ForeFlight Weather Icons
Anyone know what these symbols represent?
and 
Diverging Diamond Interchange
You learn something new every day – and today I learned about Diverging Diamond Interchanges. Apparently they are going to reconfigure the major Ashford Dunwoody <> I-285 intersection by our Lake Hearn office with this configuration. And as Wikipedia notes, this is a rare configuration. It is unusual in that it the two directions of traffic on the non-freeway road cross to the opposite side on both sides of the bridge at the freeway, which requires traffic on the freeway overpass (or underpass) to briefly drive on the opposite side of the road from what drivers are accustomed to. This seems to favor drivers who are bound for the intersection to change roads. If you are simply driving through on the non-Interstate road, you are probably now worse off, but you’ll have to transit two lights (same as today). The design has one key feature, which is there are no left turns that must clear opposing traffic and all movements are discrete. You have to study the diagram above to kind see how it works.
Here’s an animation:
Giving the Car a Rest
This is Alternate Commute Week in Atlanta – which is sponsored by the Clean Air Campaign and WSB Radio. So on my bike ride into work this morning, I decided to attach a video capture camera to my handle bars and record my commute. So here it is, 22 minutes of cycling condensed down to two minutes.
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So the Lady Lowered Her Baguette
This article appeared in the International Herald Tribune on September 27, 1990. However searching the web, I am unable to find it. So here transcribed is one of the funniest articles I ever read concerning language, travel, and living abroad. I was living in Germany at the time, so I could definitely relate.
So the Lady Lowered Her Baguette
by George Ridge
Paris – For four decades now I have existed with one small guidebook to assist me in the French language. It is entitled “TM 30-302 French” and contains a stirring message inside the frontispiece from the gentleman who apparently commissioned the work. He signed off simply as G. C. Marshall, chief of staff.
My bible for French was published in 1943 by the US War Department to assist GIs during World War II. It has served me ably throughout many combat situations, all of them well after World War II. Take for example the time I was overcharged by a factor of 900 percent in a market checkout line.
A line hates to be halted, particularly a French line that is being halted by someone who is murdering the French tongue. The Madame next in line seemed to be aiming her baguette at me. A British diplomat, who you might think had been trained in the stiff-upper-lip tradition to mediate in such crises, quietly advised me to pay up and get moving.
Out came my trusty TM 30-302.
“Juh swee blay-SAY” I cried, attempting a phonetic rendition of “Je suis blesse.” With the assistance of my World War II primer, I had yelled “I am wounded.” Actually it was my wallet that was being wounded, but you have little time for nuance when in the sights of a baguette. Everything came to a startled halt. Action froze at the other cash registers. I continued from TM 30-302:
“Oo sawng lay sawl-daz Ah-may-ree-kang? Ah-lay shayr-shay dew suh-koor!” (“Where are the American soldiers? Bring help!”)
George Bernard Shaw advised that the French don’t care what you do as long as you pronounce it correctly. All I can say to G. B. Shaw is the G. C. Marshall wrote a helluva guide, because I had their complete attention.
The baguette lady lowered her weapon. The diplomat stepped forward.
The error in my bill was rapidly spotted, and apologies made all around. “Good show” said the British diplomat, diplomatically changing sides.
Edmund Scientific Star and Planet Locator Instruction Manual
Not sure why more companies can’t figure out how to put their instruction manuals online. So here is one, posted as a public service….. (701015-1 Rev. 8/02)
Edmund Scientific Star and Planet Locator Instruction Manual (PDF file – 1.3MB)
Main BATT Amps Warning Light on the G1000
Over my last two flights, I started getting a warning light about too much draw (or discharge) on the Main BATT indicator. Normally it is showing -1 AMPS, but occasionally it dips to -1.5 AMPS, and when it does that, it goes yellow. I’ve got a query out to try and figure out what this is, but obviously seems like something that needs to be taken care of. Everything else was normal and shedding load didn’t seem to make any difference.
Aviation and the iPad
Here’s a good report on the utility of the iPad for aviation use. If you have interest in potentially using or buying an iPad for use in flying, this is a must see.
New v563.18 Software for Garmin G1000 is Ready
The new v563.18 software for G1000 is getting ready to be released. I hear should be out in July. You can download the new documentation here. Features include:
- Pathways for SVT
- Engine data logging (see this post)
- Flight plan SD card upload and download
- AOPA info
- New XM features including PIREP’s, AIRREP’s, and TURB
Next G1000 Software Version to include Flight Data Logging
I’m pleased that we’ll soon have Flight Data Logging for the G1000. This will greatly enhance preventive maintenance capabilities, not to mention allow for a wide variety of post flight analysis. The software is already out for the Diamond and I’ve heard coming to Cessna aircraft soon.
Here’s what the latest Diamond manual says:
“The G1000 has the ability to record certain flight and engine parameters on an SD card with a maximum size of four-gigabytes. A two-gigabyte SD card containing no other data, is capable of storing 2,000 hours of data. The following data will automatically be recorded once every second as long as the system is operating and an SD card resides in the top card slot of the MFD.”
Here are parameters that are included:
• Active Waypoint
• Attitude Pitch Angle
• Attitude Roll Angle
• Autopilot (AP) Engaged
• Baro Adjustment/Correction
• Baro-Corrected Altitude
• Battery AMP
• Battery Volts
• Bearing to Next Waypoint
• Carburetor Temperature
• COM1 Frequency
• COM2 Frequency
• Current Position
• Cylinder head temperature, cylinders 1 – 4
• Distance to Next Waypoint
• Engine RPM
• Exhaust Gas Temperature, cylinders 1-4
• Fuel Flow
• Fuel Pressure
• Fuel Quanity Left
• Fuel Quanity Right
• GFC 700 Pitch Command
• GFC 700 Pitch Mode
• GFC 700 Roll Command
• GFC 700 Roll Mode
• GPS Altitude
• GPS Altitude Relative to Mean Sea Level
• GPS Fix
• GPS Horizontal Alert Limit
• GPS Horizontal Protection level
• GPS vertical alert limit
• GPS Vertical Speed
• Ground Speed
• Ground Track Magnetic
• Horizontal CDI
• HSI Source
• Indicated Air Speed
• Lateral/Y/Right Acceleration
• Local 24hr Time
• Local Date
• Magnetic Heading
• Magnetic Variation
• Manifold Pressure
• NAV1 Frequency
• NAV2 Frequency
• Normal/Z/Up Acceleration
• Oil Pressure
• Oil Temperature
• Outside Air Temperature
• Selected Course
• True Airspeed
• UTC time
• Vertical CDI
• Vertical Speed
• WAAS GPS horizontal protection level
• WAAS GPS vertical protection level
• Wind Direction
• Wind Speed
Finally something that starts to get us JPI like engine performance data……
Other G1000 changes are covered here: http://bit.ly/diamond-g1000
