[AT] OT was runaway cars/now "electronic steering"

[Chuck Bealke]

Ron,

If my sieve of a memory is to be trusted, leading edge military fighters 
are so difficult to control during evasive maneuvers that they could not 
be flown without fly-by-wire and other chips.  But I wonder if 
commercial aircraft have or need defenses built into fly-by-wire and 
other control electronics against local EMP weapons.  One hears that 
police are now firing such techie guns to disable cars of bad guys.  A 
news article last week listed one that will reach out 656 feet.  I 
suspect modern chip-filled phones and other machines may be vulnerable 
to some of these weapons, but at least our favorite pre-60s or 70s 
tractors should be immune - unless they have been converted to 
electronic ignition.

Chuck Bealke
Dallas, TX




On 2/2/2010 11:25 PM, Ron Cook wrote:
> Military aircraft can get by with the fly-by-wire.  Volunteers are
> flying them with parachutes on and if you throw the airplane away, it
> gets replaced.;-)  There has been much trouble here and there with the
> Airbus.  Just not published much.  Except the first one that went in the
> trees at the airshow.
>
> I had to look for a long time to find a good mechanical semi to buy.  I
> don't like the feel of the throttle on the electronic versions.  The
> computer does do a good job of controlling the engine though.  When it
> works.
>
> Ron Cook
> Salix, IA
>
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