[simpits-tech] It just showed up at my doorstep

[Simon Bennett]

I actually got a reply, believe it or not, and pretty quickly, too. They 
said that since it was a piece of "military equipment" that they couldn't 
just give any information to just anybody, and that I'd have to disclose 
more information about me and my "company". I didn't bother telling him I 
don't work for one, which is probably for the best. Maybe they're afraid 
terrorists will use their avionics to navigate to and crash into buildings. 
I can't think of any rational explanation for this.

So I replied, telling them what I planned to do with it and that it'd never 
go near an airworthy aircraft. I also pointed out that I already own the 
instrument and could always just take it apart and trace the connections by 
hand, and that none of this information is secret in any way.

The guy emailed me again asking for my fax number, I gave it to him. Haven't 
heard back since. That was 7 hours ago. I sent it at about 4 PM Wisconsin 
time, so I guess they just got let out. I'm still hopeful, but I'll be 
amazed if they actually send me any real, useful information.


Not all military contractors are impossible to get information from, at 
least. Some aren't so bad. Hell, I had a nice long chat with a guy from GRiD 
Defense Systems last year about how to get one of my surplus computers 
running. Ever tried taking apart a TEMPEST-rated, military surplus laptop? 
The shell is a magnesium alloy, with a milled aluminum chassis holding 
everything together, it's all hermetically sealed, and everything inside is 
covered in copper foil, to defeat electromagnetic emmissions. Mine were 
never de-milled, either. I want to incorporate them into my simpit somehow, 
just to add to the cool factor.


>From: "Joseph Fagner" <falcon4 at sbcglobal.net>
>Reply-To: Simulator Cockpit tech list <simpits-tech at simpits.org>
>To: "'Simulator Cockpit tech list'" <simpits-tech at simpits.org>
>Subject: RE: [simpits-tech] It just showed up at my doorstep
>Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2005 22:30:35 -0500
>
>Lots of luck with Astronautics.  I've emailed them 3 times about pinouts 
>and
>have never even gotten as much as a "piss off" from them.  Let me know if
>you have any better luck.
>
>Does this take 115 or 26 volt 400Hz?  If you don't have any luck finding an
>inverter, I might have an extra one laying around I could sell you.  I also
>have a 115 to 26 volt transformer laying around as well.  It's labeled for
>50/60 Hz but I was told you can pump 400 Hz into a transformer for 60 hz 
>and
>be fine, you just can't do the other way around.  This sucker is a big 
>heavy
>rectifier transformer, so it can take some amperage.
>
>Jay
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: simpits-tech-bounces at simpits.org
>[mailto:simpits-tech-bounces at simpits.org] On Behalf Of Simon Bennett
>Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 1:24 PM
>To: simpits-tech at simpits.org
>Subject: [simpits-tech] It just showed up at my doorstep
>
>The attitude indicator I bought. It's an ARU-13/A. I need to figure out 
>what
>
>the pinout is. I don't suppose anyone here knows... I guess I'll send an
>email to the manufacturer (Astronautics corp. of America) and pray they'll
>give it to me. Otherwise I'll probably have to take it apart.
>
>Once I get the pinout, I can start looking for a 400hz inverter and a 
>couple
>
>of torque transmitters.
>
>Does anyone know what aircraft these were used in?
>
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