Return-Path: Received: from wind.imbris.com ([216.18.130.7]) by ns1.olsusa.com (Post.Office MTA v3.5.3 release 223 ID# 0-71175U5500L550S0V35) with ESMTP id com for ; Sun, 18 Mar 2001 11:09:02 -0500 Received: from regandesigns.com (cda131-242.imbris.com [216.18.131.242]) by wind.imbris.com (8.11.2/8.9.3) with ESMTP id f2IGJD077561 for ; Sun, 18 Mar 2001 08:19:14 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <3AB4C389.8E32AC50@regandesigns.com> Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2001 08:17:45 -0600 From: Brent Regan To: Lancair List Subject: SFS and Radios X-Mailing-List: lancair.list@olsusa.com Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com Mime-Version: 1.0 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> << Lancair Builders' Mail List >> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >> The design of the SFS EFIS-2000 IDU (display and processor) is such that remote NAV/COM radio can be easily added. Each IDU has about 20 communication ports of various "flavors". While virtually any device with a communication port can be interfaced to an IDU, the sensible thing to do is to connect a "headless" device. By "headless" I am referring to devices that do not have face plates with knobs and displays. The user interface is handled through the IDU, taking advantage of a cleaner panel, shared information and a single interface to learn and remember. The IDU has been interfaced to GPS, AHRS, Air Data, Autopilot, Weather, and TCAD (traffic) with more coming. Expect to see a radio interface, localizer/glideslope adapter, airframe status monitor (gear position, flap position, cabin altitude) and UPS (uninterruptable power supply), among others, soon. <> Actually it is not one box. While a one IDU system is possible, two are recommended and up to four are possible. All IDUs in the system are identical and can perform the functions of the others if they fail. The IDUs are wired together in a daisy chain so that one device (GPS say) talks to all the IDUs. If one device fails, or if one IDU fails, then the balance of the system is still functional. Unlike many of the competing systems, a single failure won't bring the whole system to it's knees. Loose GPS and the Inertial system takes over. Loose an IDU and the second IDU fills in. Loose airdata and the GPS and Inertial system provide the information. In techno-speak the system has distributed functionality and is recursively redundant. Think of it this way, you have 20 people that HAVE to get from town A to town B. You can put them all on a bus or caravan ten cars. If the bus breaks, nobody gets there. If six of the ten cars break, you can still pile everybody into the remaining 4 cars. If the probability of the bus or a car breaking is 1 in 100 then the probability of 6 cars breaking is 1 in 1,000,000,000,000. You would win the Idaho lottery 75,000 times before this happened. Combine this system with a set of standby steam gages and you have a belt and suspenders and bullet proof vest solution. Regards, Brent Regan P.S. For those of you who don't already know, Regan Designs Inc. designed the IDU under contract to SFS. Being a pilot, a design engineer, a coward and a user of the SFS system gives me some unique insights. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html LML Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>