Metric vs Imperial
One of the best imperial/metric cock-ups cost NASA around $125 million....
A NASA investigation confirmed earlier reports that aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin botched the design of critical navigation software for the ill-fated Mars Climate Orbiter. While flight computers on the ground did calculations based on pounds of thrust per second, the spacecraft's computer used metric system newtons. A check to make sure the values were compatible was never done.....
So when the Orbiter tried to establish its orbit, instead it either hit the planet or burned up in the atmosphere....
Almost like the ba 747/TriStar cock-up. Allegedly, when ba was rationalising its fleet, it compatred fuel usage of the RB211s in the two aircraft. They found that the RB211 in the TriStar burned X lb/hr, whereas in the 747 it was Y lb/hr. "Hurrah", cried the beancounters, "since X > Y, we'll can the TriStars".
So they did.
Then someone pointed out that 3X < 4Y......
Seemingly the beancounters had overlooked the fact that the 747 has more engines than a TriStar...
A NASA investigation confirmed earlier reports that aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin botched the design of critical navigation software for the ill-fated Mars Climate Orbiter. While flight computers on the ground did calculations based on pounds of thrust per second, the spacecraft's computer used metric system newtons. A check to make sure the values were compatible was never done.....
So when the Orbiter tried to establish its orbit, instead it either hit the planet or burned up in the atmosphere....
Almost like the ba 747/TriStar cock-up. Allegedly, when ba was rationalising its fleet, it compatred fuel usage of the RB211s in the two aircraft. They found that the RB211 in the TriStar burned X lb/hr, whereas in the 747 it was Y lb/hr. "Hurrah", cried the beancounters, "since X > Y, we'll can the TriStars".
So they did.
Then someone pointed out that 3X < 4Y......
Seemingly the beancounters had overlooked the fact that the 747 has more engines than a TriStar...
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How about we go metric but call it British Standard Metric (BSM). Then, to save face with the Euroworld, we give give the soon-to-be-unemployed Blair the job of promoting BSM as a totally new system, not invented by anyone else. After all, he has already proved himself rather good at that sort of thing.
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ericferret, CFM is a 50/50 parnership between Snecma Moteurs of France, and GE in the U.S.A. Just be thankful the front half is not metric and the rear imperial.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The Officers' Club at Akrotiri had been on the books for years. Eventually it was decided, build it or can it.
My boss was given the job. The architect drew up plans for a phased building approach:
Front door, bar, pool, the rest to follow as funds permitted. Funny but we never thought of Akrotiri as a one-off tour. Anyway the plans came in.
The plans went to PSA and they did the costing. For PSA the costings were very low and it was decided that we would go for the lot as we could afford the toilets, showers, lounge etc.
Down on the site the builder set out the building. Very small he said. Are you sure you only want a 2ft 6in front door. Doh!
canned
My boss was given the job. The architect drew up plans for a phased building approach:
Front door, bar, pool, the rest to follow as funds permitted. Funny but we never thought of Akrotiri as a one-off tour. Anyway the plans came in.
The plans went to PSA and they did the costing. For PSA the costings were very low and it was decided that we would go for the lot as we could afford the toilets, showers, lounge etc.
Down on the site the builder set out the building. Very small he said. Are you sure you only want a 2ft 6in front door. Doh!
canned
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How about we go metric but call it British Standard Metric (BSM). Then, to save face with the Euroworld, we give give the soon-to-be-unemployed Blair the job of promoting BSM as a totally new system, not invented by anyone else. After all, he has already proved himself rather good at that sort of thing.
Now if we can just get them to rename the Euro, The Pound. We'd adopt it overnight.
Brian Abraham
Not to worry, some of my old spanners are so worn they have a tolerance of plus or minus half a mill and will fit anything close!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also seem to remember that the army Gazelles (metric) had a couple of a/f screws on the crew seats.
I also watched an unamed european maintenance organisation fitting a radio
mod into a police Squirrel (all metric) using a/f hardware. The strange thing was that when I pointed this out they couldn't see why I was concerned.
Not to worry, some of my old spanners are so worn they have a tolerance of plus or minus half a mill and will fit anything close!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also seem to remember that the army Gazelles (metric) had a couple of a/f screws on the crew seats.
I also watched an unamed european maintenance organisation fitting a radio
mod into a police Squirrel (all metric) using a/f hardware. The strange thing was that when I pointed this out they couldn't see why I was concerned.
I always thought that when we went to a decimal currency we should have gone 10 pence to a shilling, 10 shillings to a pound. The mathmatical efect would have been the same as the pence pounds option but we would have retained the ability to confound our enemies, (germans, french, well everybody really) with a confusing currency.
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One of the best imperial/metric cock-ups cost NASA around $125 million....
A NASA investigation confirmed earlier reports that aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin botched the design of critical navigation software for the ill-fated Mars Climate Orbiter. While flight computers on the ground did calculations based on pounds of thrust per second, the spacecraft's computer used metric system newtons. A check to make sure the values were compatible was never done.....
So when the Orbiter tried to establish its orbit, instead it either hit the planet or burned up in the atmosphere....
A NASA investigation confirmed earlier reports that aerospace contractor Lockheed Martin botched the design of critical navigation software for the ill-fated Mars Climate Orbiter. While flight computers on the ground did calculations based on pounds of thrust per second, the spacecraft's computer used metric system newtons. A check to make sure the values were compatible was never done.....
So when the Orbiter tried to establish its orbit, instead it either hit the planet or burned up in the atmosphere....
Still makes me laugh.
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Quote
"I also watched an unamed european maintenance organisation fitting a radio
mod into a police Squirrel (all metric) using a/f hardware. The strange thing was that when I pointed this out they couldn't see why I was concerned."
I don't blame them the logic is they are not the one's who are going to use it
Typical Continent Attitude Sod the rest as long as we are all right
(I might just have opened a can of worms with that comment )
"I also watched an unamed european maintenance organisation fitting a radio
mod into a police Squirrel (all metric) using a/f hardware. The strange thing was that when I pointed this out they couldn't see why I was concerned."
I don't blame them the logic is they are not the one's who are going to use it
Typical Continent Attitude Sod the rest as long as we are all right
(I might just have opened a can of worms with that comment )
You dont have to work in metric and imperial for a fine cock up.
During the war the navy launched a a number of RAF fighters at maximum range from a carrier to Malta. The idea being to avoid the enemy bombers based in Italy.
Trouble was the RAF quoted their max range in statute miles whereas the navy were operating in nautical miles.
A number of pilots ended up with wet feet.
During the war the navy launched a a number of RAF fighters at maximum range from a carrier to Malta. The idea being to avoid the enemy bombers based in Italy.
Trouble was the RAF quoted their max range in statute miles whereas the navy were operating in nautical miles.
A number of pilots ended up with wet feet.
