On Mon, 24 Oct 2005 13:46:30 -0600, Newps wrote:



wrote:


That's what I was saying. Although it is pretty sad that the nationwide
system cannot keep everything together in a unified way. It's not that it's that much
data... just that the system is so old that it cannot handle it. If a couple
megabytes of memory in a GPS can handle every APT, VOR, ADF, INT for all of north
america, regular computers shouldn't have trouble.

You don't know what you're asking for. A few MB of computer memory is
not the issue. If you take off VFR and fly from Miami to Seattle you
want you're IFR clearance to be ready at each controllers position along
the way. Do you have any idea how many IFR flightplans never get used
in the course of an average day?

Note: I have never been in an ATC facility, so I have no idea how the
systems actually work, nor the limitations.

However, in terms of technology, managing flightplans for every
aircraft in the US would be a trivial problem. This is exactly what
database programs are designed to do.

Upon initial contact from the aircraft, the controller, should be able
to key the N-number into a database and see if there is a flightplan
available. In this manner, each controller would have access to each
flightplan, but only as they need it.

An aging utility would go through and remove old flightplans.
Security and redudancy issues aside, I could have something like this
running on SQL and webconfigured in less than a week.

What am I missing? I am eager to learn how the current system works.

-Nathan