Ho-hum, have they thought of the electronic signature of all those fast wi-fi signals between the mechanics and the computer?
There are now drones sniffing for concentrated sources wi-fi signals… Maybe they need to cover everything in a lead tent…
If the drone operator needs to rely on Wi-Fi signals to find an operating airfield, that drone operator is not much of a threat.
And if EMCON is a worry, there are simple techniques to control the spectrum. If thats not enough a simple hard resync with the cloud at multiple, conveniently placed terminals is all that’s needed.
I would be very curious to see the data and how it was analyzed to reach the conclusion that aircraft management via “paper forms and binders” is the big reason for dangerous inefficiency and therefore a big reason for $50 million in mishaps. In my personal experience it doesn’t add up. Then there’s the whole conversation that could be had about why onboard logbooks in a binder cannot be replaced due to operational needs and concerns for airworthiness. And of course I would be remis if I didn’t mention the oxymoronic mention of a 100-pound device that is man-portable.
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Yeah, a 100# device - that is gonna work real well. Not!
I’m certain that things have significantly changed since I worked instruments/avionics on B-52H and KC-135A aircraft back in the 70’s. But at first look this solution would appear to be massive overkill. And yes, power, electronic flight systems, hydraulics, airframe and coatings are much more complex on some of today’s aircraft.
I rarely got to work on one of our aircraft in a hangar and only occasionally that hangar was even heated (Grand Forks AFB). The vast majority of work that I and my fellow airmen did was outside in the elements. Usually trouble shooting and repair was done from memory. More complex jobs did require dragging out some books/binders/TOs. Then there were the days where one of the jets was preparing to go out on a mission and something is inop. Us techs would either be working the jet on the ramp with the engines running, or inside the cockpit while it was taxiing, or doing the repair at the end of the runway, or whatever. Job ONE was to get the jet repaired so that it could make it’s takeoff time. No place to be dragging around a 100# box
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After 22 years in the Air Force, 20 years in commercial aviation, and 15 years in the FAA I can say with authority that the AF is never closer than 20 years out of date in their training and procedures.
They need to seriously quit listening to the recent college graduates and get some outside information and help in setting up their training and documentation procedures. Quit listening to lieutenants and colonels busy climbing the ladder with only the minimum time spent in every job to fill in the check-box on their resume.
Operate like they must make a profit and things just might get a little better.
Until then. . .
100 pounds? When some personnel tents weigh over a thousand pounds, 100 pounds is down in the noise.
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What the what?! Someone mentioned wifi which turned into an EMCON argument. If that’s really a problem, what about good old fashioned wired Ethernet? You can even do fiber if you’re really that concerned. There are even dongles for iPads and Microsoft Lens products.
And if the problem is maintenance technicians need to access applications that are SO bloated that they need (apparently) 100+ CPUs and terabytes of memory, perhaps we should look at fixing that?
This is insane.
Apple and orange comparison. As a further clarification, I worked the flight line for an AF organization that was called Strategic Air Command back in those days. We had minutes, not hours or days, to get an aircraft repaired so that it could meet it’s launch window. A toolbox, a spare and brains were what dealt with that daily challenge. A 100# box would have no role in that environment.
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Not an AF guy, but did serve. I applaud the AF for moving forward with updating maintenance resources. Maybe that 100-lb box can store mechanic-initiated maintenance records as well as the digital versions of the manuals and specs by which the aircraft is maintained. My only hope is that if the box has read/write capability, it is replicated in real time on the ground in case the aircraft is shot down.
As further clarification, I worked the flight deck for a F-14 squadron. We had seconds, not minutes, to get the aircrew debriefed, gripes troubleshot, and parts called for before the respot.
I don’t see how a 100# box, sitting in a thousand pound tent next to your flight line, connecting you real time with maintenance control puts you out.
I would have loved that type of connectivity say, on an iPad mini sized device to communicate with fellow maintainers, the flight deck Chief, Maintenance Control and the parts runners. Heck, the Ready Room could take the maintenance debrief from the aircrew in route back to the ship and beamed that to a device on my wrist.