The U.S. military is supposed to be used to both 24-hour time (especially that) and metric units. I think American tourists and business travelers are a more likely influence.
I think the nearest U.S. military bases are the Rhein/Main Air Force base, which shares the Frankfurt Airport runways, and the one at Wiesbaden (which is served by Frankfurt Airport). D�sseldorf's nearby military base is (or was) the British one at M�nchengladbach, a few km to the west. The Frankfurt Airport website uses 24-hour time in both German and English. For flight schedules, it allows one to choose times on the hour and the half hour, from 00:00 to 23:30 (unlike D�sseldorf's on-the-hour untranslated 1 Uhr, 2 Uhr, etc.). I couldn't find any reference to temperatures. Obviously, Frankfurt Airport isn't pandering to U.S. military personnel, even though they're in the neighborhood. Bill Potts, CMS Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Behalf Of BigChimp >Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 20:24 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Subject: [USMA:29059] Re: [USMA:29058] RE: D�sseldorf airport weather >data > > >It may be that the use of FFU at this airport could be tied in with the US >military. Soldiers and their families that came and went over the >years may >have nagged airport personnel to a point they just gave in. I >guess you can >take so much of "what time is that really?", or "What is that in >'merican?". >I really can't see anyone one else making an issue of it. > >Euric > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Chris KEENAN" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Tuesday, 2004-03-02 13:07 >Subject: [USMA:29058] RE: D�sseldorf airport weather data > > >On Monday 2004 March 01 22:52, Bill Potts wrote: >.. >> At least the signs in the airport are, I think, 24-hour-only and >> Celsius-only. They were when I lived in D�sseldorf (1988) and, although I >> didn't pay particular attention, I think they were on four or five >> subsequent visits (from 1990 to 1998). >.. >> Back to your original point, though, it's a pity they feel they need to >> pander to am/pm/F diehards. I suspect, though, that it wasn't >done for the >> benefit of the British, who are used to 24-hour time and Celsius >> temperatures. > >I have absolutely no doubt that the airport will be 24 h only & Celsius. >It's >part of the mentality that many non-English speakers seem to have, that >English language=imperial/12 h clock. It's also an indication that they see >the US as the dominant users of English. You are absolutely right, Bill, in >that all UK bus/train/plane timetables are always in 24 h format (there may >be a few exceptions with some local buses, but I don't recall seeing any). >Only the US uses am/pm. Hence I was doubly annoyed. BTW, I never received a >reply to my complaint. > >> Incidentally, do you ever watch the Red Cap series (which is shown, here, >> on BBC America)? > >I've not seen it, Bill, though I knew it was on. I'm not inclined to watch >it >after whjat you've told me! > >Chris > >-- >Chris KEENAN >UK Metric Assoc: www.metric.org.uk >
