FAA: '... FAA contracted with Unisys to re-start a production line of tube-based computers'
Found on C.S.Y2K; thanks to Bud Hamilton.
Hope we do not have tube-based computers here in Europe ;-)
John
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From: hamilton@knotuga.knotcc.knotuga.edu
Newsgroups: comp.software.year-2000
Subject: Re: FAA Shuts Down ATC ?
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 01:17:53 EST
Here are the facts:
FAA does not care much if small planes crash or not. They'll fly VFR and
crash as often as they do now (which is pretty often in comparison to
major airline/transport flight). FAA is very concerned, however, with
major commercial traffic (given the negative publicity of a large crash).
As I have said time and time again on this forum, planes will back up
on the tarmac. Some folks on this ng say words to the effect of "100K
planes fly without radar". Possible true. But, it is the major airline
and transport traffic which will back up on the tarmac. Increased
separation, raw radar, etc. Very few flights. Incredible impact on
the economy. No pleasure flights unless you pay through the nose.
I checked out my first post on this and it was about five months ago.
The only difference is that FAA is starting to be forced to admit this.
And for you "veteran" air traffic controllers, you never had to deal with Mode C in the Los Angeles Basin or in DFW. I personally talked to controllers in DFW in the 1989 who were frightened about the possibility of computer outages (whine all you want about the superiority of PATCO vs. NATCA controllers, that's the way it is).
And we haven't even heard the worst of it. The Centers run 3083s -
which are *relatively new* by FAA standards. FAA contracted with Unisys to re-start a production line of tube-based computers to replace/augment the computers in the TRACON *because they believed that the TRACON software was too complicated to try to develop an emulation strategy*. They would just wait for replacement by the Advanced Automation System - which
of course failed. And other projects failed, and the most recent
workaround project has been pushed back to 2002-3.
For the uninitiated, TRACONs (Terminal Radar Approach Control) control traffic from (approximately) 30 miles out to a few miles from the tower.
The Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC; "Center") controls traffic throughout most of the US, but much of that at high altitude. The TRACONs control traffic near the airports, and that gets pretty tricky at times especially in places like LA, Chicago and Dallas, and to some extent New York.
While there may be a lot of planes flying 1/1/2000, very few of them will be named Delta, United, American, UPS or Federal Express. I expect that the insurers (see other post on Lloyds prohibition on non-y2k planes) will see to that.
I'm Bud Hamilton. |
