VEGA launcher failure
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: moraira,spain-Norfolk, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 372
VEGA launcher failure
I was amazed to see some senior VEGA person blame the
failure on 'wrong cable into wrong connector', hence a human failure.
I remember when connectors & receptacles were designed such
that such mistakes were impossible. Lessons from the past forgotten !
failure on 'wrong cable into wrong connector', hence a human failure.
I remember when connectors & receptacles were designed such
that such mistakes were impossible. Lessons from the past forgotten !
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 199
Originally Posted by esa-aardvark
I was amazed to see some senior VEGA person blame the
failure on 'wrong cable into wrong connector', hence a human failure.
I remember when connectors & receptacles were designed such
that such mistakes were impossible. Lessons from the past forgotten !
failure on 'wrong cable into wrong connector', hence a human failure.
I remember when connectors & receptacles were designed such
that such mistakes were impossible. Lessons from the past forgotten !
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Peripatetic
Posts: 11,498
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: I wouldn't know.
Posts: 4,271
Oh well, not that uncommon. After all, a Lufthansa MRO guy connected the aileron channels on the captains sidestick (A320) the wrong way around as well, which was noticed after take off with passengers on board. Nearly crashed, just a particularly sharp FO took over (basically cutting out the CPTs commands) and saved the aircraft.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: N/A
Posts: 3,871
Isn't checking that the controls are free AND CORRECT a standard part of the PREflight check list?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: moraira,spain-Norfolk, UK
Age: 79
Posts: 372
I don't see what is wrong with left/right handed connectors & variants thereof.
I remember my father telling me that Hunter external tanks had 2 bolts one
longer than the other such that they were impossible to fit the wrong way round.
That is until some gorilla got his shoulder underneath, the short bolt managed to
catch a thread, and he wound it up. The long bolt was of course no problem. Whatever
you do something will always catch you.
I remember my father telling me that Hunter external tanks had 2 bolts one
longer than the other such that they were impossible to fit the wrong way round.
That is until some gorilla got his shoulder underneath, the short bolt managed to
catch a thread, and he wound it up. The long bolt was of course no problem. Whatever
you do something will always catch you.
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Everett, WA
Age: 66
Posts: 3,217
Originally Posted by esa-aardvark
I don't see what is wrong with left/right handed connectors & variants thereof.
I remember my father telling me that Hunter external tanks had 2 bolts one
longer than the other such that they were impossible to fit the wrong way round.
That is until some gorilla got his shoulder underneath, the short bolt managed to
catch a thread, and he wound it up. The long bolt was of course no problem. Whatever
you do something will always catch you.
I remember my father telling me that Hunter external tanks had 2 bolts one
longer than the other such that they were impossible to fit the wrong way round.
That is until some gorilla got his shoulder underneath, the short bolt managed to
catch a thread, and he wound it up. The long bolt was of course no problem. Whatever
you do something will always catch you.
. I understand some stern words were exchanged before my lead confiscated the modified resolvers (he tagged them as unserviceable and kept them at his desk for 'show and tell' after that.I think it was Wernher Von Braun that said 'it hard to design things to be foolproof, because fools are too darn ingenious'.
