HELP - computers in aviation

[YakYak]

Hiya fellas (and lasses)

Don't visit this place much any more - for those that remember me HELLO! For those that don't HELLO - and to both groups HELP!

Having abandoned the RAF some 2 1/2 years ago (yes, it really has been that long) for the joys of University life - I'm now an undergraduate student desperately researching a project entitled: "Computers in Aviation" for a 45 minute presentation.

I'm having difficulty finding online resources (or any resources at all) on this topic. Does anybody have any ideas on where I can find out information? RAF specific stuff would be really good because overt use of fighter pilots on powerpoint presentations always gets extra marks!

The presentation is aimed at non-pilots and non-engineers so does not have to be particularly technical - it just needs to be a broad overview of the concept of computers in aviation and the repercussions within society.

Some ideas include:

The role of computers on the flight deck
Computers in air traffic control
Fly by wire
Computers in training (simulators, etc)
Computers replacing pilots
Are computers qualified to fire missiles
etc etc

Any help (at all) would be much appreciated. Phone numbers of relevant RAF stations, links to manufacturers, anybody working on the stimulator at Brize - or whatever.

Waiting for replies........

Yakkers :O

PS: I provide a free English-Arabic translating service for anyone off on holiday to Iraq. Key phrases such as: "He did it", "Don't hit me", "Resistance is futile" etc. available on request.

[BEagle]

Hi YY - will send you something v. soon. Sad to say I'm currently in a non-flying job for a few weeks.....

Are you able to receive PowerPoint?

[Rudolph Hucker]

YY - I don't think I know you and you probably won't think you know me!

Your best bet as far as computers in air traffic control could be to see any articles exist on the web concerning good ol' Swanwick, which received huge amounts of attention from Computer Weekly in recent years. Such stuff would I guess give you enough 'light tech' material, rather than come for a visit and be overwhelmed by how wonderful the crumpet is......

Cheers

Rudolph

[gijoe]

YY,

How about this for an idea?

Take one member of the public, Joe, who is going on a journey to Paris.

1.He books his ticket online using SABRE.
2.He turns up at the airport and self-checks in.
3....but remembers that he has got a suitcase so toddles off to check-in and waves goodbye to his bag. Bag goes down the ramp and is sorted by bar code label.
4.He wanders off to the gate and boards when told to do so.
5.The A320 crew have been busy for the last 45mins loading everything under the sun into the FMC for their first sector of the day, and having picked up the weather from the met man.
6.ATC have issued a slot...but the queue for the de-icer is 35 mins ( sounds like LHW) and they miss that one..so a new one is issued.
7.Start up, taxi, rotate, off to Paris CDG.
8.Handed over to LATCC...the route is a strange one and takes them curiously over Southampton where Joe can peer down on the fully-functioning Swanwick.
9.Arrival at CDG, taxi to allocated stand, bags off, sorted and placed on the carousel.
10. As he is leaving Joe realises that he wants to come back earlier than planned and changes hie return date/time at the ticket desk.


So....

Information Systems of one sort or another involved at every single one of the above steps and it wouldn't be too hard to find out the info you need from Google etc

G:ok:

[Out Of Trim]

...also in above scenario - not to mention the Check-in computer for Passenger Handling; printing of boarding card and baggage tags, reconciliation of boarded passengers and bags at the gate, computerised weight and balance to produce the Loadsheet and Jetplan computer to plan the routing and best cruise Flight Level, amount of fuel required etc etc.

On arrival in CDG his bag was not on the carousel - so the Baggage Enquiries Desk - traced his bag using Worldtracer Computer - his bag had been left behind as the baggage tag had fallen off. :(