[Jim/Chris]

Gerald,

Go to Advanced:ParameterEditor:IntakeManifoldTemp and check to see what the PID is set to. It’s probably set to 105. Change the PID for this parameter to 172. Also, under Advanced:EngineType make sure you selected DetroitDieselSeries60_500HP.

David Brady, ’02 Wanderlodge LXi, NC

[Archived]

This may seem like preaching (because it is) but I think the message is important.

When I had my planes I found out the hard way that we can get distracted easily when something goes out of the norm.

In our coaches there is no end to the ways we get distracted. We are looking at billboards, playing with the GPS, adjusting the tunes on the radio, and staring at a gauge that shows a reading that differs from what we normally see. Of course none of us would add to that by talking on our cell phones or texting or playing with the smart phone (whatever that is).

If a display that has engine parameters displayed it is akin to the engine information display we pilots have in a plane. From personal experience I can tell you having unlimited information about what is going on in our engines or drivetrains is great, but that display can become a major distraction that makes texting look like it has no impact on your driving. Too much information when driving is dangerous. I hope you use it to retain data for review when not driving. Our coaches not only have the warning lights, but they have the ability to protect themselves by shutting down. Knowing you have all the information available and the ability to look at it in real time can make an engine problem pretty minor compared to an accident that occurs because your attention was diverted.

[Larry & Diane]

David,

thanks for the tips. The intake manifold PID indeed was set to 105. I also changed the default engine type as you described. I’ll try it out on our next run.

Jon,

you make a good point about all the new gadgets causing distractions. However, VMSPC is pretty benign. The most distracting thing I have encountered as a pilot are the traffic systems. Landing on our busy uncontrolled field the traffic system keeps yelling out “Traffic! Traffic! Traffic!”. You always look down on the screen to see where it thinks the traffic is instead of keeping your eyes outside the plane.

Before I had the traffic system, flying was definitely more serene but not necessarily safer. It is amazing how many planes are out there that one does not normally see. I subscribed to the “Big Sky” theory until an acquaintance died in a mid-air collision crossing the 45 degree approach to our field. No longer.

[Archived]

It’s pretty simple really. As my flight instructror drilled into me, “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, in that order”. So, above all, DRIVE THE BUS!

David Brady, ’02, Wanderlodge LXi, NC

[Jim/Chris]

Thanks for making my point for me. You just proved how easy it is to become distracted and that despite knowing the traffic alerts are false you still look down at the instrument.

Don’t kid yourself in thinking you will not be looking at your intake manifold temperature, despite knowing there is not a damn thing you can do about it while driving.