The Future of the Coastguard Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Future of the Coastguard - Essay Example Apart from that, its function as a search and rescue service and as an environmental monitoring and protection one, cannot be underestimated or undervalued. The coast guard is essential in the life of any coastal or island country and its importance is expected to increase. While there are hardly any who are not aware of the presence, aims and objectives of all of the army, the navy and the air force, only a handful of people have a similar awareness of the coastguard. Although some countries, such as the United States, Canada and Japan, define the coast guard as a division of the national military, its importance is generally underestimated (LaGuardia-Kotite and Ridge, 2006). Popular understanding of the coast guard is that it acts as a vessel and life rescue service and, in some instances, to monitor fishing across the national coastlines and waters. This understanding barely touches upon the duties, responsibilities, aims and objectives of both civilian and military coast guard services, nor does it even hint at the fact that the coast guard, in the first and last, is primarily responsible for coastal and port security. In other words, the responsibilities and functions of the coast guard directly tie in with national security (LaGuardia-Kotite and Ridge, 2006). This research paper, which shall highlight the multiple functions of the coast guard s... n, shall, hopefully, illustrate that insofar as coastal countries are concerned, the coast guard plays an invaluable and vital role; a role which directly contributes to increased national security. Historical Background The Coast Guard first emerged in the early nineteenth century and in direct response to an ever growing need to protect coastal areas from smugglers, not to mention rescue services for vessels and fleets in distress (LaGuardia-Kotite and Ridge, 2006). While there is, currently, hardly a coastal country which does not have a coast guard service, tracing its history in the United Kingdom is particularly informative, not just because the first coast guard service emerged in that country but because both civilian and military division of the UK coast guard functioned, and to a degree continues to function, as the model for the same in coastal nations across the world (Thoreaux, 2006). Prior to expanding upon the genesis of the coastguard and over viewing its historical evolution in Britain, it is interesting to point out that the United States Coastguard strenuously maintains that the historical roots of this service lie in the United States (Beard, 2004). According to this argument, the outbreak of conflict between the United States and Britain regarding the colonisation of North America, is directly responsible for the evolution of the coastguard. In 1740, with the outbreak of the aforementioned war, military commanders realised the imperatives of stationing men along strategic coastal areas for "look-out" duties (Beard, 2004, p. 78). These men were supposed to keep watch over the impending arrival of enemy vessels and to warn the army (Beard, 2004). Insofar as the function of these men was the protection of coastal areas against the possible

Construction and operation of aircraft fluid systems Coursework

Construction and operation of aircraft fluid systems - Coursework Example The turbine engine and the pneumatic power generation component are integral. Largely, the engine component is responsible to the pneumatic power generation. The constructional design of the power generation component takes into consideration the needs to regulate pressure and temperature. Normally, bled air conditions depend on the engine functioning conditions. Critics contend that bleeding the air from the engine can lead to engine suffocation consequently leading to mechanical breakdown. The pneumatic compressor bleeds air from the engine in various stages, a low-pressure port, intermediate and high-pressure port. The compressor has a check valve, which prevents air from moving to low pressure port during bleeding. By design, the low-pressure port is always open, but the shut valve may close it if the engine is a critical condition. The pneumatic power system in aircraft is a secondary power. By design, bleed air is tapped from one or more points along the engine compressor to pr ovide pneumatic power. To achieve the requirement drive shafts, from the engine’s high pressure shaft, drive an accessory gear box on which are mounted generators and hydraulic pumps as well as engine’s own accessories. ... The pneumatic power system has several functions in an aircraft. These functions are air conditioning and pressurization. In aircrafts for civil transport, bleed air is useful in extracting the secondary source of power. The users of the pneumatic power system are air conditioning system and pressurization systems. By design, the air pressure in the aircraft cabin should be at a pressure equivalent to 8000 feet or less and this requires a constant supply of air. It follows therefore that the pneumatic power systems must supply the required pressure in the aircraft. Moreover, the oxygen used in the aircraft requires replacement at constant intervals. Normally, the contaminant level should be under check to avoid suffocation in the aircraft. To control this process, the aircraft requires a source of air pressure that can aid the sucking of the contaminated air and replacing it with fresh air. The pneumatic power systems provides effective high pressure used in the above requirement. Th e process of air conditioning passes through numerous stages ranging from sucking the contaminated air, filtering as well as supplying the fresh air alongside a maintained temperature. The pneumatic power systems drive the ice protection systems. Dangerous icing conditionings are no longer a threat to the modern aircraft because of the modernization of the aircraft components. However, critics have several reasons behind the need to protect aircraft from icing conditions. Some of the reasons adduced against this factor include possibility of accidents resulting from the accretion of ice on the lifting surface of aircraft. The major cause of engine intake icing is the special flow conditions present and most aircraft have at least some provision for de icing in this region of the frame.