[Nomex Maximus]

Take a look at this device:

http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2619037348.html

just scanned the article, but it would appear that here you have a

1) networked embedded processor with

2) small size appropriate for an aircraft instrument with

3) reasonably powerful processor with

4) a sensible display

5) low cost - ~$400 a unit.

Just write some software, network a couple of these together and you have a very powerful and redundant flight display and flight management system for an airplane. This is the sort of thing I have been wanting to see for a long time.

--JCB

 

[RichB]

Just write some software

"Just" Emphasis mine. That aside, it's not a bad starting point - 3 serial ports, a bunch of general purpose IO. And if it had 3D acceleration as well...

You could do a lot of things very quickly with a small Linux system and the right scripting engine. Eg, you could develop and store your code on an USB or SD Card, then have the OS load up the scripts contained therein when you plug it in, and access it via a UI framework. I'm thinking QT UI + Python or similar. Very very configurable.

The real question is, what functions you want to perform with it?

 

[Nomex Maximus]

"Just" Emphasis mine. That aside, it's not a bad starting point - 3 serial ports, a bunch of general purpose IO. And if it had 3D acceleration as well...

Software is very very easy for me. No scripting for me, real code only.

The real question is, what functions you want to perform with it?

Everything.

My thinking runs completely contrary to the industry ARINC 653 thinking. I would rather have a bunch of "small" independent systems hooked together by simple ethernet, anyone of which could take over the functions of any of the others. I'd like to have a panel of like six or seven of these things - instrument displays, maps, messages, engine controls, flight management, etc...

--JCB

 

[RichB]

Software is very very easy for me. No scripting for me, real code only.

Heh. I'm a developer from way back... and I like the quick development cycle of scripted languages. Opens the system up too, if all a potential hacker (or someone with an Engineering or Sciences background) needs is notepad.

Everything.

My thinking runs completely contrary to the industry ARINC 653 thinking. I would rather have a bunch of "small" independent systems hooked together by simple ethernet, anyone of which could take over the functions of any of the others. I'd like to have a panel of like six or seven of these things - instrument displays, maps, messages, engine controls, flight management, etc...

--JCB

Cool. My immediate thought when I read that was a QNX based distributed system... but I'm sure something similar could be done in Linux. Something with crosschecks and ability to take a unit offline and migrate display to another one if needed, etc. Prioritize 6-pack instruments (for example) so if you're down a device or two, it knows what's best to keep online (flight instruments over engine instruments, or mapping, for example).

 

[Nomex Maximus]

Cool. My immediate thought when I read that was a QNX based distributed system... but I'm sure something similar could be done in Linux. Something with crosschecks and ability to take a unit offline and migrate display to another one if needed, etc. Prioritize 6-pack instruments (for example) so if you're down a device or two, it knows what's best to keep online (flight instruments over engine instruments, or mapping, for example).

Nearly exactly what I was thinking. No need for DO-178B level A software if multiple distributed processors can all do the same basic functions. One, two or three could fail and the other four could still provide more than enough fallover capability...