The Mortal Sin of not Taking CPDLC Seriously

CPDLC… Controller Pilot Digital Link Communications. It all started when experts predicted that with the increasing demand, congestion on the air traffic control frequencies will make communications impossible and hence a cap will have to be put on the number of aircraft being served simultaneously, severely restricting ATC capacity. CPDLC is in fact non-verbal communications… Continue reading The Mortal Sin of not Taking CPDLC Seriously

4D Trajectory Management – What is this?

The problem with traditional systems In the traditional scheme of things, an aircraft will file a flight plan, containing a rather rudimentary description of its intentions. Air traffic management and air traffic control organizations then decipher the plan and create a trajectory for the flight as best they can… Very often this is but a… Continue reading 4D Trajectory Management – What is this?

Inside a jet engine

If, like me, you are wondering what goes on inside a jet engine the site below from Rolls Royce might help. As a pilot I merely used the thing, in my case four Rolls Royce RB211-524s on a Boeing 747-200 and very good they were too. I also had a flight engineer who helped by… Continue reading Inside a jet engine

29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) – Call for participation

The 29th DASC will be held on 3-7 October 2010 in Salt Lake City, UT at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center. It is bylined “Improving our environment through green avionics and ATM solutions”. Conference Chair Bob Lyons has this to say about the 29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference. Concern over the environment is very… Continue reading 29th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) – Call for participation

Fly on the right – A mid air mitigation

On 29 September 2006, A GOL B737-800 and a private Embraer Legacy business jet collided at FL360 some 200 miles north of Brasilia, over the Amazon Jungle. The Embraer’s left winglet hit the 737’s left wing, and the 737 crashed killing all on board. The Embraer was luckier, and made a successful emergency landing at the Cachimbo air base.