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_| TCA |_ B E T W E E N y O U R S E L V E S
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>_./|\._< for Air Canada retirees
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Chief Pilot - Vesta Stevenson
http://www.acra.ca/between/vesta/
Co-pilot - Terry Baker
http://www.acra.ca/between
number 289 date July 17th, 1998 1st Published in October 1995
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. More of the story from Bill Norberg which started in NetLetter nr 288 -
Once we began to get some hands on experience with this type of system we
realized that we would have to use a digital based system of data recording
rather than the Royston analog approach if we were to obtain accurate and
meaningful maintenance data. Few airlines were doing any work in this area
but TWA did have a similar project underway with Royston and we were in
close touch with them all the way. They also had concluded that digital was
the way to go. The RAF in the UK were also interested in this process and
had some Royston units being tested.
These systems were expensive to purchase and install and any decision to
proceed was under a significant financial headwind. There was no Government
mandatory requirement at that time other than the 5 parameter recorder. It
was not until the regrettable incident in St. Therese in the fall of 1963
that a decision was made to prepare a fleet wide installation program. It
was now realized that we just had to have a better and quicker way of
investigating the loss of an aircraft. This decision was made knowing
full well there was no digital systems available on the market or even in
the near future.
This system was considered a management system and it fell under my area
of responsibility. Ray Farren was the engineer to handle the design work.
He was a dedicated believer in the value of such a system and had been a
hard worker in trying to convince management of its value. Pierre Jeanniot
was working for me at the time and we devoted our time and energies toward
the approval and installation of this system. We however believed more
strongly than ever that we needed a digital system and were reluctant to
spend all that money and end up with an analog system. There were however no
alternatives available at the time and delay was out of the question.
Jim Bain was very anxious to proceed and was not pleased at our strong
belief in a digital system. While he was very anxious to proceed he
recognized the point we were making. To resolve the issue he said that
I along with Ray Farren and Jeanniot should proceed to the Uk to meet with
Ken Dobson and to evaluate their current design. He said that if we came
back and stated the new Royston system could absolutely not do a reasonable
job then he would cancel the program.
He had us on the spot. We were as desperate as he to proceed as we knew
very well the value of even an analog system to incident analysis and even
some maintenance evaluation. We also knew the limitations of the analog
approach. We spent 3 tough days at the Royston plant in Surrey England and
after a detailed review decided to proceed. We agreed there was more to be
gained by proceeding than to hold off for a new generation of equipment as
there was no schedule as to when it might be available.
The need for such systems was being recognized by the industry and
Governments. There was quite a bit of lobbying from a Canadian firm named
Leigh Instruments. The issue of protection and containment of the tape
recording unit was vital to the success of any system. Royston had
developed a high tensile metal containment device that would resist every
possible form of potential damage from spearing, high G's, high
temperatures, water etc. There was one tape survival system proposed by a
Canadian company called the tumbling airfoil. It contained the recording
device and was designed to be explosively ejected from the aircraft upon
impact and then tumble to earth some distance from the aircraft like a
maple seed pod. We did not favor this approach.
It was a struggle to get the fleet equipped and to keep them all operating
in the early stages, but we made it. A cockpit voice recorder was
incorporated along with the flight data recorder. Regrettable it was not
too long before this system was called upon to investigate the loss of a
DC-8 aircraft during a training flight at Ottawa in May 1967. It proved to be
invaluable in determiniung the exact sequence of events leading up to the
incident.
more later - "Bill Norberg" <
(The DC8 at YOW was fin #813 of the LHR cabbage patch fame - eds)
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. Terry's travel tips.
Canadian Interline Travel -
Subject: HAWAII INTERLINE CRUISE SELL OFF!!!
Crown Princess October 17-27/98
Inside us$559.00 pp dbl Outside us$699.00 pp dbl
Outside Balcony us$799.00 pp dbl.
10 nights Hawaii to Ensenada (Includes 1 night Hotel)
Sat Honolulu, Overnight Hotel (transfers to ship not included)
Sun Oahu (Honolulu), Hawaii, Mon Big Island (Hilo), Hawaii,
Tue Maui (Lahaina), Hawaii, Wed Kauai, Hawaii, Thur to Mon At Sea
Tue Ensenada, Mexico* Disembark am
* Bus transfers are available from Ensenada to San Diego (at us$59
or Los Angeles (at us$69 per person)
For Reservations Call 1-800-665-3100 Today!! and mention Pionairs.
Dargal Interline Cruises -
Panama Canal
Holland America ' Westerdam' - 21 nights - Sept 26th
Inside CA$3,075 pp dbl, port/gov't fees CA$535 pp
Itinerary: Vancouver, Victoria, Los Angeles, Puerto Vallarta,
Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, Huatulco, Puerto Quetzal,
Costa Rica, Golfo Dulce, Panama Canal, San Blas Islands,
Cartagena, Half Moon Cay and Ft. Lauderdale.
Royal Caribbean 'Rhapsody of the Seas' - 13 nights - Oct 18th.
Inside CA$1039 pp dbl, port/gov't fees CA$216 pp.
Itinerary: San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Acalpulco, Panama Canal,
Aruba, St. Thomas and San Juan.
Call 1-800-690-3223 for details and mention Pionairs.
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" ' "
. Smilie.
A few more from Vesta for computer novices -
Customer: "So that will get me connected to the Internet, right?"
Tech Support: "Yeah."
Customer: "And that's the latest version of the Internet, right?"
Tech Support: "Uhh... uh... uh... yeah."
**************************************************************
Tech Support: "All right... now double-click on the File Manager icon."
Customer: "That's why I hate this Windows - because of the icons - I'm a
protestant, and I don't believe in icons."
Tech Support: "Well, that's just an industry term sir. I don't believe
it was meant to..."
Customer: "I don't care about any 'Industry Terms.' I don't believe in icons."
Tech Support: "Well... why don't you click on the 'little picture' of a file
cabinet... is 'little picture' OK?"
Customer: [click]
************************************************************
Customer: "My computer crashed!"
Tech Support: "It crashed?"
Customer: "Yeah, it won't let me play my game..."
Tech Support: "All right then, hit Control-Alt-Delete to reboot it."
Customer: "No, it didn't crash -- it crashed!"
Tech Support: "Huh?"
Customer: "I crashed my game. That's what I said before! I crashed the
spaceship, and now it doesn't work."
Tech Support: "Click on 'File,' then 'New Game.'"
Customer: [pause] "Wow! How'd you learn how to do that?"
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. That's it for this time, please we need your input, send
comments and email addresses of any others who may be
interested to Vesta with a copy to Terry.
/------------------------\ |--\_____/--\__ |
| Between yOurselves |______________ \______====== )-+
| NetLetter | ---|/-- |
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~Between yOurselves-Netletter~
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Copyright 1998 by Vesta Stevenson & Terry Baker.