Jorj Baker wrote:

Paul,

Thanks for promoting the potential safety of Free Flight. I think I heard
about the person in the Bonanza and it is unfortunate. I suspect the
airliner that went in in the Phillipines last week was a CFIT accident, too.

I'm considering seeking funding to help build a cockpit system and advance
the software technology, too. How are you coming with your cockpit system?
I've followed Linux a bit and have a friend who had 12 NT servers working a
cable modem service. He said each system went down once a week or more. He
brought them up on Linux and ran them for a year with no downtime at all. He
went in and rebooted them because he couldn't stand how reliable they were!
I haven't looked into it, but do you think Linux would do well enough as a
RTOS to certify for the cockpit? I know the kernal can be small and that
Linux does support OpenGL.

Best,

Jorj

Yes. We had a factory RV6T go in on the way to Sun & Fun too.

I have not been doing much with MM's lately as my C182 is down.
Been working on installing a new engine. As soon as that is done 
I have a Kis Cruiser that I will be installing a rotary engine in.

The University of New Mexico has had a RTOS underlay for Linux
for quite some time. I have always thought it would make a good system
for moving map software as it supports almost an unlimited number 
of RS232 ports.  For example fuel flow, engine data and GPS among others.

IMHO not enough companies  offering moving map displays for the cockpit
are making them PC compatible in the sense that there is a keyboard or
CD reader. Never the less many companies products are based on PC
hardware. Avidyne (I think) was the first to get it FAA certified.
The advantages of a standard operating system and standard I/O 
with competing software vendors are well known to us PC users world wide. 

Rumor has it the FAA is the main hang-up for certification of PC based
MM's. Rumor also has it they did not like Windows as they could 
not look at the Windows source code. 

BTW Now there is a trick. The FAA effectively reviewing or finding bugs
in any operating system source code :-) Well maybe Linux would make the 
FAA happier as the O.S. source code comes with it. You can print it out
and dump all 200 pounds of it on their desk and say; 
"Here it is! Have at it" :-)

Paul Lamar
 
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