Question about older FMS's

jwp_145

jwp_145

GhostRider in the Sky
I was browsing through pictures of A300 cockpits on that 'other' website, and came across the one that I'll post below this message.

Anyhoo, it has a much older FMS installed, and that caused the cogs in my brain to turn and I remember reading a story or something somewhere about the old FMS's that were in someones JetStar or GII or something like that. It was called a lineFMS orr something to that effect... basically they said that the first FMS's could only hold a few waypoints and you had to keep adding waypoints as you passed over the most recent one...

So does anyone here have any experience with first or second generation FMS's that they'd like to share?

Oops, forgot to add the pic. Sorry if it ends up being a huge picture

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Until very recently, we had FMSs in the 757s that were called the 200K, because they only had a 200K memory. Pretty sad considering that half the people in the back probably had at least 8GB memory cards in their cell phones.
 
IF I am correct, we had some Delco Carousels in a few of our 727s and it was a real pain in the butt to program them. And they would accept only x points. Along with that, since you were doing a great circle route, you had to get ATC in on the game also. You were passing x miles from the VORs and you wound up doing plots.

We had a check airman who was really into stuff like this. He was not friendly and not helpful and loved to show you how much he knew and how much you didn't. You had to have a route check and Tony was one guys doing the line checks. He was giving Russell a line check. Russell was the Capt who had been written up for not carrying his flt kit on runs from ORF to DEN. Russell explained, "How difficult is it. Fly west until you see the Rockies. Fly east until you see the Atlantic."

So, enroute CLT-SFO, Tony is merrily punching the keys dazzling himself and anyone paying attention. Russell says, "You got it" and unstraps. Out the door he goes. Everyone figures Russell has to hit the head. :15 goes by. :20 goes by. No Russell. Finally Tony has the FO get in the seat and he goes back to find Russell. Russell is sitting in first class, having a steak and reading the paper. Asked what the hell he is doing, Russell replies, "Eating. What does it look like? I figured you were happy typing away. I don't need that thing so you're happy. I'm happy. What's the problem?"

It was a different era.

And it really wasn't an FMS. It was a long range nav.
delco.jpg


In the 737s, we had some dinky performance management systems but it was not until the 737-300/400 that we got a real FMS which tied performance and nav along with autothrottles into one system.
 
Orange Anchor said:
IF I am correct, we had some Delco Carousels in a few of our 727s and it was a real pain in the butt to program them. And they would accept only x points. Along with that, since you were doing a great circle route, you had to get ATC in on the game also. You were passing x miles from the VORs and you wound up doing plots.

We had a check airman who was really into stuff like this. He was not friendly and not helpful and loved to show you how much he knew and how much you didn't. You had to have a route check and Tony was one guys doing the line checks. He was giving Russell a line check. Russell was the Capt who had been written up for not carrying his flt kit on runs from ORF to DEN. Russell explained, "How difficult is it. Fly west until you see the Rockies. Fly east until you see the Atlantic."

So, enroute CLT-SFO, Tony is merrily punching the keys dazzling himself and anyone paying attention. Russell says, "You got it" and unstraps. Out the door he goes. Everyone figures Russell has to hit the head. :15 goes by. :20 goes by. No Russell. Finally Tony has the FO get in the seat and he goes back to find Russell. Russell is sitting in first class, having a steak and reading the paper. Asked what the hell he is doing, Russell replies, "Eating. What does it look like? I figured you were happy typing away. I don't need that thing so you're happy. I'm happy. What's the problem?"

It was a different era.

And it really wasn't an FMS. It was a long range nav.
delco.jpg


In the 737s, we had some dinky performance management systems but it was not until the 737-300/400 that we got a real FMS which tied performance and nav along with autothrottles into one system.
Click to expand...

Oh my Lord that is awesome... Orange Anchor, you need to write a book man, or at least start a blog that we can all follow!
 
jwp_145 said:
Oh my Lord that is awesome... Orange Anchor, you need to write a book man, or at least start a blog that we can all follow!
Click to expand...

Russell was quite famous. Russell occasionally wore an ascot with a blazer instead of his uniform coat and tie. Seems that the uniform had paint on it.. or so the story went.

Russell was in the sim with another of our wonders and Ray loved to load people up. Story goes that Ray kept failing stuff and finally Russell said, "FREEZE IT!" Ray froze the sim and Russell unstrapped and exited the sim. Just like it happened later with Tony, Ray figured Russell just needed a break. Time passes. No Russell. Ray begins to search and Russell has LEFT AND GONE HOME. This gets kicked upstairs and the CP contacts Russell to get his end of the story. Russell explains he is there for a check ride, he knows what is and is not supposed to be done and he is NOT going to put up with some crap from some junior Capt who is a sim instructor. CP tells Russell to come on back. It won't happen again. Ray gets a tap on the wrist and life returns to normal.

Like I said. It was a different era. Sometime I will have to tell the story about Capt Mike and him running into the two black hookers on the elevator. With his lovely lily white wife present. Or better yet, how the CP's wife trashed his office with an AXE when she found out he was cheatin'.
 
Orange Anchor said:
Russell was quite famous. Russell occasionally wore an ascot with a blazer instead of his uniform coat and tie. Seems that the uniform had paint on it.. or so the story went.

Russell was in the sim with another of our wonders and Ray loved to load people up. Story goes that Ray kept failing stuff and finally Russell said, "FREEZE IT!" Ray froze the sim and Russell unstrapped and exited the sim. Just like it happened later with Tony, Ray figured Russell just needed a break. Time passes. No Russell. Ray begins to search and Russell has LEFT AND GONE HOME. This gets kicked upstairs and the CP contacts Russell to get his end of the story. Russell explains he is there for a check ride, he knows what is and is not supposed to be done and he is NOT going to put up with some crap from some junior Capt who is a sim instructor. CP tells Russell to come on back. It won't happen again. Ray gets a tap on the wrist and life returns to normal.

Like I said. It was a different era. Sometime I will have to tell the story about Capt Mike and him running into the two black hookers on the elevator. With his lovely lily white wife present. Or better yet, how the CP's wife trashed his office with an AXE when she found out he was cheatin'.
Click to expand...

May I ask what airline this was with, if you can say?
 
Ahh the good ole days. I fly with some captains that have a lot of experience with the old INS systems that have been long since removed. I asked a guy one time why he is circling and number waypoints. He indicated it was an old habbit form the INS. If I remember right they only help 9 waypoints at a time.

I once flew with a guy that tried to give a 3rd party check to lady of the night and get change....
 
Ollie said:
Maybe it's time to bring back those days? :beer:
Click to expand...

This stupid world in which we currently live is WAYYY too P.C. for any of that to happen.

My mentor from OSU was hired at TWA in '63 and he used to tell me stories about flight attendants sitting on his lap during cruise... said you could basically just point and say "You..." and that was all it took! Said they were Gods amongst men.
 
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