SABE From Argentina, joined Jun 2005, 156 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 2475 times:
Hi everyone,
I've recently flown several routes on AA's B767 with the updated interior (new business class seats). The flight map software was also updated on these planes, with nicer higher-resolution maps. However, I noticed an error and I wonder how to contact AA or the vendor to get it fixed. I think that the "date" on the map is probably set to January 1st by default and it is not updated -- I don't know if this should be done by the cabin crew or the pilots because I don't know how the system works.
The error is quite noticeable on the world map that shows the flight path, because the Sun is always located on the tropic of Capricorn (23 degrees southern latitude), so that the shaded area of the map that denotes "night time" is very much incorrect, specially at this time of year when the Sun is on the tropic of Cancer (23 degrees northern latitude). A more serious problem related to this is that the "time in Dallas" is always shown with daylight savings off and as a result, the flight software says that the plane will be arriving one hour earlier than the real arrival time. This could pose a problem for inexperienced travelers with short connecting times.
I'm attaching two images, of the map that was shown in the plane, and the one that should have been shown, to illustrate the problem.
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 2457 times:
Quoting SABE (Thread starter): I think that the "date" on the map is probably set to January 1st by default and it is not updated -- I don't know if this should be done by the cabin crew or the pilots because I don't know how the system works.
I don't know how it works either, but it almost sounds like a computer running it is using DOS and its 01-01-80 default date.
AAR90, if you're out there, any idea if this system (part of the IFE package, I presume) gets its time info from a dedicated computer, or is there an input from the FMS?
Auslimbo From Australia, joined Jun 2007, 15 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 2405 times:
These look like maps from the Airshow 4200 System.
It's a seperate system with its own dedicated computer.
The System gets its information from various sources (such as FMS, ACARS, CMC).
It can be programmed through the IFE System and, if installed, through an ACU (Airshow Control Unit, installed in the VCC) but these program changes would mostly only be destination location or arrival time.
In this case, I think it's best to inform the airliner so they can contact Rockwell to update the software (uploaded into the system via USB) or if they have dedicated personnell, they can do it themselves.
AAR90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3410 posts, RR: 50 Reply 3, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2379 times:
Quoting OPNLguy (Reply 1): AAR90, if you're out there, any idea if this system (part of the IFE package, I presume) gets its time info from a dedicated computer, or is there an input from the FMS?
Sorry, I haven't got a clue. Then again, I haven't flown a 767 in almost a decade.
KELPkid From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 5932 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2318 times:
Quoting OPNLguy (Reply 1): I don't know how it works either, but it almost sounds like a computer running it is using DOS and its 01-01-80 default date.
AAR90, if you're out there, any idea if this system (part of the IFE package, I presume) gets its time info from a dedicated computer, or is there an input from the FMS?
Actually, if it's pulling down information from GPS, then it's privy to time signals 24 hyper-accurate atomic clocks that just happen to be orbiting the earth... The time is encoded in the NMEA 182/183 data.
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
SABE From Argentina, joined Jun 2005, 156 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2253 times:
Quoting KELPkid (Reply 5): Actually, if it's pulling down information from GPS,
But it clearly can't be, otherwise it wouldn't have the wrong date in the system. My hunch is that while the routemap software is taking to the FMS at some level (to get the position, heading, speed, etc.), the actual date/time is either not being passed along, or the routemap software is misconfigured and is not receiving it properly. Since this system was installed fairly recently on the AA B767's, they probably haven't worked out all the bugs yet.
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15871 posts, RR: 66 Reply 9, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2134 times:
Quoting SABE (Reply 8): Agreed! I keep finding bugs in my programs all the time... but, you'd think that the developer of this flight map software could get the date right!!
Agreed. Seems pretty basic.
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
Lincoln From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 3887 posts, RR: 8 Reply 10, posted (5 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 2037 times:
Naah, they just become features... remember "A 'feature' is a bug with senority!"
In this case, knowing next to nothing about Airshow but enough to be more than a little dangerous on the software end of things, I would guess that somewhere along the way someone assumed that since, clearly, whoever installed the unit would ensure that the proper date was configured and since most computers are more-or-less capible* of keeping track of the date/time on their own that there was no need to have the FMS (or GPS receiver or whatever) pass the date since that would just be redundant (not to mention require additional programming)
Lincoln
*- Some of the systems I work with are frighetningly good at keeping track of time...others can drift a net of as much as 12 minutes a day!
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