Earlier quoted context omitted.
It seems so strange that they wouldn’t have a redundant link (like the various options you suggested) or at least fall back to easily available public data (flight information sites) that would at least help some.
Perhaps they could have gone with a connectivity vendor with an extensive 4G network for backup if the (inexplicably) non-redundant fixed line was cut.
Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
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Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#42Yeh, whiteboard works but another more technical solution could be roll out a TV stand and hook up the TV to a laptop via HDMI and update schedule live through a shared doc (Google docs?). I mean, whatever works right...
Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#43I struggle a little to see how there is a single point of failure here (a fibre optic cable). I’d have thought the screens were powered by a device plugged into a LAN. Would be interested if anyone knows the architecture of such screens and why there is such a single point of failure in the whole airport.
Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#44Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#45Aesthetically it was so much better than big super bright screens.
Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#46Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#47I struggle a little to see how there is a single point of failure here (a fibre optic cable). I’d have thought the screens were powered by a device plugged into a LAN. Would be interested if anyone knows the architecture of such screens and why there is such a single point of failure in the whole airport.
These screens build information from multiple sources inc. airlines, ground control, and in some cases airport management. They're typically run off-site at a data center since that provides high resiliency and some data is sourced from outside the airport anyway. If the airport has a dedicated fiber channel between their data center and airport itself and it was damaged, this could be the result. The question I'd as…
Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#48Distantly related but when I was in Europe decades ago I was at a train station where they had a massive split-flap display ( I want to say at a couple places ). I loved watching it update. Aesthetically it was so much better than big super bright screens.
Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#49Distantly related but when I was in Europe decades ago I was at a train station where they had a massive split-flap display ( I want to say at a couple places ). I loved watching it update. Aesthetically it was so much better than big super bright screens.
What you're looking for is called a Solari Board, there's some mesmerising videos of them around, and a few places still have them!
Re: Whiteboards used after Gatwick flight information screens fail
#50Seems like a pretty big success to me. They had a contingency plan and it was implemented successfully. No cancelled flights and minimal delays - good job.