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New add-on: Central Maintenance Computer for PSX (CMC-PSX)...now v1.12

Started by Avi, Tue, 20 Jan 2015 14:59

Avi

Hi,

PSX update 10.0.5 (item 0.5.0050) modified some of CMC-PSX required data and caused a mini problem with the APU maintenance report (wrong EGT).

Therefor I release CMC-PSX update 1.0.2 which fixes this problem.
All you need to do is download this CMC-PSX.jar file and override your existing file. No need to download the full package (which is still update 1.0.1) and no changes to the manual.

You should use CMC-PSX 1.0.2 only with PSX 10.0.5.

Cheers,
Avi Adin
LLBG

Avi

Hi,

With the official release of PSX version 10.0.7, I'm releasing an update version for CMC-PSX: 1.3 (note that I changed the version counter).
This version should be used with PSX version 10.0.7 and above.
This version was compiled on Java 1.7 unlike previous versions which were compiled on Java 1.6. If you have problems running it, tell me and I will compile it with Java 1.6.

New in version 1.3:
• Bug fix: ECS maintenance conditioning report: Pack 3 is off (print no air flow) if FWD or AFT fire ARM switch is pressed.
• Bug fix: ECS maintenance conditioning report: Pack 2 is off (print no air flow) if FWD, AFT or MAIN fire ARM switch is pressed in combi or freighter.
Flaps Control failure messages were modified to agree with PSX 10.0.7 (the non-severe case was modified from 3 RVDTs failure to FCUs L & R failure).

All you need is to download the new jar file which can be found here and override the existing one.

Cheers,
Avi Adin
LLBG

cavaricooper

Thanks Avi-

I must confess PSX challenges me enough to keep me from delving deeply into CMC, but it is very definitely on my to-dos once I rid the bats in my addled belfry ;)

C
Carl Avari-Cooper, KTPA

Jurgen

Hi,
It seems the 1.3 Jar file resource is not available anymore over at google. Could Avi please check?
Thanks
Jurgen

Hardy Heinlin


Avi

Hi Jurgen.

The file is uploaded and as Hardy I succeeded to download it now too so please try again.

Cheers,
Avi Adin
LLBG

Avi

Hi,

With the release of PSX latest version in general and the new set of sound files in particular, I updated my CMC-PSX and introducing ver 1.4.

In this version when you test the EGPWS you will hear the old or new wav files as you select it in the Instructor / Model / Warning page.

You can find this test under Ground Tests / Navigation Radios (page 5/6) / EGPWS (page 3/5) or, much shorter, under Confidence Tests (in the main menu page).

Note you should set your PSX path in the CMC-PSX.ini file or you won't hear anything. If your path is wrong, you will get an error message in the software window.

Have fun,
Avi Adin
LLBG

cavaricooper

Avi-

Just grabbed the latest version- ta!  Any chance of a YT demo showing off the functionality of the various pages?  I want to dive in but feel a bit lost.... without the first inkling of CMC ops...

I HAVE started to RTFM... but sometimes a picture (in this case the moving picture variety) is worth a thousand words...

Best- C
Carl Avari-Cooper, KTPA

Avi

Hi cav,

RTFM is an excellent start  ;)

Unfortunately a YouTube video is "no go" since I neither have a tool for this nor the time (I "unintentionally" found few hours yesterday to do it and if wasn't done in these few hours I don't know when I would have done it).

Since I figured out many users will have no knowledge at all about the CMC I tried to create a very detailed manual (some may say it has too much information) that will explain everything.

I suggest you to take it easy. Read it carefully step by step and try to generate malfunctions in PSX to see what you get in the CMC-PSX (you have a table that tells you exactly what kind of message(s) you get for each PSX malfunction).

If you have any question just ask here. I will find the time to answer (even at 4am  ;D ).

Cheers,

Avi Adin
LLBG

cavaricooper

Avi-

Understood and appreciated.... a fascinating facet of our beloved girl.

Shalom- Carl
Carl Avari-Cooper, KTPA

Will

Thanks, Avi, for all your work on the CMC project. Much appreciated.
Will /Chicago /USA

torrence

Hi Avi

I'd like to add my thanks to you for this piece of the PSX add-on suite.  I've found it very educational, poking around different aspects of the 744.  As a recent example, while I was reviewing the WXR information in the Collins WXR-2100 guide I noted under "Test-Boeing Aircraft" the following "Alternately, the test procedure can be initiated through the Central Maintenance Computer (CMC) on the B747 ...".  And, sure enough, I found it after a little searching in the CMC-PSX menu - worked as advertised.  Minor question - I found it a little strange that WXR was grouped under >34 Navigation Radios, but I guess from a maintenance point of view any system involved with emitting and/or receiving RF energy is similar, no matter what the frequency. 

Another question when you or one of the pilots have a chance:  I have frequently heard the Confidence test being run in the cockpit by the flight crew when boarding or (on occasion) when I'm seated in the first cabin.  I've wondered when this is usually run - is it part of the normal pre-flight checklists and flows (company specific?) or done on a schedule or only after maintenance etc.

Thanks again
Cheers,
Torrence
Cheers
Torrence

Avi

Thanks Torrence,

In the manuals the WXR is indeed a chapter (43) in the Navigation manual (34) and I don't even think it is a Boeing decision; it is probably a "higher" decision.

Regarding the second question: I don't think a pilot should do anything with the CMC but it is possible that some airlines have different rules about it and different pre-flight checklist. I'll the pilots here to give you an "official" answer.

Anyway, once Hardy will officially release 10.1.1 I will need to release update 1.5 to adjust the updated Flap Control failure to a correct CMC message.

Cheers,
Avi Adin
LLBG

John H Watson

QuoteI found it a little strange that WXR was grouped under >34 Navigation Radios,

It's used to "navigate" around clouds :) Also, coastlines can be used as references (the weather radar picks these up quite nicely).

I vaguely recall a pilot reporting that he needed x degrees on his radar to pick up a coastline, whereas it normally took y degreees. This could either be a gain problem or a tilt problem (at least on the old radars)

torrence

Thanks Avi and John

Avi - I should have asked a more complete question.  I assumed it was the flight crew running the tests because 1. I've heard it fairly frequently and 2. there wasn't any obvious running about by folks with maintenance badges and clipboards seeking signatures etc.  I couldn't see who was actually running the tests usually.  So maybe the right question is "How often and why is the confidence test run and by whom?" 

John - you're right, use for navigation in MAP mode does make it a navigation 'radio'.  In fact, I've used it fairly frequently for that purpose in PSX in lieu of switching to Position on the Instructor's Station.

Cheers,
Torrence
Cheers
Torrence

John H Watson

QuoteAnother question when you or one of the pilots have a chance:  I have frequently heard the Confidence test being run in the cockpit by the flight crew when boarding or (on occasion) when I'm seated in the first cabin. 

The rules can be very confusing regarding the testing of radar. A lot of civil aviation authorities still have some very old fashioned rules about when to not run the radar (despite the advances of radar technology). i.e. limits on running radar within relatively large distances of aircraft being fuelled, people and buildings. Maintenance manuals still seem to have the same antiquated restrictions.

On the other hand, I've just read an FCOM which says running the radar in a hangar in "TEST" is ok (is this to appease engineers?), yet engineering manuals say that  radar systems do transmit (for a short period) during test. The newer radars have far lower outputs and have protection against very high signal level returns (expected if, say, the terminal building walls or hangar walls were only a few feet away) but would you want to test the limits of that protection?

Some FCOM manuals may say no ops within 50 feet of a fuel spill rather than a fuelling aircraft.

I would expect the flight crew to test the radar during taxy, but I'll let the pilots chime in here.

Although some flight crew do go into the CMC at times (Some know how to change the Performance Factors on the Maintenance pages), they really are opening up a can of worms. Some CMC tests may result in the systems being tested more deeply (e.g. If carried out as per the maintenance manual fire tests will lock all four engine bleed valves closed). Confidence Tests fall into a vague area. Sometimes the maintenance manual specifies the use of them, sometimes the CMC Ground Tests. I'm not sure why the flight crew would need to use them (especially with passengers nearby or if fuelling is in progress)

Rgds
JHW

Walktall


Britjet

Certainly in my experience we never did ground tests with the CMC. We wouldn't understand the significance of what we were seeing anyway. It would be a significant drain on our available pre-flight time.
Some airlines might do a fire test maybe but there is no Boeing requirement for the pilots to do this.
Also we wouldn't test the wx radar before or during flight ( except by accident).
Peter.

torrence

Thanks for comments.  Just to be clear however, what I've heard occasionally with the cockpit door ajar was only the EGPWS aural warnings cycling through.  I'd just assumed it was a common check or something had been repaired and they were just testing the system.  I remember being a little surprised that they weren't a little worried about passengers hearing bells and whistles and WINDSHEAR, WINDSHEAR, PULL UP, PULL UP etc. even though we were on the ground. 

Cheers,
Torrence 
Cheers
Torrence

Hardy Heinlin

Some aircraft types (certain Fokkers etc.) have a GPWS test button on the instrument panel. On my jump seat flights I saw the crew using that button during preflight. The repertoire of call-outs was rather small though. The test was passed in less than 20 seconds or so.


Cheers,

|-|ardy