Sunday, July 14, 2013

Brief visit

As said before, this post does not imply being back to this theme. That is, we're still not back (as we weren't after the battery incidents). There are too many others things of interest.

But, we reserve the right to stop, now and then, and make comment. Why? The Heathrow incident of late last week. What happened? We all want to know and will know soon enough (unless, it's another those unknowns that can't be explained -- where is Carson when you need him (unknown unknowns)?).

I just ran across an article in the Seattle Times that speaks to things alluded to here and in truth engineering. For instance, one cannot expect someone to do what one cannot do, when one is the expert (wizardry and magic, aside) -- we'll explain, if necessary. Now, in finance, one can see seeking a "perpetual motion" event (they can be forgiven since the class includes idiocy as a property); however, engineers do not follow such dreams (unless pushed to do so by managers).  

Aside: There are many things that are beyond our grasp, despite the fact that we get enough control to fuel hubris (I'm talking our relationship with nature, not those of the super-set (supposed) class who think that they have control over being). Engineering would be smart to incorporate this into their discipline (again, not talking chaos, etc.; rather, consider the ilk of truth engineering, please).

So, this will be an interesting problem to follow. We'll make comment now and then. But, the whole idea here is to have a progressive movement toward something that is understandable and of use. Consider the entrapments that we have to manage, for starters. My focus is the world of money, finance, and related. But, engineers are as enmeshed as are the silly folk (CAE would be a good place to begin discussion). The problem is pervasive and of imperative concern (ought to be?).

Remarks:

07/15/2013 -- The event will present the world with the "largest composite repair" project that has been seen so far in aerospace, according to a blog post at Composites World. Here is an interesting look at composite repair from the same site; this report dates from 2008 when the 787 was still getting configured to allow a first flight (Dec 2009). It'll take long practice to get to a data-based basis for making the necessary decisions. Too, is this damage in a heavily structural area that will require special attention?

Modified: 07/15/2013