Blast to the Edge: Eurofighter Typhoon

Something that modern fighter pilots have in common with those who fought in the Battle of Britain is that they must fly alone. If something unexpected happens, especially in combat, pilots need the skills and knowledge to get them out of the situation. The team backing them has made sure their aircraft is functioning exactly as it should. The rest is down to the pilot.

Spitfires were used to fight the Nazis during the 1940 Battle of Britain. Spitfires were fast, reliable planes that the pilots grew to love. They were not perfect but an experienced pilot could turn one into a deadly weapon.

Eurofighter Typhoon pilots receive more comprehensive training than pilots did in 1940. They don’t face the likelihood of death every time they fly. Pilots spend many hours in simulators before flying the Eurofighter, and many more hours of actual flying before they are sent on missions.

The Typhoon is superior in every way to a Spitfire: it is faster and can fly higher; it has radar and other navigation equipment; and it carries a huge array of weapons that can find targets many miles away.

In 1940, the UK was the only country in Europe that had not been invaded by the Nazis. Pilots were fighting to stop a possible invasion. They faced endless waves of aircraft and could complete five or six missions a day. Many died.

Imagine you are an RAF pilot, about to fly the Eurofighter Typhoon. At high altitudes, there is little oxygen and it is very cold. Rather than the sheepskin and leather helmet worn by Spitfire pilots in 1940, you’ll have state-of-the-art, carbon fibre and plastic clothing.

The carbon-fibre inner suit is insulated and fire resistant to protect the pilot from extreme conditions. Back in the 1940s, spitfire pilots were given sheepskin jackets and woolen underwear to keep them warm.

When planes turn, the forces involved (G-forces) can pull blood away from the head to the feet, causing pilots to black out. A G-Suit prevents this. Spitfire pilots in 1940 did not have G-Suits and would often pass out.

These boots link to the G-Suit and can contract to squeeze blood out of the feet. This helps to keep the pilot conscious when carrying out a tight turn in the air.

The helmet’s computer technology allows the pilot a 360° view outside the Eurofighter Typhoon. Weapons are voice controlled. Spitfire pilots had only a small Perspex canopy through which to see outside. 

A team of trained staff is needed to keep the Eurofighter Typhoon flying. The pilot relies on these people every time he or she flies to make sure the aircraft is safe. Some work for the RAF (those wearing green) while others work for civilian companies such as BAE (wearing blue).

The RAF aircraft technician in green is checking the blades for bird strike. Planes are checked regularly for damage. Blades must be extremely strong, to prevent birds damaging them, and light, to allow them to spin rapidly.

People sometimes consider engineering a dirty job, but modern engineers are as likely to download data using a tablet as use a spanner. Spitfires did not have computers: engineers used hand tools such as spanners and screwdrivers.

If you work for the RAF, you can be posted abroad. It is no ordinary job, but the training and the special bond between technicians and pilots means they are ready to face problems when they occur.

The entire aircraft needs to be maintained by engineers and aircraft technicians. Major servicing can take up to three weeks. Engineers need to understand how the whole aeroplane works, as well as having relevant computer skills to help them fix problems that arise.

The high-performance Eurojet EJ200 engine can be removed from the fighter in under an hour. It is a piece of precision equipment that needs maintenance from highly skilled engineers.

Aircraft technicians work on the mechanical parts of the aeroplane, supervised by an engineering officer. The technicians like working on practical problems, using their hands to monitor and mend the aircraft. 

The aircraft’s systems are controlled by 4 on-board computers. Technicians can progress to Higher Apprenticeships in Aeronautical Engineering. Their qualifications and experience will make them highly employable: they will often go on to well-paid jobs in the aircraft engineering industry. 

It takes 4 years of training to become a pilot – not everyone makes it. Competition is intense and everyone works long hours to pass the assessments. Would-be pilots spend hours training in simulators like this one, which cost £750 million. Pilots can already fly before they begin training on the real Eurofighter Typhoon.

Being in the flight simulator is very similar to flying a Eurofighter Typhoon, apart from the G-forces. In 1940, during the Battle of Britain, fighter pilots were sent into battle with only 20–30 hours of flying experience.

The simulator is controlled by an instructor, who is able to introduce problems for the pilot to resolve. Pilots rehearse all potential problems again and again until they are able to confidently deal with them in actual flight. 

Would you want to be a pilot? Successful applicants must be great at mathematics, possess amazing reflexes and be calm under pressure. They must react quickly to information on many screens – like playing a highly demanding computer game.

Imagine you are going to fly a Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time. Before you take off, a team of people has to work hard to make sure the aircraft is ready and safe to fly.

This is an external fuel tank. The fighter has a range of 1800 miles and uses more than 2000 military jet fuel per hour, so it has 8 fuel tanks in total. 

The power unit keeps the batteries charged and the aircraft working when it is on the ground. It also is used to start the aircraft. 

As you climb the steps ahead of a mission, what are you thinking? The Eurofighter has a team of skilled people looking after it, which makes you confident you can fly at twice the speed of sound at more than 40,000 feet. 

The Eurofighter is every fighter pilot’s dream. The cockpit was designed by pilots for pilots, allowing them to use the aircraft instinctively after training. The Eurofighter is controlled by a combination of voice, throttle and stick commands. 

The pilot is presented with a range of information displays, including 3 Multi-function Head Down Displays (MHDDs) and a Head-up Display (HUD) that allows him or her to see information while looking outside.

The circular glass is an angled, semi-reflective display directly in the pilot’s eye line. The HUD provides the pilot with the aircraft's altitude, velocity and weapons mode, as well as targeting and systems information.

This screen and the two either side are Multi-function Head-down Displays (HDDs), showing tactical and attack situations, maps, air-traffic procedures and system checklists. Pilots can fully configure the screens to display information exactly how they want to see it.

The VTAS system enables the pilot to control the aircraft using a combination of hands and voice. Feedback from the aircraft is visual – via the displays – or aural, through the headset.

The Eurofighter's Helmet-mounted Symbology System (HMSS) displays flight and weapons data before the pilot's very eyes on the visor. The helmet also contains an oxygen mask, a night-vision enhancement camera and a head-position tracking system.

Spitfires and Typhoons were developed to do similar jobs, using very different technology. Like the Typhoon, the Spitfire was one of the best combat aircraft of its day. What are the main differences between them?

The Eurofighter Typhoon has two jet engines that produce roughly 40,000 horsepower; in 1940, the Spitfire’s Rolls-Royce propeller engine produced 1030 horsepower. By comparison, a typical car produces about 100 horsepower. 

In 1940, the Spitfire was considered a swift aircraft, managing 360 miles per hour at a maximum height of 34,000 feet. The Eurofighter is much faster: Mach 1.8 (4 times faster) at a height of more than 50,000 feet.

The Spitfire is constructed mainly out of aluminum alloy. The Eurofighter is very different: it’s 70% carbon fibre, 15% metal and 12% glass-reinforced plastic.

Both fighters’ wing shapes provide maneuverability. Spitfire wings were elliptical, while the Eurofighter has a delta wing. The delta wing is designed to be unstable – and therefore more maneuverable – in flight but needs 4 on-board computers to control it.