Analog v Digital

classic Classic list List threaded Threaded
1 message Options
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Analog v Digital

Peter Lissaman
Analog v Digital:  I can never resist this discussion.   Silly to say one is better.  They are both best for the right application.  People who depend on instantaneous status information and need to make fractional second manual responses must have analog.  People who crunch numbers crave digital.  I have been in the vehicle (air, water and land) test  and instruction business since the late 50's, and believe me, the test pilot loves analog.  The information display is so immediate and intuitive.  For example, in Grand Prix racing, the driver has a pretty heavy workload.  He's gotta control a squirreley vehicle in random ambiances,  contend with other intelligent drivers TRYING to bugger him up, and keep his motor running.  Mistakes can spoil your day. Thas why most Grand Prix drivers don't survive.  For them, analog is the only way to fly.  The great Juan Fangio used to have his instruments (all with identical circular dials) mounted in a horizontal row, and would then rotate each instrument so that  for normal operating all needles pointed horizontal, in the 3 o'clock position.   He always had the first two issues above on his mind, so that a glance, almost peripheral, would suffice to show the horizontal line, that all was well mechanically, and, if not, provide an immediate indicator of which signal was off, how much and in which direction.  But, but , but, if you wanna report test info and crunch the numbers, it is very tiresome, as I know from direct experience, to transcribe jiggly numbers from a kneepad test log, and not even to be able to read one's own handwriting!!   We couldn't even imagine digital data collection in those days!  But we got into space without it!!  And, to be immodest, two of my students went far, to the moon, in fact, on nuthin' but the Right Stuff.



Peter Lissaman
Expertise is not knowing everything, but knowing what to look for.

1454 Miracerros Loop South, Santa Fe ,New Mexico, 87505, USA
(505) 983-7728
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://redfish.com/pipermail/friam_redfish.com/attachments/20051005/d90c172b/attachment.htm