Archives :: Avionics Magazine :: Issue :: Columns :: Perspectives
Displaying 1 - 20 of 201 stories.
May 1, 2011
As traffic levels in civil aviation continue to increase, the possibility of keeping up with capacity in Air Traffic Management (ATM) by simply applying “more of the same” is faltering. The antidote, automation, is frequently cited as yet another source of accidents. The Human Factors Research group at KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, is one of the many actors that try to...November 1, 2010
Achieving the benefits of NextGen will require that users equip with avionics supporting NextGen capabilities — avionics for ADS-B, data communications and Required Navigation Performance. On the commercial carrier front, the willingness to equip will be driven by the ability to close a business case for retrofitting existing aircraft and forward-fitting aircraft that have yet to come off the...October 1, 2010
Some readers may not be clear about the significant role Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) will play in virtually all aspects of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). However, as I think about how the current system operates, both in the United States and around the world, I see the importance of continuing the connectivity between the many elements highlighted in publications like the...August 1, 2010
High-tech systems that allow you to hover blind won’t be coming to your helicopter anytime soon. Meanwhile, our critical need remains a few more seconds of good references and a few dozen more yards of visibility before touchdown. Like that old Lynyrd Skynyrd song about escaping a gun-wielding boyfriend, just “give me three steps toward the door.” A common mistake is we see different...July 1, 2010
The Perspectives column, “Finding No Fault,” by Ken Anderson (Avionics, February 2010, page 38) was informative and factual regarding the high cost of No Fault Found (NFF) electronics within the aviation industry. All electrical connectors are subject to corrosion; even gold-plated connectors are not immune. Corrosion in avionics connectors is invisible to the naked eye in the early stages and...May 1, 2010
Following are excerpts of the keynote address by FAA Administrator J. Randolph Babbitt at the 2010 RTCA Spring Symposium, “Bringing NextGen Into Focus,” which was co-produced by Avionics Magazine, April 6 in Washington, D.C. Right out of the gate, I’ve got to tell you that “Bringing NextGen into Focus” is a good idea. But when you think about it, this is a discussion we should...February 1, 2010
As the United States fleet of military aircraft age, the maintenance of aircraft electronic Line Replaceable Units (LRU) and Weapons Replaceable Assemblies (WRA) poses an ever increasing challenge. Much of the challenge is related to intermittent faults that occur because of aging wiring and connections. These intermittent problems manifest themselves as “Bad Actor” LRUs/WRAs or as repair shop...November 1, 2009
FAA, Eurocontrol, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and others, with the assistance of companies such as FedEx and Lufthansa, are developing the Aeronautical Information Exchange Model (AIXM), a standard designed to enable the management and distribution of Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) data in digital format. AIXM takes advantage of...July 1, 2009
Let’s stop flying into turbulence to find it! Let’s avoid beverage spills in our laps and flight attendants bouncing around the cabin. There exists a unique form of GPS processing with subsequent mathematical procedures to produce a national map of turbulence. Introduced at the AEEC Symposium in Minneapolis in early April, the method and its impact on aviation are summarized below. Science has...June 1, 2009
In mid-January, Hank Krakowski and Peggy Gilligan of the FAA asked RTCA to undertake a new task force initiative to serve as the catalyst for the collaboration essential to transforming the promise of NextGen into reality. They recognized the imperative that the aircraft operational community must be more involved in shaping NextGen solutions — in particular the transition. Consequently, the primary...February 1, 2009
Quiz: In our increasingly numerical world, which of the following standards has rapidly become the focal point for the silicon in avionics hardware? Mil-Std-1553 AS9100 DO-178B DO-254 If you said 3 — DO-178B — you are close. But the correct answer is 4, DO-254. In just four short years, DO-254 has become the de-facto standard for almost all avionics hardware just as DO-178B is the de-facto...October 1, 2008
On July 16, 1999, The New York Times carried Matt Wald’s detailed article about UPS cargo jets making night landings at Wilmington, Ohio, using "ADS-B In," with a cockpit display showing other air traffic. That same year, FAA began its historic Capstone program in Alaska, under which hundreds of mostly general aviation planes were equipped with the equivalent of ADS-B In with a cockpit...July 1, 2008
As noted in the Avionics June 2008 Editor’s Note regarding RTCA Special Committee 205, which is working to update DO-178B, “The best-laid plans and remedies may not work as hoped or expected.” One could argue that this is a gross understatement. For many of us who have been involved with this effort from the start, SC-205 has proven to be both ineffective and, in this author’s...June 1, 2008
There’s broad agreement that the National Airspace System (NAS) has served us well but can no longer meet current performance demands. Furthermore, there’s an appropriate and growing sense of urgency. We need to implement operational improvements now. The fundamental concepts for the new NAS, aka NextGen, are well known and widely supported in the United States and internationally. NextGen...April 1, 2008
As I have read and listened to the discussion of airline profitability and air-traffic control (ATC) problems, punctuated by bankruptcies, delays, congestion, meltdowns, etc., I have concluded the problem, and therefore the solution, lies outside the current industry focus. Please allow me to explain. For more than 30 years, in spite of their best efforts, the network airlines and the world’s ATC...February 1, 2008
The concept of network centric operations, or network centric warfare (NCO/NCW), emerged in the 1990s. Then called "C4I for the warrior," it focused on creating a unified battle space for joint military services. NCW may be a new name for it, but the concept of effectively using information to achieve victory is as old as recorded military history. The expanding application of networked...January 1, 2008
The latest report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), political involvement and relentless media hype have created a juggernaut that is about to descend on the aviation industry. The Europeans have a plan to force airlines to trade in carbon credits through emission trading schemes (ETS) with other industries that can more easily reduce their respective carbon...December 1, 2007
Demand has grown dramatically for cutting edge technology in avionics, from generating new systems to updating and modernizing existing systems. Considering that just a few years ago the avionics sector was relatively dormant, this demand represents a major shift. It also poses a huge obstacle to the labor market, which is facing a declining number of engineering graduates and an escalating number of baby...November 1, 2007
Aviation test equipment is under the greatest scrutiny as specialists supported by the European Commission and the U.K. government seek to develop world class aerospace products. Many major original equipment manufacturers are involved in the continued pursuit of test equipment excellence, together with universities and niche specialists, such as BCF Designs Ltd., of Cirencester, U.K., which is focused on...September 1, 2007
Much has been written and spoken about implementing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for aeronautical applications. Leading this charge are aeronautical communications service providers and product manufacturers, hyping and promoting VoIP for the aircraft cabin. The technology is readily available, requires little or no development effort and can provide a quick and inexpensive solution. There appears...
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Awards Banquet: June 4, 2011 - Washington, D.C.
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