Jim Carriere wrote:

Gord Beaman wrote:
"miket6065" wrote:
snip


Probably was
that the pilot didn't have a direct linkage to the engine. It seems in the
wings were the flight engineers and the pilot spoke into speaking tubes
giving orders about power settings. This was almost as dangerous as the
glider idea and Karl complained bitterly. Finally the pilot had some direct
power control on the engines.



I doubt that this is correct...on the Canadian ASW aircraft (the
Argus) the pilots didn't operate the engines either, they never
touched them, and we flew that aircraft for over twenty years
with the flight engineers operating them...no accident was ever
attributed to that fact.

I think the difference is the FEs and pilots were together in the
cockpit of the Argus, not connected only by Gosport tubes (or
whatever the Germans called them).


Well, partially true, the F/E was 3 or 4 feet behind the Co-Jo
with all the aircraft system controls (electrical, fire fighting,
hydraulic systems, his own throttles, all other engine controls
and all engine instruments (pilots had a few very basic engine
instruments) and was connected with an intercom system

I think there are still crewed aircraft around where the pilot can
reach the engine controls but normally the FE operates them... not
that I have any time in heavies myself, just hearsay.

I think that's so but on the Argus they never did.

Actually this is a great system especially on an ASW a/c where
the pilots need to 'keep their heads out of the cockpit' (so to
speak).

They didn't need to pay any attention to all the 'housekeeping
chores' inherent in the operation of four highly tuned and
critical piston engines and aircraft systems. They'd just say
"Engineer maintain 180 knots" (or whatever) then forget about the
a/c and concentrate on what was going on outside... worked good.

I have over 6,000 hours logged on them and I've never seen either
pilot touch the throttles. The left seat did reverse the engines
with the reversing throttles on the landing roll though.

I understand that the C-124 Globemaster is operated similarly.
(?)
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)