Typhoon Part Four | National Geographic

with the electric signed off carbon

with the electric signed off carbon fiber skins are added and more glue

fiber skins are added and more glue

fiber skins are added and more glue reinforcing sealant is spread across the

reinforcing sealant is spread across the

reinforcing sealant is spread across the joints this protects the structure and

joints this protects the structure and

joints this protects the structure and helps keep moisture out then more

helps keep moisture out then more

helps keep moisture out then more drilling just like the wings in Italy in

drilling just like the wings in Italy in

drilling just like the wings in Italy in Spain the placement of the drill holes

Spain the placement of the drill holes

Spain the placement of the drill holes is crucial this part must also connect

is crucial this part must also connect

is crucial this part must also connect to weather parts made hundreds of

to weather parts made hundreds of

to weather parts made hundreds of kilometres away if the holes don’t line

kilometres away if the holes don’t line

kilometres away if the holes don’t line up this aircraft will be grounded holes

up this aircraft will be grounded holes

up this aircraft will be grounded holes aboard for temporary fasteners

these will hold the skins in place until

these will hold the skins in place until permanently fixed and it’s not going

permanently fixed and it’s not going

permanently fixed and it’s not going there until these guys say so they check

there until these guys say so they check

there until these guys say so they check for tolerances one of the biggest

for tolerances one of the biggest

for tolerances one of the biggest challenges for the Typhoon’s engineers

challenges for the Typhoon’s engineers

challenges for the Typhoon’s engineers is making sure every part of this model

is making sure every part of this model

is making sure every part of this model lines up perfectly no matter where it’s

lines up perfectly no matter where it’s

lines up perfectly no matter where it’s made many aircraft are allowed a 25

made many aircraft are allowed a 25

made many aircraft are allowed a 25 millimeter lateral difference along the

millimeter lateral difference along the

millimeter lateral difference along the line from the tail to the nose the

line from the tail to the nose the

line from the tail to the nose the typhoon is accurate to within one and a

typhoon is accurate to within one and a

typhoon is accurate to within one and a half millimeters you can measure

half millimeters you can measure

half millimeters you can measure anything we can measure hole positions

anything we can measure hole positions

anything we can measure hole positions surfaces of the aircraft

surfaces of the aircraft

surfaces of the aircraft anything real not only are these guys

anything real not only are these guys

anything real not only are these guys masters at this technology Sharples

masters at this technology Sharples

masters at this technology Sharples invented a better way of doing it

invented a better way of doing it

invented a better way of doing it the wireless headset was something that

the wireless headset was something that

the wireless headset was something that came in that we thought we could use

came in that we thought we could use

came in that we thought we could use voice recognition to control the tracker

voice recognition to control the tracker

voice recognition to control the tracker so we use a wireless headset to speak to

so we use a wireless headset to speak to

so we use a wireless headset to speak to the computer to tell it when to take

the computer to tell it when to take

the computer to tell it when to take measurements and when to stop so we can

measurements and when to stop so we can

measurements and when to stop so we can we can actually work on our own as a

we can actually work on our own as a

we can actually work on our own as a one-man team but today is a two-man

one-man team but today is a two-man

one-man team but today is a two-man operation so no headset is needed here

operation so no headset is needed here

operation so no headset is needed here this 3d laser makes sure the Typhoon’s

this 3d laser makes sure the Typhoon’s

this 3d laser makes sure the Typhoon’s parts are perfectly aligned there can be

parts are perfectly aligned there can be

parts are perfectly aligned there can be no surprises further down the line

the laser itself does the work of a

the laser itself does the work of a small army depending on what you’re

small army depending on what you’re

small army depending on what you’re measuring this particular job takes

measuring this particular job takes

measuring this particular job takes about an hour probably to measure and

about an hour probably to measure and

about an hour probably to measure and they’re about the same to analyze

they’re about the same to analyze

they’re about the same to analyze whereas if you’re doing it the

whereas if you’re doing it the

whereas if you’re doing it the old-fashioned way

old-fashioned way

old-fashioned way the expenditure of the tooling and the

the expenditure of the tooling and the

the expenditure of the tooling and the actual manpower on it as well you

actual manpower on it as well you

actual manpower on it as well you talking a lot longer maybe you know what

talking a lot longer maybe you know what

talking a lot longer maybe you know what half a day maybe maybe longer with its

half a day maybe maybe longer with its

half a day maybe maybe longer with its major parts in storm and the sign-off

major parts in storm and the sign-off

major parts in storm and the sign-off from alignment part four of the typhoon

from alignment part four of the typhoon

from alignment part four of the typhoon is ready to answer the kid next part

is ready to answer the kid next part

is ready to answer the kid next part five