Boeing picks SBC to run test-flight acquisition

Thales Computers has been selected by Boeing to provide the SBC and PMC carriers for a data acquisition system to be used during test flights of the C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

Thales Computers has been selected by The Boeing Company to provide the SBC and PMC carriers that will be part of a new system developed by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems to record and report events during test flights of the C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

The new system, known as AWODS (Advanced Work Order Distribution System), is designed to record all operational data from the nine 1553 databuses aboard the C-17 during test flights.

In addition, AWODS will transmit data on predefined events in real time to ground stations for analysis.

AWODS has been developed to reduce or eliminate costly test reflights, which have been required in the past because of the inability to capture adequate information about transient events that occur during flight.

Thales Computers will provide a Ruggedizer-equipped, conduction-cooled version of its high-end VMPC6d single board computer, which employs dual Motorola PowerPC 7410 (G4) chips, running at 450MHz, augmented by the AltiVec vector-processing unit.

For the AWODS application, the VMPC6d is equipped with 256Mbyte SDRAM arranged in a massively shared memory architecture that facilitates real-time memory access with extremely low latency.

In addition, Thales will supply PMC carriers for the AWODS system.

Both the VMPC6d and the PMC carriers are designed to operate from -45 to +85C, and withstand rigorous shock and vibration specifications.

"We are delighted that The Boeing Company has selected Thales Computers to supply the VMPC6d single board computer and PMC carriers for the AWODS application", said Tom Hall, CEO of Thales Computers.

"Our involvement in this project reflects both the high quality of our products and our ability to work closely with other contractors involved with the AWODS programme".

"We are pleased that Thales Computers is partnering with Boeing in the development of this important system", said Mark Talbot, Principal Engineer, The Boeing Company.

"They have provided high-quality products and have worked interactively with our other contractors to deliver a prototype system for evaluation".

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