE, Ride Radio communications intercept and D/F
equipment.
ride control Automatically commanded aerodynamic
control system which reduces, and attempts to eliminate,
vertical accelerations caused by flight through gusts, esp.
by penetrating aircraft at high (possibly transonic) speed
at lo level. Typically includes sensitive g-sensors,
computer and foreplanes (possibly augmented by forerudder
or section of main rudder) to minimize vertical
acceleration of crew compartment. In B-1 called LARC,
later SMCS.
ridge Narrow extended portion of anticyclone or other
high.
ridge girder Structural member forming part of stiffjoined
main transverse frame of airship, usually qualified
as inner or outer and separated by main radial struts. Each
** links two longitudinals.
ridge lift Provided by air on upwind side of ridge.
ridge lines Bright lines overlaid on HUD along summits,
ridges and edges.
riding lights Those displayed by marine aircraft moored
or at anchor.
riding the controls Not definable, but tendency of pilot
to keep making small unnecessary control movements.
RIDR Runway-incursion detection radar.
RIDS, Rids 1 Radio information distribution system
(digital airborne CNI systems).
2 Ramp-information display system.
RIE Rapid improvement event.
RIF 1 Reduction in force (military); hence, personnel
can be riffed (USAF).
2 Reclearance in flight.
RIG, Rig Rate integrating gyro.
rig 1 To adjust wing angular setting, wash-in wash-out,
dihedral, control-surface neutral positions and other
aerodynamic shape determinants to obtain desired flight
characteristics; normally applied only to light GA
aircraft, in which it is possible to * by adjusting tensions
of bracing wires and even alter shape of fuselage.
2 To prepare a load for airdrop (NATO).
3 Purpose-designed test installation for development of
jet-lift V/STOL aircraft (in which case * may fly) or
complete aircraft system, eg fuel, hydraulics, environmental,
landing gear or propulsion. Usually full-scale and
non-flying and often incorporating flight-quality hardware;
eg fuel-system * can test entire aircraft fuel system
in extreme attitudes and under abnormal environmental
conditions.
rigger 1 Historically, ground engineer responsible for
rigging (1, 2).
2 Today, engineer responsible for fine adjustment of
flight controls, flaps, airbrakes and certain operative
systems.
rigging 1 See rig (1); esp. adjustment of flight control
system, even in modern powered system, so that all
surfaces have exactly correct rest angles and system
responses.
2 Complete system of wires, cables and cords by which
aerostat (esp. kite balloon or other moored type) is
secured to main cable(s) or handling guys, and by which
crew operate valves etc.
3 Equipment for dusting (dry *) or spraying (wet *) on
ag-aircraft.
rigging angle of incidence See angle of incidence.
rigging band Strong tape band around kite balloon or
other moored aerostat envelope to which all rigging (2)
and payload are attached.
rigging lines Those connecting parachute canopy to
load.
rigging load Pre-loading in tension of control cable to
ensure demand P is transmitted in both legs and reduce
load deformation; symbol R, thus tensions in legs are
R ± .
P––
2
rigging tab
rigging patch Patch connecting rigging (2) to aerostat, in
place of rigging band.
rigging position Aircraft attitude in which lateral axis
and an arbitrary longitudinal axis (possibly actual longitudinal
axis) are both horizontal.
rigging tab Ground-adjustable tab.
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