-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: April 27, 2002 10:51 Subject: [USMA:19702] RE: Johnson Space Centre
>> Of Pat Naughtin >>I was saddened to hear him count down the number of feet that his >>craft was above the runway. I have no doubt that this is the >>direct result of his earlier training in aircraft. > >I wouldn't have expressed it like that. Astronauts do not estimate >altitude, they read it from instruments. The count down in feet is a >direct result of the instrumentation of the space shuttle as an >aircraft. > >Incidentally, perhaps you are aware that the US aviation industry >converted from Fahrenheit to Celsius in 1996. The logistics of changing Air Traffic Control from feet, miles etc. to SI are formidable. Given the availability of SI and given the use of SI in other jurisdictions provides considerable impetus to getting on with SI in aviation. I suspect that considerable thought and effort are being expended on this issue. Along with all the 'nuts-and-bolts' problems of a changeover, there is the lurking issue of SAFETY during (and for a time, after) the changeover. The example of temperature readings suggests that, difficult as they may be, more changes will be forthcoming. Duncan >-- >Terry Simpson >Human Factors Consultant >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
