Airbus Solves A380 Wiring Glitch

BBC ^ | 1-21-2007

[Chode]

Chode juse clip zem and put ze tape on the ends Pepe.

zey are just backup systems zat ve, er should i say THEY, don't need anyway... bon.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Now if they can solve the other glitch.

The fact the plane came in several tons overweight than contractually promised.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

The FT quoted Airbus executive vice president Tom Williams as saying there was "a risk" the company may award a £100m ($197m) contract to make wings for the A350 to rival plants in Germany or Spain.

translated:

Whichever EU governments gives us billions in no payback loans to develop this plane gets the jobs.

[Paleo Conservative]

If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.

[Central Scrutiniser]

Rumor is that its coming to ORD on March 28th.

I'd go watch, but its mid week.

[Veloxherc]

"... said Airbus spokesman Tore Prang."

That's got to be a joke right?

[NonValueAdded]

Indeed ... and I would be very suspicious as to the nature of the fix. Fixed for real or fixed on paper?

[conservative in nyc]

Why should it take 9 months to install cabin equipment?

[Seaplaner]

Actually, if I remember correctly, one of the wiring "issues" was that Airbus was converting much the (5 tonne overweight) airplane to aluminum wiring. Aluminum has different minimum bend radii than does copper, so they are left with a rerouting problem.

The fact that it takes them so very, very long to redesign and reroute wiring might lead one to conclude that either (a) the airplane could be a bit "under-engineered" or (b) perhaps there could be some much larger issues with the aircraft (wing strength, fuel efficiency...) that somehow escape public mention.

[TommyDale]

Aluminum and copper don't connect well, they tend to cause fires.

[Seaplaner]

That, and also to corrode, n'est ce pas?

[TommyDale]

Some serious chemical reactions. That's why aluminum wiring was outlawed in homes years ago. Spontaneous combustion...

[Gamecock]

See all of the red wires?

The proposed French solution to the weight issue was to remove all the red wires.

[Gamecock]

Probably several reasons.

The first one that comes to mind is they take the month of August off, so now we're down to eight months.

[gridlock]

If the Brits were smart, they would kiss Airbus goodbye. Be the first rat off the sinking ship, not the last.

My fearless prediction: The A350XWB will never fly. It is vaporware.

The Brits should work on re-developing their own independent aerospace industry. There is a lot of money to be made on short haul/moderately sized aircraft.

[gridlock]

Here's a plan. Boeing should buy out Airbus' operations in the UK lock, stock and barrel. They can then use the facilities to build the next generation 737.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Some serious chemical reactions. That's why aluminum wiring was outlawed in homes years ago. Spontaneous combustion...

I've always wondered if that couldn't have been averted by the simple expedient of electroplating a copper surface onto aluminum wire.

Considering that for electical uses copper is nomally refined by electrolysis anyway (a process that pays for itself in the value of recovered "impurities" which include silver), that wouldn't seem to necessisarily have been particularly expensive . . .

[Redleg Duke]

"It's only software...what could possibly go wrong?"