American Dragon: Jake Long, or simply American Dragon, is an American animated television series. It was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, created by Jeff Goode and co-developed by Eddie Guzelian and Matt Negrete. It premiered on Disney Channel on January 21, 2005, and ended on September 1, 2007. Fifty-two episodes were produced.

Premise

Set in the New York City borough of Manhattan, this animated series tells the story of a Chinese-American boy named Jake Long (voiced by Dante Basco), who must balance ordinary adolescence with the ability to change into a dragon. When he eventually unlocks his full potential and turns into the American Dragon, he has to overcome obstacles to protect the magical creatures living in the city, but as his ordinary self, Jake has issues with his deep crush on his schoolmate Rose (Mae Whitman) who, unbeknownst to Jake, has a dark, magical secret of her own: she is a natural dragon-slayer known as the Huntsgirl, a member of the Huntsclan, a cult of ninjas that slays mythical creatures and who Jake has fought consistently. The leader of the Huntsclan is the Huntsman (Jeff Bennett) who raised Rose.

Jake navigates the city with his two best friends – Trixie Carter (Miss Kittie) and Arthur P. "Spud" Spudinski (Charlie Finn). When Jake gets home, it is to an extended family who all live together: Jake, his sister, their parents, and Jake's maternal grandfather Lao Shi (Keone Young). Jonathan (Jeff Bennett), a businessman dad originally from the Midwest, is unaware that he is married into a family of dragons from his Chinese wife Susan (Lauren Tom) (who lacks any dragon abilities, which skipped her generation). Lao Shi trains Jake in the magical, mystical ways of the dragons. Jake also cares very deeply for his annoying, overachieving, and seemingly perfect younger sister Haley (Amy Bruckner) (a nascent dragon), despite feeling like he is stuck in her small shadow. Grandpa's cynical sidekick, a magical talking Shar-Pei named Fu Dog (John DiMaggio), is Jake's animal guardian and other best friend.

Episodes

Characters

Main
 Jacob Luke "Jake" Long (Dante Basco): a Chinese-American 13-year-old (14 years old in the second season) who is half-human, half-dragon. He is the titular American Dragon. His personality is that of a cool, laid-back skateboarder who talks in rapper slang. He has a keen awareness of the newest developments and styles, is self-assured, and likes video games, extreme sports, all sorts of music, and the occasional comic book. He had a crush on pretty blonde schoolmate Rose until he found out she was actually the Huntsgirl, but their dual identities are bound to stir up trouble. After numerous trials and tribulations over the course of the series, Jake and Rose finally get together in the final episode. A running gag involves the mention of his embarrassing secrets like having a teddy bear collection and sleeping with a nightlight to blemish his reputation. His dragon abilities include flight, fire breath, a prehensile tail, and sharp claws, along with highly strong senses.
 Luong Lao Shi (Keone Young): Jake's grandpa who was formerly the Chinese Dragon. He runs an electronic shop on Canal Street with the slogan "Never have a customer, never have a sale" alongside his only friend Fu Dog. His attempts at training Jake sometimes do more damage (to Jake's brain) than help. His name is a reference to the Chinese word for "teacher." In his youth in 1972, before his first encounter with the Dark Dragon, Jake's grandpa was known as Lucky Lao Shi.
 Fu Dog (John DiMaggio): a 600-year-old Shar-Pei and Lao Shi's only companion. Throughout his entire life, he and a hairless talking cat have fought over Fu's family amulet (causing famous disasters along the way). He is more "hip" than Lao Shi.
 Arthur P. "Spud" Spudinski (Charlie Finn): Jake's best friend, who is extremely loyal and somewhat slow. However, he comes up with intelligent things to say at random times. He also has the entire works of Shakespeare committed to memory. There is a chance that Spud is half-wizard (this is hinted when his grandfather happens to know the magic word to seal a Djinn back into a goblet). He also has a crush on the head cheerleader, Stacey, who hates him until they start dating near the end of the second season.
 Trixie Carter (Kittie Kaboom): Jake's other best friend, who is just as cool as he is. A witty, blunt, and sharp-tongued girl, a hardcore fashionista but also the most logical and mature of the group.
 Haley Kay Long (Amy Bruckner): Jake's seven-year-old intelligent, talented, over-achieving, but annoying little sister who also has dragon powers. She takes pride in her ability to expose all of Jake's secrets and highlight her own. But despite all of that, she admires Jake's bravery, selflessness and ability as the American Dragon and sees him as a role model. It is hinted multiple times in the show that all her effort to be better than her brother is so she can impress him and get him to think of her as an equal. She knows that Jake would do anything for her, including forgetting all the problems she has ever caused between them, if it meant her safety. She wants to talk and hang out with him more.
 Susan Luong-Long (Lauren Tom): Jake and Haley's mother does not possess any natural dragon abilities like her family and children, having skipped her generation. She does all she can to keep her human husband Jonathan from discovering the existence of magic and her family being magical creatures.
 Jonathan Long (Jeff Bennett): Jake and Haley's mortal father, and a businessman originally from the Midwest, who is unaware that he is married into a family of dragons. In the series finale, he is initially shocked at his wife's family secret but later comes to welcome it as he always knew there was something magical about them.
 Rose/Huntsgirl (Mae Whitman): Jake's love interest (later girlfriend in the series finale) and a natural dragon slayer known as the Huntsgirl, a member of the Huntsclan that slays magical creatures, especially dragons. She was born with a red birthmark on her arm resembling a Chinese dragon, leading the Huntsclan to kidnap her from her parents. She also has an identical twin sister whose fate is unknown.
 Professor Hans Rotwood (Paul Rugg): is Jake's 57-year-old German schoolteacher with an obsessive interest in magical creatures, and a quest to discover the American Dragon's identity (oblivious to the fact that it is Jake). Professor Rotwood styles himself as an expert on mythical creatures, but his knowledge is superficial and his expertise a fraud.

Main villains
 The Huntsman (Jeff Bennett): The leader of the Huntsclan, a society of thieves that hunt and steal magical creatures for profit. They are highly trained and use sophisticated weapons. Huntsclan members have a specific birthmark that resembles a dragon. His true name and face were never shown. The Huntsman is #4 of the 13 threats to the magic community. In the second season, his outfit is redesigned as magenta and he sports a ninja mask and a dragon skull helmet. His face is finally revealed when his helmet is destroyed, and is ultimately killed by his protegee Rose.
 The Dark Dragon (Clancy Brown), the secondary main antagonist of the show. He became the new villain after The Huntsman's death in the episode "Homecoming"
 Bananas B (Adam Wylie): A monkey with a rapper style and Jake's temporary animal guardian who later betrayed him to become Councilor Chang's assistant. He talks with an Australian accent.
 Councilor Chang (Lauren Tom): A former member of the Dragon Council and the Dark Dragon's assistant who has teamed up with Lao Shi back when he first fought the Dark Dragon
 Eli Excelsior Pandarus (Jonathan Freeman) A dark wizard who tries to be the world's most powerful sorcerer

Recurring and guest
 Sun Park (Sandra Oh): Jake's home-ec schoolteacher, Haley's dragon mentor, and formerly the Korean Dragon.
 Nigel Thrall (Adam Wylie) An exchange student from England who hides his identity as a wizard. And shared a temporal rivalry with Jake when they both ran for school president but end up defeating Maximius together.
 Fred Nerk (Adam Wylie): The Australian Dragon who was Jake's temporary rival at the Dragon Council Games until he saves him from the Dark Dragon.
 Jasmine (Lacey Chabert): Jake's first date, who turned out to be a soul-sucking creature called a Nix.
 Huntsboy #88 and Huntsboy #89 (Kyle Massey & Nicholas Brendon): Two of the Huntsman's new apprentices, supposedly both cousins of Rose. 88 is as hip-hop and arrogant as Jake, which ironically shows Jake how annoying he can really be, while 89 is more of a nerd. Neither knows how to fight, and they were only accepted into the Huntsclan due to killing monsters in video games.
 Brad Morton (Matt Nolan): A 15-year-old jock bully at Jake's school who likes to make fun of him and frequently hits on Rose.
 Sigmund Brock (Corey Burton): Rotwood's former mentor who inspired him to research magical creatures. He is brought in to replace Rotwood as Principal of Fillmore Middle School when Jake gets Rotwood fired but takes it upon himself to discover the dragon's identity causing Rotwood to team up with Jake and get him fired.
 Stacey Wintergrin (Tara Strong): The school's cheerleader captain who is Spud's unrequited love interest until the near end of the second season.
 Kara Oracle (Tara Strong): Sara's oracle twin sister is always in a bad mood, although she can only predict good things.
 Sara Oracle (Tara Strong): Kara's oracle twin sister is always happy, although she can only predict bad things.
 Veronica (Tara Strong): A half-human with eight spider legs who works at the Magus Bazaar.
 Bertha the Giant (Tara Strong): a dim-witted female giant with a stinky foot.
 Silver (Kari Wahlgren): a mermaid who is afraid of water and a medical science prodigy.
 Ms. Dolores Derceto (Susanne Blakeslee): An undercover mermaid detective working as the principal of Jake's junior high who has a temporary romance with Lao Shi.
 Danika Hunnicutt (Jessica DiCicco): Jake's second love interest after Rose went to Hong Kong and is the school's swim team captain. She gets mad and leaves him after he accuses her of being the siren. She later became Jake's graduation partner.
 Hank Carter (Phil Morris): Trixie's father, who is a US Navy officer.
 Olivia Mears (Liliana Mumy): Haley's academic rival.
 Yan Yan (Tia Carrere): A Sphynx cat, also known as a Chinese Hairless, who has been fighting with Fu Dog over his family's amulet over centuries. She pretends to belong to a young girl called Olivia.
 Huntsgirl #18 (Tara Strong): A student at The Huntsclan Academy who develops a crush on an undercover Spud due to his in-depth knowledge about dragons and fights over him with another student.

Voice cast

Main cast
 Dante Basco – Jake Long, Evil Jake
 Keone Young – Luong Lao Shi
 John DiMaggio – Fu Dog, SJO Wortz Security Guard, Blonde Undercover Henchman, Herbert, Brownie #2, Dwarf, Messenger Fairy, Antique Dealer, Leprechaun, Ogre, Police Officer #1
 Lauren Tom – Susan Long, Councilor Chang, Chorus Girl, Drill Sergeant, Middle-Aged Woman, Nurse
 Jeff Bennett – Jonathan Long, Councilor Kulde, Imp, The Huntsman, Leprechaun McBreen, Security Guard, Trick-or-Treatee, Huntsclan Academy Teacher, Police Officer #2
 Miss Kittie – Shaniqua Chulavista, Trixie Carter, Origami Girl, Mrs. McGuire, Courtney
 Amy Bruckner – Haley Long, Millie Fillmore
 Charlie Finn – Spud, Teenage Worker
 Mae Whitman – Rose, Little Girl

Additional voices

 Sandra Oh – Sun Park
 Fred Tatasciore – Crewman #3
 Paul Rugg – Professor Hans Rotwood,  Triangle Boy
 Kyle Massey – Huntsboy #88
 Nicholas Brendon – Huntsboy #89
 Matt Nolan as Brad Morton
 Jonathan Freeman – Eli Excelsior Pandarus
 T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh – Mrs. Dorothy Carter, Mrs. Carter
 Tara Strong – Stacey Wintergrin, Kara Oracle, Sara Oracle, Veronica, Bertha the Giant
 Clancy Brown – The Dark Dragon
 Kari Wahlgren – Silver, Bride, Mermaid, Centaur, Wood Nymph
 Susanne Blakeslee – Ms. Dolores Derceto, Ms. Birch
 Clarence Williams III – Councilor Andam
 Jessica DiCicco – Danika Hunnicutt
 Adam Wylie – Nigel Thrall, Fred Nerk, Bananas B. Genius Nerdy Boy
 Macy Gray – Trixie's Grandmother and Miss Jenkins
 Monty Hall – Himself
 John Cygan – King Hammer's minion #3
 Edie McClurg – Tooth Fairy
 John C. McGinley – Dr. Diente
 Dee Bradley Baker – Leprechaun Brocamas
 Hynden Walch – Euryale
 Mindy Sterling – Mrs. Grumplestock, Pix McGee
 Cathy Cavadini – Fury
 Steve Blum – King Hammer's minion #4
 Mark Hamill – Fisherman
 Diane Delano – Ophelia Ogelvy
 David Ogden Stiers as Narrator and Crewman #1
 Rob Paulsen – Groom, Head Counselor Jenkins
 Daryl Sabara – Hobie
 Dawnn Lewis - Huntsgirl #18
 Tom Kane – Crewman#3
 Vanessa Marshall – Harpie #3
 Liliana Mumy – Olivia Meers
 Tia Carrere – Yan Yan
 Josh Keaton – Huntsclan Member #4
 Paige Moss – Marnie Lockjelly
 Brenda Song – Tracey
 Frank Welker – Jake's dragon roaring
 James Arnold Taylor – Sam Spark
 Grey DeLisle – Harpie #1
 Annick Obonsawin – Harpie #2
 Corey Burton – Sigmund Brock
 Kevin Michael Richardson – Santa Claus
 Jim Ward – Huntsclan Member #6
 Rene Mujica – Kyle Wilkins
 Stephen Tobolowsky – Troll
 Wendie Malick – Aunt Patchouli
 Tress MacNeille – Queen Lilliana, Ms. Spudinski
 Melissa Greenspan – Genius girl
 John Malkovich – Bodyguard
 Lacey Chabert – Jasmine
 Susan Blu – Jasmine as a Nix
 Diane Pershing – Huntsgirl #17
 Ron Masak as Marty
 Henry Gibson – Who is Luong Lao Shi Narrator
 Michaela Jill Murphy – Amanda
 Russell Horton - Dragon Councilor #1, Coney Island Announcer
 Sam Marin - Pooka Pooka
 Dan Castellaneta - Young Huntsman,
 Eddie Korbich - Coach Soccerson
 Amy Hill - Aunt Cathy
 Will Friedle – Cousin Gregory "Greggy"
 Laurence Fishburne – Huntsclan Member #1
 Kay Panabaker – Lacey
 René Auberjonois – Huntsclan Member #3
 Laura Ortiz as Vickie
 Phil LaMarr – Hunstclan Member #5
 Phil Morris – Hank Carter
 Candi Milo – Annika
 George DiCenzo – Hunstclan Member #5, Additional Voices
 April Winchell – Rose's Mother
 Nathan Lane – Rose's Father
 Jennifer Hale – Huntsgirl #18
 Danny Cooksey – Huntsclan Member #2
 Nestor Carbonell – Cupid
 Fred Newman – Herbert the Goblin
 Dave Coulier – Petite messenger Fairy

Production

American Dragon: Jake Long was created by Jeff Goode. The show was pitched to Disney Channel executives as an animated show in 2002. After being greenlit by Disney Channel, the pitch bible was then developed into its television adaptation with executive producers Matt Negrete and Eddie Guzelian, with Christian Roman serving as director.

Disney Channel ordered an initial twenty-one 30-minute episodes the first season. The series premiered on January 21, 2005. It was initially scheduled for the fall of 2004, but was moved to January when Brandy & Mr. Whiskers was completed in time for its September debut. It premiered in the UK a month early, on 19 December 2004.

The theme song was originally performed for the first season by the band Mavin.

In 2006, Disney Channel renewed the show for a second season. It had also been announced that Steve Loter, who had served as director of Kim Possible, would join the show for its second season as director and executive producer alongside Matt Negrete and Eddie Guzelian. However, following Disney Channel's renewal of Kim Possible for a fourth season, Loter would resume his role as the director but still serve as an executive producer of Jake Long. Nick Filippi, who had also done directorial work on Kim Possible, was assigned as the new director of Jake Long. With Steve Loter joining the staff, the show had all of its characters and backgrounds re-designed with new animation upon request by both Loter and the executives as they had disdain for the previous seasons' designs.

The theme song for season 2 was also re-recorded by The Jonas Brothers.

The show ended its run on September 1, 2007. After the show ended, reruns continued to air on Disney Channel's late-night lineup every night at 1:30am. The show was brought back to the daytime lineup weekdays at 2:00pm from October 1–5, 2007, and 1:00pm from October 9, 2007, to May 15, 2008. The show's late-night timeslot was moved to 2:30am on May 17, 2008, and to 3:00am on January 1, 2010. On May 7, 2010, the show started airing only 4 nights a week (Monday-Thursday), and the show was completely removed from Disney Channel after June 25, 2010. The series was syndicated to Toon Disney from February 20, 2006, to February 12, 2009, as well as its primetime Jetix block from 2007 to 2008. When Toon Disney was converted to Disney XD, the series was carried over and aired from February 14, 2009, to October 15, 2012.

Crossover with Lilo & Stitch
Jake Long and his allies come to Hawaii in an episode of Lilo & Stitch: The Series entitled "Morpholomew" to investigate one of Jumba's experiments, while Lilo enters a skateboarding competition in an attempt to impress her crush by winning a new skateboard for him while he is in Australia. Meanwhile, he and Stitch team up to stop Gantu and rescue the experiment.

Other media

Video games
Two video games based on the show were produced, one for the Nintendo DS and one for the Game Boy Advance.

 Attack of the Dark Dragon (DS) — released October 12, 2006
 Rise of the Huntsclan (GBA) — released October 12, 2006

Books
Jeff Goode has written two children's books about American Dragon which were released in 2004 – before the initial TV show started airing.

 American Dragon Book 1: The Dragon Hunter,  — released April 1, 2004
 American Dragon Book 2: The Gnome Eater,  — released May 1, 2004

References

External links

 American Dragon: Jake Long at Jeff Goode's website

2000s American animated television series
2000s American superhero comedy television series
2005 American television series debuts
2007 American television series endings
American children's animated action television series
American children's animated adventure television series
American children's animated comedy television series
American children's animated fantasy television series
American children's animated superhero television series
Chinese mythology in popular culture
Disney Channel original programming
English-language television shows
Animated television series about dragons
Animated television series about dysfunctional families
Martial arts television series
Television series about shapeshifting
Teen animated television series
Teen superhero television series
Television series by Disney Television Animation
Television series by Rough Draft Studios
Television shows adapted into video games
Television shows set in New York City
Chinese American television
Jetix original programming
Anime-influenced Western animated television series
Crossover animated television series
Middle school television series
Jake Long
Jake Long
Jake Long

American Dragon: Jake Long


"Scentless Apprentice" is a song by the American grunge band, Nirvana. It was on their third album, In Utero, and a live version was on their live album, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah. Most of their songs were only written by the singer Kurt Cobain, but this song was written by all three members of the band.

The song was written in 1992. The band originally did not like the song, because it was too much of a generic grunge song, however they soon began to like it. They even thought of releasing it as the second single from In Utero (after "Heart-Shaped Box") but this never happened.

The song is about a book that Kurt Cobain read, Perfume. The book and the song are about a boy who is born without body odor but has a strong sense of smell. Soon he becomes a murderer who kills female victims.

In the television show Lost, "Scentless Apprentice" is playing on one of the characters' car radios.

References

Nirvana (band) songs
1993 songs

Scentless Apprentice


Multitasking is a feature available on iOS that allows multiple applications to run and perform tasks at the same time. It is available in iOS 4 or later. Multitasking features for iPad were added, including Spilt View and Picture in Picture, since iOS 9.

Multitasking was first released in June 2010 with the release of iOS 4.0.  Only iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPod Touch 3rd generation were able to use multitasking. The iPad did not get multitasking until iOS 4.2 was released in November 2010. Multitasking is currently supported on iPhone 3GS or newer, iPod Touch 3rd generation or newer, and all iPad models.

Features

Fast app switching
Fast app switching lets apps to pause and resume themselves quickly and easily change to other apps.An app that is on the screen is "running". An app that is not on screen but is still in memory is "suspended". All apps that are built with iOS 4 SDK support fast app switching if running on iOS 4 and a compatible device. Users can use fast app switching by opening the multitasking bar. The multitasking bar can be displayed by double-tapping the home button.

Task completion
Task completion lets apps continue a certain task after the app has been suspended. Apps can ask for up to ten minutes to complete a task in the background in iOS 4.0 or later.

Running in the background
Apps can run in the background by using background APIs. The following are available in iOS 4.0 or later:
 Audio—plays audio
 Location—uses location services
 VOIP—makes VOIP calls
The following two APIs were added in iOS 5.0:
 Newsstand—downloads content for Newsstand
 External accessory—interacts with an external accessory

Related pages
 Multitasking

References

Apple software

Multitasking (iOS)


Epinephelus cyanopodus, the speckled blue grouper, also known as the blue maori, purple rock cod, speckled grouper or yellowfin grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean where it occurs in corals.

Description
Epinephelus cyanopodus has a compressed body which has a standard length which is 2.4 to 2.7 times its depth with a steep dorsal profile to the head and a noticeably convex area between the eyes. The preopercle does not have a sharp angle and its edge has fine serrations which are slightly enlarged at the angle. The gill cover has inconspicuous spines and a straight upper edge. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 16-17 spines while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The spiny part of the dorsal fin has the membrane between the spines either not incised or having slight incisions. There are 63-75 scales in the lateral line. This species is overall greyish in colour and is covered in irregular small dark dots with fewer larger black spots. The juveniles are yellowish but as they mature, they become more greyish-blue until when they reach a length of  only the fins are yellowish. The yellow fins will fade with age. This species attains a total length of  and a maximum weight of .

Distribution
Epinephelus cyanopodus is found in the Western Pacific Ocean from the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand east to the Marshall Islands and Fiji, north to southern Japan and south to eastern Australia and the Tasman Sea. In Australia it is found along the Great Barrier Reef and from northern Queensland to Sydney.

Habitat and biology
Epinephelus cyanopodus is normally found near isolated coral heads in lagoons or bays, although it has also been collected in outer reefs. It is not cryptic and is normally encountered in the water column several meters above the substrate. It is frequently caught at night. This is a predatory species which feeds mainly on fishes and crustaceans which live in the sand like snake eels and box crabs. During the breeding season this species forms spawning aggregations, often mixed with other grouper species such as E. polyphekadion and E. fuscoguttatus. However, the biology of this species is poorly understood. It is found at depths from .

Taxonomy
Epinephelus cyanopodus was first formally described as Serranus cyanopodus by the Scottish naval surgeon, naturalist and arctic explorer  Sir John Richardson (1787-1865) with the type locality given as China. This species is replaced in the Indian Ocean by the blue-and-yellow grouper (Epinephelus flavocaeruleus).

Utilisation
Epinephelus cyanopodus is a species which is subjected to fishing by both commercial and recreational fisheries in parts of its range. It is marketed in Hong Kong as a live reef fish. The juveniles are captured for sale in the aquarium trade. However, this species will grow too large for home aquaria.

References

External links
 Fishes of Australia : Epinephelus cyanopodus

cyanopodus
Marine fish of Northern Australia
Fish described in 1846

Epinephelus cyanopodus


East Dean and Friston is a civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England.The two villages in the parish are in a dry valley on the South Downs – between Eastbourne three miles (4.8 km) to the east and Seaford an equal distance to the west. The main A259 road goes through both village centres. The coast and much of the land between it and the A259 from the east edge of Seaford to the west edge of Eastbourne is owned by the National Trust, and this has prevented further development to the area. The civil parish was formed on 1 April 1999 from "East Dean" and "Friston" parishes.

A hamlet within the parish, Birling Gap, is owned by the National Trust. Some of its cottages have been removed because of coastal erosion.

Governance
Eastdean and Friston is part of the electoral ward called East Dean. This ward had a population at the 2011 Census of 2,258.

The villages
East Dean lies in the valley bottom: Friston is at the top of the hill to the west. Within both villages are a large number of buildings of historic interest.

The church in East Dean, dedicated to St Simon and St Jude, has a Saxon tower and an unusual Tapsel gate (preventing cattle from entering the churchyard); that at Friston is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. The churches have formed a united benefice since 1688. The latter contains Tudor monuments to the local family Selwyn and the grave of the composer Frank Bridge (1879–1941).

John Eric Bartholomew OBE, stage name Eric Morecambe, of Morecambe & Wise fame, could trace his descent from John Bartholomew (c.1791–1854), a resident of Crowlink, Parish of Friston in the Census of 1841 and was living in the Parish of East Dean in the 1851 Census. John's son, Henry Bartholomew (1829–1908) moved to Overton, Lancashire, near Morecambe in the late 1840s and later into Morecambe itself. Henry's third child John Bartholomew 1860–1934 was the father of George Bartholomew 1898–1976, Eric's father.

Birling Gap

Birling Gap is a coastal hamlet within the parish. It is situated on the Seven Sisters not far from Beachy Head and is owned by the National Trust. Coastal erosion has already removed some of the row of coastguard cottages built in 1878, but those that remain are still inhabited.

There are a cafe, shop and visitor centre run by National Trust, and a metal staircase leading down to the enclosed pebble beach and the Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. In time, the houses are likely to be demolished due to the severe coastal erosion; the Government has concluded that the commercial value of the houses does not justify the construction of sea defences. If walkers are cut off at high tide, they can climb the ladder, which is replaced often, to Birling Gap.

The beach, which was awarded the Blue flag rural beach award in 2005, is advertised by Naturist UK. It has a large number of rockpools.

The artist Jean Cooke lived in two cottages at Birling Gap. She painted seascapes there and died in 2008 while looking at the sea.

In August 2017, hundreds of people suffered ill effects after a suspected chemical poisoning incident.

Geography
The main rock type at Birling Gap is chalk. Other rock types outcropping here include flint, loess and soil. The coastline is part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest Seaford to Beachy Head, which falls within the parish. The site is of biological and geological interest.

There is also extensive evidence and visible earthworks here for an Iron Age hillfort on the site – although nearly half of it has already been lost to the sea. Information boards at the site show how it would have originally looked; however, even more will be lost due to the geological nature of these chalk cliffs.

See also
List of civil parishes in England

References

External links

A photo comparison of contemporary and historic East Dean

Civil parishes in East Sussex
Wealden District
National Trust properties in East Sussex
Populated coastal places in East Sussex

East Dean and Friston


In aviation, a variometer – also known as a rate of climb and descent indicator (RCDI), rate-of-climb indicator, vertical speed indicator (VSI), or vertical velocity indicator (VVI) – is one of the flight instruments in an aircraft used to inform the pilot of the rate of descent or climb.  It can be calibrated in metres per second, feet per minute (1 ft/min = 0.00508 m/s) or knots (1 kn ≈ 0.514 m/s), depending on country and type of aircraft.  It is typically connected to the aircraft's external static pressure source.

In powered flight, the pilot makes frequent use of the VSI to ascertain that level flight is being maintained, especially during turning maneuvers. In gliding, the instrument is used almost continuously during normal flight, often with an audible output, to inform the pilot of rising or sinking air. It is usual for gliders to be equipped with more than one type of variometer. The simpler type does not need an external source of power and can therefore be relied upon to function regardless of whether a battery or power source has been fitted. The electronic type with audio needs a power source to be operative during the flight. The instrument is of little interest during launching and landing, with the exception of aerotow, where the pilot will usually want to avoid releasing in sink.

History
In 1930, according to Ann Welch, "Kronfeld...was one of the first to use a variometer, a device suggested by Alexander Lippisch."  Welch goes on to state that the "first real thermal soaring" occurred in 1930 by A. Haller and Wolf Hirth, with Hirth using a variometer in his Musterle.  Frank Irving states that Arthur Kantrowitz first mentioned total energy in 1940.  However, as early as 1901, Wilbur Wright wrote about thermals, "when gliding operators have attained greater skill, they can, with comparative safety, maintain themselves in the air for hours at a time in this way, and thus by constant practice so increase their knowledge and skill that they can rise into the higher air and search out the currents which enable the soaring birds to transport themselves to any desired point, by first rising in a circle, and then sailing off at a descending angle."

Description

According to Paul MacCready, "A variometer is essentially a pressure altimeter with a leak which tends to make it read the altitude of a moment earlier.  It consists of a container vented to the outside air in such a way that the pressure inside the flask lags slightly behind the outside static pressure.  The rate of climb measurement comes from the rate-of-air inflow or outflow from the container."

Variometers measure the rate of change of altitude by detecting the change in air pressure (static pressure) as altitude changes. Common types of variometers include those based on a diaphragm, a vane (horn), a taut band, or are electric based.  The vane variometer consists of a rotating vane, centered by a coil spring, dividing a chamber into two parts, one connected to a static port, and the other to an expansion chamber. Electric variometers use thermistors sensitive to airflow, or circuit boards consisting of variable resistors connected to the membrane of a tiny vacuum cavity.

A simple variometer can be constructed by adding a large reservoir (a vacuum flask) to augment the storage capacity of a common aircraft rate-of-climb instrument. In its simplest electronic form, the instrument consists of an air bottle connected to the external atmosphere through a sensitive air flow meter.  As the aircraft changes altitude, the atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft changes and air flows into or out of the air bottle to equalise the pressure inside the bottle and outside the aircraft.  The rate and direction of flowing air is measured by the cooling of one of two self-heating thermistors and the difference between the thermistor resistances will cause a voltage difference; this is amplified and displayed to the pilot.  The faster the aircraft is ascending (or descending), the faster the air flows.  Air flowing out of the bottle indicates that the altitude of the aircraft is increasing.  Air flowing into the bottle indicates that the aircraft is descending.

Newer variometer designs directly measure the static pressure of the atmosphere using a pressure sensor and detect changes in altitude directly from the change in air pressure instead of by measuring air flow.  These designs tend to be smaller as they do not need the air bottle. They are more reliable as there is no bottle to be affected by changes in temperature and fewer chances for leaks to occur in the connecting tubes.

The designs described above, which measure the rate of change of altitude by automatically detecting the change in static pressure as the aircraft changes altitude are referred to as "uncompensated" variometers.  The term "vertical speed indicator" or "VSI" is most often used for the instrument when it is installed in a powered aircraft.  The term "variometer" is most often used when the instrument is installed in a glider or sailplane.

An "Inertial-lead" or "Instantaneous" VSI (IVSI) uses accelerometers to provide a quicker response to changes in vertical speed.

Purpose

Human beings, unlike birds and other flying animals, are not able directly to sense climb and sink rates.  Before the invention of the variometer, sailplane pilots found it very hard to soar.  Although they could readily detect abrupt changes in vertical speed ("in the seat of the pants"), their senses did not allow them to distinguish lift from sink, or strong lift from weak lift.  The actual climb/sink rate could not even be guessed at, unless there was some clear fixed visual reference nearby.  Being near a fixed reference means being near to a hillside, or to the ground.  Except when hill-soaring (exploiting the lift close to the up-wind side of a hill), these are generally very unprofitable positions for glider pilots to be in.  The most useful forms of lift (thermal and wave lift) are found at higher altitudes and it is very hard for a pilot to detect or exploit them without the use of a variometer.  After the variometer was invented in 1929 by Alexander Lippisch and Robert Kronfeld, the sport of gliding moved into a new realm.

Variometers also became important in foot-launch hang gliding, where the open-to-air pilot hears the wind but needs the variometer to help him or her to detect regions of rising or sinking air. In early hang gliding, variometers were not needed for the short flights or flights close to ridge lift. But the variometer became key as pilots began making longer flights. The first portable variometer for use in hang gliders was the Colver Variometer, introduced in the 1970s by Colver Soaring Instruments, which served to extend the sport into cross-country thermal flying. In the 1980s, Ball Variometers Inc., founded in 1971 by Richard Harding Ball (1921–2011), produced a wrist variometer powered by a 9-volt battery.

Total energy compensation

As the sport of gliding developed, however, it was found that these very simple "uncompensated" instruments had their limitations. The information that glider pilots really need to soar is the total change in energy experienced by the glider, including both altitude and speed. An uncompensated variometer will simply indicate vertical speed of the glider, giving rise to the possibility of a "stick thermal," i.e., a change in altitude caused by stick input only. If a pilot pulls back on the stick, the glider will rise, but also slow down as well. But if a glider is rising without the speed changing, this is an indication of real lift, not "stick lift."

Compensated variometers also include information about the speed of the aircraft, so the total energy (potential and kinetic) is used, not just the change in altitude. For example, if a pilot pushes forward on the stick, speeding up as the plane dives, an uncompensated variometer only indicates that altitude is being lost. But the pilot could pull back on the stick, trading the extra speed for altitude again. A compensated variometer uses both speed and altitude to indicate the change in total energy. So the pilot that pushes the stick forward, diving to gain speed, and then pulls back again to regain altitude will notice no change in total energy on a compensated variometer (neglecting energy loss due to drag).

According to Helmut Reichmann, "The word 'variometer' means literally 'change meter,' and this is how it should be understood. Without further information it remains unclear what changes are being measured. The simple variometers...are rate of climb indicators.  Since the actual sailplane climb and sink displayed on these instruments depends not only on airmass movement and sailplane performance, but also in large part on angle-of-attack changes (elevator movements)...This makes it virtually impossible to extract useful information, such as - for instance - the location of thermals.  While rate of climb indicators show altitude changes and hence changes in the potential energy of the sailplane, total-energy variometers indicate changes in the total energy of the sailplane, that is, both its potential energy (due to altitude) and its kinetic energy (due to airspeed)."

Most modern sailplanes are equipped with Total Energy compensated variometers.

Total energy compensation in theory

The total energy of the aircraft is:

1.

where  is the potential energy, and  is the kinetic energy. So the change in total energy is:

2.

Since

3.  Potential energy is proportional to height

where  is the glider mass and  the acceleration of gravity

and

4.  Kinetic energy is proportional to velocity squared,

then from 2:

5.

6. Typically, this is converted to an effective altitude change by dividing by the acceleration of gravity, and the mass of the aircraft, so:

Total energy compensation in practice

Total-Energy Variometers use a membrane compensator, compensation by venturi, or are electronically compensated.  The membrane compensator is an elastic membrane, which flexes according to the total pressure (pitot plus static) from airspeed. Thus, airspeed effects cancel out an increase in sink, due to acceleration, or a decrease in sink, due to deceleration.  The venturi compensator supplies a speed-dependent negative pressure, so that the pressure reduces as speed increases, compensating for the increased static pressure due to sink.  According to Helmut Reichmann, "...the least sensitive venturi mounting point would appear to be on the upper quarter of the vertical fin, some 60 cm (2 feet) forward of the leading edge."  Venturi compensator types include the Irving Venturi (1948), the Althaus Venturi, the Hüttner Venturi, the Brunswick Tube, the Nicks Venturi, and the Double-Slotted Tube, developed by Bardowicks of Akaflieg Hannover, also known as the Braunschweig Tube.

Very few powered aircraft have total energy variometers.  Pilots of powered aircraft are more interested in the true rate of change of altitude, as they often want to hold a constant altitude or maintain a steady climb or descent.

Netto variometer

A second type of compensated variometer is the Netto or airmass variometer. In addition to TE compensation, the Netto variometer adjusts for the intrinsic sink rate of the glider at a given speed (the polar curve) adjusted for the wing loading due to water ballast.  The Netto variometer will always read zero in still air. This provides the pilot with the accurate measurement of air mass vertical movement critical for final glides (the last glide to the ultimate destination location).

In 1954, Paul MacCready wrote about a sinking speed correction for a total energy venturi. MacCready stated, "In still air...a glider has a different sinking speed at each airspeed...it would be nicer if the variometer automatically added the sink rate, and thus showed the vertical air motion instead of the vertical glider motion.  The correction can be made by a variety of methods.  Probably the nicest is to utilize the total energy venturi and the dynamic pressure from the pitot tube."  As Reichmann explained, a "Netto variometer shows the climb and sink of airmass (not of the sailplane!)...In order to achieve a 'net' indication, the always present polar sink of the sailplane must be 'compensated out' of the indication. To do this, one makes use of the fact that above the speed for best glide the polar sink speed of the sailplane increases roughly with the square of the airspeed. Since the pitot pressure also increases with the square of the speed, one can use it to 'compensate away' the effect of sailplane polar sink over virtually the entire speed range."  Tom Brandes states, "Netto is simply the German way of saying 'net,' and a Netto Variometer System (or polar compensator) is simply one that tells you the net vertical air movement with the sailplane movement or sink taken out of the usual variometer reading."

The Relative Netto Variometer indicates the vertical speed the glider would achieve IF it flies at thermalling speed - independent of current air speed and attitude. This reading is calculated as the Netto reading minus the glider's minimum sink. When the glider circles to thermal, the pilot needs to know the glider's vertical speed instead of that of the air mass. The Relative Netto Variometer (or sometimes the super Netto) includes a g-sensor to detect thermalling. When thermalling, the sensor will detect acceleration (gravity plus centrifugal) above 1 g and tell the relative netto variometer to stop subtracting the sailplane's wing load-adjusted polar sink rate for the duration. Some earlier nettos used a manual switch instead of the g sensor.

Electronic variometers
In 1954, MacCready pointed out the advantages of an Audio Variometer, "There is much to be gained if the variometer indication is presented to the pilot by sound. More than any other instrument except during blind flying, the variometer must be watched continuously. if the pilot can get the reading by ear, he can improve his thermal flying by watching nearby gliders, and he can materially improve the overall flight by studying the cloud formations to be used next."

In modern gliders, most electronic variometers generate a sound whose pitch and rhythm depends on the instrument reading.  Typically the audio tone increases in frequency as the variometer shows a higher rate of climb and decreases in frequency towards a deep groan as the variometer shows a faster rate of descent.  When the variometer is showing a climb, the tone is often chopped and the rate of chopping may be increased as the climb rate increases, while during a descent the tone is not chopped.  The vario is typically silent in still air or in lift which is weaker than the typical sink rate of the glider at minimum sink. This audio signal allows the pilot to concentrate on the external view instead of having to watch the instruments, thus improving safety and also giving the pilot more opportunity to search for promising looking clouds and other signs of lift. A variometer that produces this type of audible tone is known as an "audio variometer".

Advanced electronic variometers in gliders can present other information to the pilot from  GPS receivers.  The display can thus show the bearing, distance and height required to reach an objective.  In cruise mode (used in straight flight), the vario can also give an audible indication of the correct speed to fly depending on whether the air is rising or sinking.  The pilot merely has to input the estimated MacCready setting, which is the expected rate of climb in the next acceptable thermal.

There is an increasing trend for advanced variometers in gliders towards flight computers (with variometer indications) which can also present information such as controlled airspace, lists of turnpoints and even collision warnings.  Some will also store positional GPS data during the flight for later analysis.

Radio controlled soaring

Variometers are also used in radio controlled gliders. Each variometer system consists of a radio transmitter in the glider, and a receiver on the ground for use by the pilot. Depending on the design, the receiver may give the pilot the current altitude of the glider, and a display that indicates if the glider is gaining or losing altitude—often via an audio tone. Other forms of telemetry may also be provided by the system, displaying parameters such as airspeed and battery voltage. Variometers used in radio controlled gliders may or may not feature total energy compensation.

Variometers are not essential in radio controlled gliders; a skilled pilot can usually determine if the glider is going up or down via visual cues alone. The use of variometers is prohibited in some soaring contests for radio controlled gliders.

See also
Primary flight display
ICAO recommendations on use of the International System of Units
Hang gliding
Paragliding
Speed to fly

References

External links
A Simple Total Energy Sensor, NASA TM X-73928, March 1976

Aircraft instruments
Avionics
Gliding technology
Measuring instruments

Variometer