Pulling an Airbus’s plug

Posted on June 5, 2009 | Comments Off on Pulling an Airbus’s plug

Bad things can happen when the Airbus’s electrical systems go out:

"Simply, the Airbus 330 is one of the few commercial aircraft that is completely fly-by-wire [i.e., fully automated by computer]. The Airbus 320, of Hudson River fame, has mechanical backups, but the Airbus 330 and 340 don’t."

So when their computers quit, what’s left? Exactly nothing. Not much. Except, uh, prayer.

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0 responses to “Pulling an Airbus’s plug”

  1. SnoopyTheGoon's avatar SnoopyTheGoon | June 6, 2009 at 9:50 am |

    I’m aiming to fly in one sometime Novemberish (US Airways uses them a lot). Gives me some shivers, surely.

  2. Dick Stanley's avatar Dick Stanley | June 6, 2009 at 10:31 am |

    It’s the coming thing, such as Boeing’s new Dreamliner. Just stay away from positive lightning.
    Personally, I think it’s stupid. Works great for military fighters where the pilots can eject when the computers quit. Passenger jets should be forced to have manual backup. Cost, of course, is the reason they’re going to all-computer.