CommercialA380: 'More Electric' Aircraft For years engineers have dreamed of an all-electric aircraft. They have envisioned a concept called "power-by-wire," in which electrical power moves aircraft flight surfaces. Gone would be the complex, heavy, maintenance-intensive, and…
CommercialAvionics System Design: Huh? What Did He Say? On a recent flight to the bustling metropolis of Nelson, British Columbia (population 8,120), I witnessed airborne communications in the general aviation world. Too bad I didn’t pack my secret decoder ring…
CommercialEditor's Note: A Tale of Two Airports With deference to Charles Dickens, we present in this issue an aerospace version of his A Tale of Two Cities. Actually, we feature two airports, which serve cities with much in common.…
Business & GAFMS Set for CNS/ATM Universal Avionics Systems Corp. in late June received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for its first "Super FMS" flight management system, using the manufacturer’s King Air 350 aircraft. The Tucson, Ariz.-based manufacturer…
ATM ModernizationFeedback Connector Care I just read Capt. Edward R. Hanson Jr.’s Product Focus article on connectors in the July issue (page 45) and would like to offer some observations. I view connectors as…
Business & GAThe Ultimate in Cabin Completions Every field has its "ultimate." In automobiles, Rolls-Royce offers the ultimate in luxury. Mount Everest is the ultimate challenge for mountain climbers. The ultimate in executive air travel would be converted widebodies…
CommercialHow Northwest Saves Millions with its EIDS At Northwest Airlines’ maintenance facilities in Minneapolis, Minn., engine maintenance crews save the airline millions of dollars, thanks to a state-of-the-art engine instrument display system (EIDS). Developed by Spirent Systems Wichita Inc.,…
CommercialACARS on the Net For decades, major U.S. carriers have used the ARINC Inc. Airborne Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), a two-way VHF data link, to exchange operational messages with pilots on the tarmac and…
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