ScienceDoc
9th Aug 2005, 10:46
Just a little piece of information for people who are interested in the Integrated Modular Avionics system of the A380:
The current issue of the German C't amagazine features an article about the computer networks incorporated into the A380.
Interesting stuff:
* In pressurized areas cables are made of aluminum.
* The A380 uses 5 interconnected computer network domains, each using some kind of Fast Ethernet (ADFX): Flight Control, Cockpit, Fuel and LG, Energy and Cabin
* Even the sidesticks are connected to the Flight Control and Guidance Computer by ADFX.
* A hardware based firewall prevents access from the Cabin domain to the avionics domain. All domains feature software based firewalls. But data from the Avionic domain is fed to into the Cabin domain.
* Engine thrust is set by specifying the percentage of thrust relative to maximum thrust (called ACUTE: Airbus Cockpit Universal Thrust Emulator).
* EFB are fed by USB-sticks or CD-ROM. In the future they will be fed over wireless LAN.
* Pitch changes are done by specifying the desired g-load. Even in direct law certain g-load limits cannot be overridden.
* Power supply is running on 115V AC, with a variable frequency from 400 to 800 Hz.
* P_avionics = 16 kW, P_galley = 240 kW, P_ife = 60 kW, P_cabinlighting = 15 kW
* The control surfaces can be driven by electric motors only. A complete loss of hydraulics becomes therefore surviveable.
* Airbus is considering the use of fuelcells to supply power to the control surfaces in the case of a RAT (75 KW) malfunction.
* Passenger seats come with a universal 100 W power supply (110 V AC) compatible to all kind of the plugs used in the homes around the world.
* The Thales IFE uses Gigabit-Ethernet to every seat with a storage capacity of 6 TByte. The Seat Electronic boxes run on PowerPC-CPU.
* Wireless networking in the cabin is realized by so called leaky lines running through the cabin, with holes above each seat.
* Passenger reading lights are realized by LED.
At least for me this sounds very interesting, state of the art and ambitious. All this computer networking may well be one reason for the delays. At least that is what the author of the C't article was told by Michel Comes (A380 system director). It will be interesting to see what kind of problems and security incidences might arise out of all this networking once the A380 is in service.
If you already knew all of this and find it not interesting, please delete.
The current issue of the German C't amagazine features an article about the computer networks incorporated into the A380.
Interesting stuff:
* In pressurized areas cables are made of aluminum.
* The A380 uses 5 interconnected computer network domains, each using some kind of Fast Ethernet (ADFX): Flight Control, Cockpit, Fuel and LG, Energy and Cabin
* Even the sidesticks are connected to the Flight Control and Guidance Computer by ADFX.
* A hardware based firewall prevents access from the Cabin domain to the avionics domain. All domains feature software based firewalls. But data from the Avionic domain is fed to into the Cabin domain.
* Engine thrust is set by specifying the percentage of thrust relative to maximum thrust (called ACUTE: Airbus Cockpit Universal Thrust Emulator).
* EFB are fed by USB-sticks or CD-ROM. In the future they will be fed over wireless LAN.
* Pitch changes are done by specifying the desired g-load. Even in direct law certain g-load limits cannot be overridden.
* Power supply is running on 115V AC, with a variable frequency from 400 to 800 Hz.
* P_avionics = 16 kW, P_galley = 240 kW, P_ife = 60 kW, P_cabinlighting = 15 kW
* The control surfaces can be driven by electric motors only. A complete loss of hydraulics becomes therefore surviveable.
* Airbus is considering the use of fuelcells to supply power to the control surfaces in the case of a RAT (75 KW) malfunction.
* Passenger seats come with a universal 100 W power supply (110 V AC) compatible to all kind of the plugs used in the homes around the world.
* The Thales IFE uses Gigabit-Ethernet to every seat with a storage capacity of 6 TByte. The Seat Electronic boxes run on PowerPC-CPU.
* Wireless networking in the cabin is realized by so called leaky lines running through the cabin, with holes above each seat.
* Passenger reading lights are realized by LED.
At least for me this sounds very interesting, state of the art and ambitious. All this computer networking may well be one reason for the delays. At least that is what the author of the C't article was told by Michel Comes (A380 system director). It will be interesting to see what kind of problems and security incidences might arise out of all this networking once the A380 is in service.
If you already knew all of this and find it not interesting, please delete.