On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 17:31:37 GMT, Phat Bytestard
getinmahharddrive.org> wrote:

Hey, so am I. They're using my arbs to simulate all sorts of stuff to
the engine control computers, so they can test the software before
they actually fly it. The driveshaft to the lift fan is interesting...
32,000 hp excites all sorts of twists and vibration modes. We make
some tach/overspeed modules too, and we're working on a realtime
torque sensor thing. We're doing thermocouple and RTD simulators too,
for pretty much the same reasons.

Nowadays planes are just sensors, computers, and actuators, with lots
of software connecting them. So a major development item is coding and
testing the software. "A bug every 10 lines" just won't do here.

JSF is cool. Single engine, vertical takeoff and land, supersonic
without afterburners. Pratt&Whitney engine.

John