Re: Future of Electronics In Aviation

In rec.aviation.piloting Le Chaud Lapin <jaibuduvin@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> On Jun 20, 5:16?am, Dylan Smith <dy...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > On 2008-06-19, Le Chaud Lapin <jaibudu...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> >
> > > 3. Do you think electronics should retain a peripheral role ?
(Garmin,
> > > etc) but not be used in control paths (fly-by-wire)?
> >
> > Fly by wire is pretty pointless on the kinds of planes we fly, it's
> > adding complexity where none is needed and steel cables and pulleys
are
> > pretty reliable in airplanes, and pushrods to the swash plate in a
> > helicopter seem very reliable too. Changing those to electronics would
> > have pretty much zero benefit in a light airplane or helicopter (and
> > some significant disadvantages).

> I disagree.

Because apparently you know nothing about real flying.

> For XC flights, a computer can do a far better job optimizing fuel
> efficiency, for example, by controlling control surfaces dynamically
> during flight.  A computer can also minimize the effects of
> turbulence, by reactively changing the same control surfaces
> dynamically.

> A computer can take any of many objectives defined by pilot:

> 1. Minimum time in flight.
> 2. Minimum fuel consumption.
> 3. Altitude stabilization.
> 4. Minimum susceptibility to turbulence.
> 5. Maximum visibility of surroundings.

Total, utter nonsense.

> etc...

> And make the flight conform to those requirements, and warn if it can
> not.

> That very same computer could communicate flight plan to ground, store
> minute details of entire flight on hard disk and automatically move
> them to home computer for recap....

> > Control electronics does exist for GA, it's called an autopilot, and
> > they've been around for a long time (some more sophisticated than
> > others). Some engines are also available with FADEC.

> These systems are massively expensive, and there is much redundancy.
> For example, the entire radio stack could be eliminated by a software
> radio, which controls fed through LCD monitor.  The software radi
> costs <$1000.  The computer would be one of same 2 computers used for
> other functions.

Yeah, for one Amateur Radio grade software radio with you supplying
the computer.

> The possibilities are essentially endless.  GA is at the beginning,
> not the end, of discovering them.

Especially for someone who gets their ideas from comic books.



-- 
Jim Pennino

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