PCMCIA download from 737 NG FDAMS
 

What type of PCMCIA Card is used to download data from a FDAMS unit on a 737 NG. Are they ATA Flash Memory Cards? Does anyone have any experience with this and if so, do you know if any ATA Flash Memory card can be used?

Thanks for any information,

LK

I'm not too familiar with the FDAMS unit, but from what I know, the card is a standard PCMCIA card, as would fit in the side of most laptops. this is totally different from most flash memory cards, which are a good bit smaller. PCMCIA is just about credit card sized, and about 1/8th inch think.

PCMCIA cards are usually used to 'interface' between bits of hardware that you can plug in, and the computer itself, and actually using them as storage is less common, and there aren't many similar ones available. from memory (hazy today!), the FDAMS disk sizes aren't standard either, which may be critical when plugging a different sort in.

Without knowing the system at all, I'm not in a position to give much help, but would probably advise sticking to the standard spec. card you get with the unit, unless somebody knows better. Any slight change in all sorts of things can cause problems with those cards....

dh-d.

Duck has it right.
The PCMCIA card may be used to UP or DOWN - load data depending on the function of the unit. They may require formatting like a disk, or not. Older types of FDAU may not have any type of front access or may use a tape or floppy disk, as in a QDR or QAR.
They are also used on other units like EGPWS/TAWS for up and downloading data and programming.
It's all part of the advancement of avionics and the standardization of the avionics suites.
Simply put it's just like the card you buy at Office Max but the innards are configured for the specific application of installing or retrieving data.

So does anyone have experience using an off the shelf PCMCIA Flash Memory card to download data off a 737NG FDAMS unit?

Would a SanDisk PCMCIA Flash Memory card you get off EBay work (Honeywell cistributed cards are made by SanDisk)?

LK