Not so good news about flight 3407

[WSurf]

Sorry Surf, in no way was I directing my comments at you. Your post was good for all to read and see how fast it can happen. Which goes along with why I wish more pilots I see would shadow the controls and be ready.

Yea, no problem. I agree with you, and the worst thing I hate to see is a pilot using the autopilot flying the plane to mins. and having neither hand on the yoke and throttles. Being at Two Hundred feet above the ground and sitting on your hands is in no way a smart thing to do.

 

[surplus1]

?????

Just curious - Who makes the avionics in the Q-400?

Is it all 'standard' or do operators have options?

 

[Captzaahlie]

?????

Just curious - Who makes the avionics in the Q-400?

Is it all 'standard' or do operators have options?

Mattel?

OK I was just kidding! I LOVED flying the 100,200,&300 vs and prob would have wet my pants driving the 400....

Advanced Avionics

The Q400 cockpit, the most modern of any turboprop, is fitted with a state-of-the-art avionics suite from Thales. With less weight and fewer parts, the Thales suite offers higher reliability than comparable older technology avionics.

The Q400 avionics suite also features a centralized diagnostic system to help pilots and mechanics quickly resolve problems. Its modular design also makes the system easy to upgrade or to add optional equipment.

An optional Head Up Guidance System (HGS®) displays actual aircraft approach flight path and projected touch down point. The system is allowing Horizon Air to fly single-engine approaches to Category III (Cat. III) weather minima - a first for a commercial regional airline aircraft.

source:

http://www.q400.com/q400/en/technology.jsp

I'm sure the operator or leasing company gets some say so in how many bells and whistles they want , depending on the size of the order.

 

[asayankee]

I once had the seal on the CRJ 200 radome fail. The compartment filled up with roughly 6 inches of water totally submerging the glideslope antenna....which is shared by all three GS receivers. All three of them were telling us something erratic and different. Needless to say the autopilot was attempting to perform some pretty drastic maneuvers trying to keep up. I had to quickly regain control manually.

Moral of the story...use it as a tool, but never trust it!!! Equipment failures happen.

 

[surplus1]

OK Thales Group avionics, thank you. Would you know if its the Top Deck system?

Mattel Never a dull moment, eh?.

 

[Captzaahlie]

OK Thales Group avionics, thank you. Would you know if its the Top Deck system?

Mattel Never a dull moment, eh?.

http://www.q400.com/q400/ssi/q400_video.jsp?video=enhanced_naviagation_en&langue=en

 

[airplane wizard]

Holy Crap Batman!

don't you mean "holy deflected glideslope Batman"

 

[flyboyike]

Not true, Columbia was not equipped to dock at the station. It was the only shuttle not set up with a docking port. Nasa also declined the airforce's offer to view the shuttles belly form orbit with a high powered telescope which would have revealed the damage to the leading edge of the left wing. Columbia was not in the right orbit and did not have enough fuel to reach the station.

I also understand that the idea of sending up another Shuttle to remove the crew off the Columbia was considered, but scrapped due to the concept of potentially ending up with two ships and two crews in trouble, especially with a hurried launch of the "rescue ship".

OT, of course.

 

[Lilah]

So, does the airspeed tape on the Q-400 have a "trend vector" on it? Also, are those cute red bars also there as a warning cue with respect to flying too slow?

A friend of mine has had this signature line for years...

"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"

Fly Safe,

Lilah

 

[rickair7777]

I also understand that the idea of sending up another Shuttle to remove the crew off the Columbia was considered, but scrapped due to the concept of potentially ending up with two ships and two crews in trouble, especially with a hurried launch of the "rescue ship".

OT, of course.

I don't think anyone at nasa thought there was a significant risk before the re-entry. There was no consideration for a rescue, or any other risk reduction measures.