$9 Solutions to $2 Problems

Captain

Captain

Final Approach
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First Officer
Back in another life I was in Dullas (KIAD) in the cockpit of a United B-757 jumpseat commuting home. The door was shut, bags loaded and we were just waiting for the PDC (Pre Departure Clearance) to come so we could push back from the gate. At busy airports the airlines use PDCs to automate the IFR clearance. It comes up electronically and the idea is it saves time because crews don't have to wait on clearance delivery to get it.

Well, the ACARS wasn't working and the FO told the Captain he didn't know why it wasn't comming through. The Captain told the FO to just call clearance on the clearance delivery freq. While the FO was doing that and the flight sat not moving the Captain scoffed to no one in particular, "PDC, humph, there's a $9 solution to a $2 problem". He was right.

It's a phrase that stuck with me. Through the years I've found many $9 solutions to $2 problems. Here's a couple...

Automatic Mini-Van side doors. I always try to open or close them and it feels jammed so I pull harder. It ends up being like when you unlock a car door for someone and they pull the handle at the same time. Nothing happens and the door stays locked. Were van doors ever really a problem?

Elevators that talk. Enough said.

What other $9 solutions to $2 problems have you seen?
 
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What is the purpose for "electric folding side mirrors" on a car?
I hear this in ads like it's the new sliced bread. I don't get it.
 
Threefingeredjack said:
Text messaging. I have a phone with which I can exchange spoken words in real time.
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Cell phones for kids. Part of my childhood I really liked was going a block or two over to check in on my friends.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
What is the purpose for "electric folding side mirrors" on a car?
I hear this in ads like it's the new sliced bread. I don't get it.
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Toyota invented this feature to load ship tighter...my understanding is that it made quite a bit of difference...
 
How about Back Up Cameras on a Prius? Isn't like tits on a boar hog?
 
Kelvin said:
Toyota invented this feature to load ship tighter...my understanding is that it made quite a bit of difference...
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They don't need to be electric to serve the same function. That certianly qualifies as a $9 solution to a $2 problem.
 
How about the self-dimming rear-view mirror? When did it become too much of a hassle to reach up and flip the lever? Personally, I want my lever back - the dumb mirror doesn't dim when it's the sun blinding you from behind.:mad2:
 
Chip Sylverne said:
What is the purpose for "electric folding side mirrors" on a car?
I hear this in ads like it's the new sliced bread. I don't get it.
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For pickup trucks, I get it. Helps get two cars in a two-car garage if one of them is fat. Especially if you have tow mirrors that fold. Those are nice.

Of course mine only fold out and not in, apparently you have to have a GM dealer "reprogram" them when they do this. So I just leave them out. ;)
 
How about self parking feature.

Braille keypad on the drive up ATM?
 
Captain said:
Back in another life I was in Dullas (KIAD) in the cockpit of a United B-757 jumpseat commuting home. The door was shut, bags loaded and we were just waiting for the PDC (Pre Departure Clearance) to come so we could push back from the gate. At busy airports the airlines use PDCs to automate the IFR clearance. It comes up electronically and the idea is it saves time because crews don't have to wait on clearance delivery to get it.

Well, the ACARS wasn't working and the FO told the Captain he didn't know why it wasn't comming through. The Captain told the FO to just call clearance on the clearance delivery freq. While the FO was doing that and the flight sat not moving the Captain scoffed to no one in particular, "PDC, humph, there's a $9 solution to a $2 problem". He was right.

O a phrase that stuck with me. Through the years I've found many $9 solutions to $2 problems. Here's a couple...

Automatic Mini-Van side doors. I always try to open or close them and it feels jammed so I pull harder. It ends up being like when you unlock a car door for someone and they pull the handle at the same time. Nothing happens and the door stays locked. Were van doors ever really a problem?

Elevators that talk. Enough said.

What other $9 solutions to $2 problems have you seen?
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Dude it's like this. If you are talking minivan, all bets are off. I dont do minivans. I don't respect minivans. I will never collaborate with you on a thread if you drive, or even mention, a minivan.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Dude it's like this. If you are talking minivan, all bets are off. I dont do minivans. I don't respect minivans. I will never collaborate with you on a thread if you drive, or even mention, a minivan.
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I don't own, or ever would own, a mini-van.

But many taxis, FBO vans, and Hotel shuttles are mini-vans these days with those stupid automatic side doors.
 
Dude that automated door on the rental van (sorry Tim) at the POA WINGS fly-in drove me crazy. I just wanted to close it and open it but NOOOO...... I had to find a tiny button and push it. Same with the trunk. I suggested we drive 1mph with the trunk / side door open, and, sure enough, they both closed themselves as we accelerated.
 
Captain said:
While the FO was doing that and the flight sat not moving the Captain scoffed to no one in particular, "PDC, humph, there's a $9 solution to a $2 problem". He was right.
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I would disagree with that. The FO was able to get the clearance on the radio easily because the 50 (just a guess) other airline flights got their clearances using PDC. Can you imagine the radio congestion if all airline flights at Dulles or other big airports had to do it on the radio?
 
I just built an elevated garden, bought soil to fill it, multiple plants and seeds to get it going, installed a "cat activated" watering system. All told I'll probably spend $300-$400 for $25 worth of vegetables... and that's a gamble given Montana weather. But I fish, so that's a bargain in my book.
 
Everskyward said:
I would disagree with that. The FO was able to get the clearance on the radio easily because the 50 (just a guess) other airline flights got their clearances using PDC. Can you imagine the radio congestion if all airline flights at Dulles or other big airports had to do it on the radio?
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Why not multiple freqs then? Clnc A, Clnc B, and Clnc C. A lot cheaper than making every plane equipped to receive PDC's.
 
Florida Cracker said:
How about Back Up Cameras on a Prius? Isn't like tits on a boar hog?
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I disagree with this one. It is based on the rear blind spot of the vehicle. The purpose is to keep little kids from getting run over. All vehicles should have this.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/business/us-rule-set-for-cameras-at-cars-rear.html
 
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You mean those self-opening doors are powered by electricity and not magic?
 
Captain said:
Why not multiple freqs then? Clnc A, Clnc B, and Clnc C. A lot cheaper than making every plane equipped to receive PDC's.
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Real reason? One costs the airline money (via Airinc and the avoincs companies) and the other costs the FAA money. FAA would just keep it at one frequency and let the airlines wait, making "bank time" a total zoo. If they complained the answer would be "don't all leave at once".

Hub-and-spoke drives some really silly loads for a relatively short period of time (in good weather) and then dead silent (for that airline) for a while. It breaks down pretty badly in bad weather and especially in de-icing operations.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Dude that automated door on the rental van (sorry Tim) at the POA WINGS fly-in drove me crazy. I just wanted to close it and open it but NOOOO...... I had to find a tiny button and push it. Same with the trunk. I suggested we drive 1mph with the trunk / side door open, and, sure enough, they both closed themselves as we accelerated.
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I agree that the powered doors were a pain in the butt.
 
A friend of mine had a REMOTE CONTROL for his car radio that was 2 FEET in front of his face....and he used it. Does that qualify?
 
John221us said:
I disagree with this one. It is based on the rear blind spot of the vehicle. The purpose is to keep little kids from getting run over. All vehicles should have this.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/business/us-rule-set-for-cameras-at-cars-rear.html
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I wonder if there are other ways to prevent little children from getting run over... hmmm.

Maybe the parents should keep little children away from moving vehicles.

Naaah, that would be too much work for the parents.
 
brentee said:
A friend of mine had a REMOTE CONTROL for his car radio that was 2 FEET in front of his face....and he used it. Does that qualify?
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That most certianly qualifies!
 
Captain said:
Why not multiple freqs then? Clnc A, Clnc B, and Clnc C. A lot cheaper than making every plane equipped to receive PDC's.
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I would question the "cheaper" since you would need additional controlers, and cheaper is not always better anyway. Communicating by speaking on the radio is inefficient and more prone to error than receiving text electronically. Obviously you are not required to have this equipment so airlines themselves have decided that it is a better solution. Look how many people equip their airplanes to get weather electronically these days rather than calling Flight Watch.
 
Meh, take it up with the UAL Captain who said it. I just thought it was a great phrase.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Segway. A $5000 solution for a $150 problem.

Any opinions in the area please advise.
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Is the $150 solution a wheelchair or bicycle or what?

With certain disabilities I would think the Segway could be a real life changing technology.

Even in the mall cop scenario one person can cover a lot more ground on a Segway with the maneuverability of a walker.

What's hurting Segway the most IMO, is the city governments who "talk" about being green and then outlaw something like a Segway. I am not brave enough to ride a bike out on the roads of a major city, look at how these cabbies drive.

Like anything the prices would plummet if production was higher.
 
Captain said:
Meh, take it up with the UAL Captain who said it. I just thought it was a great phrase.
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Probably one who was dissatisfied with management decisions as a whole. :rofl:
 
Alexb2000 said:
Is the $150 solution a wheelchair or bicycle or what?

With certain disabilities I would think the Segway could be a real life changing technology.

Even in the mall cop scenario one person can cover a lot more ground on a Segway with the maneuverability of a walker.

What's hurting Segway the most IMO, is the city governments who "talk" about being green and then outlaw something like a Segway. I am not brave enough to ride a bike out on the roads of a major city, look at how these cabbies drive.

Like anything the prices would plummet if production was higher.
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A Razor electric scooter is about $150.

Add a third wheel in place of the gyros and complicated software and you get the same thing at lower cost and with better reliability - plus you don't do a face plant when the batteries die.

What's hurting the Segway is the way inflated price - and I was wrong - they are not $5000, they appear to be at least $7000. That's about what I paid for my car.
 
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Well here is a fun minivan sliding door story.

In high school a friend was shuttling me a block or two down a residential street to my car, I was crouching in the doorway with the door open while she drove 5-10 miles an hour down the street. For some reason she slammed on brakes and minivan door starts racing closed because of the momentum. Before I knew it, it felt like someone punched me in my head. There was blood everywhere. The sharp door edge had tried to sliced off a nice piece of my ear, and now the top 1/3 of my ear was hanging on by a string. Mom picked me up and brought me to the ER. They didn't believe the story because the cut was too clean and thought it was from a knife. Police came to ask more questions. The plastic surgeon was able to reattach and it is barely noticable now besides a light scar line.

I can't stand the powered doors either, but would have prevented that accident (also I will note that being an idiot and riding with the door closed would have worked too).
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Dude that automated door on the rental van (sorry Tim) at the POA WINGS fly-in drove me crazy. I just wanted to close it and open it but NOOOO...... I had to find a tiny button and push it. Same with the trunk. I suggested we drive 1mph with the trunk / side door open, and, sure enough, they both closed themselves as we accelerated.
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I've never used one of those vehicles, but I thought that they were smart enough to know that when you pull the handle, it should close. What a pain, indeed!
brentee said:
A friend of mine had a REMOTE CONTROL for his car radio that was 2 FEET in front of his face....and he used it. Does that qualify?
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I once bought a car stereo for a car I had, and it had a remote. My thought was, "What in the world would I use this for?" Never used it.
 
bartmc said:
I just built an elevated garden, bought soil to fill it, multiple plants and seeds to get it going, installed a "cat activated" watering system. All told I'll probably spend $300-$400 for $25 worth of vegetables... and that's a gamble given Montana weather. But I fish, so that's a bargain in my book.
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We just bought $15 worth of chicken wire to protect $0.50 worth of strawberries from the squirrels. At the hardware store, I looked straight at my wife and questioned the logic of this, but she and the kids were adamant that we must protect the 4 strawberries on that plant.
 
A guy I use to know sent me a wiring diagram to build a contraption to protect my motorhome's 12VDC hardware from AC power surges that would destroy my 12VDC stuff. (Device to be installed between the battery and onboard hardware) We're talking about protecting dozen or so standard 30 cent 1003 light bulbs and $40 of battery chargers for AA batteries and a camera battery. (Contraption #2 that he would send later would protect my built in onboard systems from AC power surges however it was to be a bit more expensive and complex to build)
Just for fun I added up the price for parts to build the first contraption.

It was a $400+ solution for a $0.00 non-existent problem.

And even after over half a decade of constant use, I still can't figure out where I'm supposed to get a system destroying AC surge from a couple marine deep cell 12VDC batteries even if it's plugged into the outside world charging the batteries. I bet I could give that guy a heart attack if I told him I use a small inverter to charge my laptop and a few other things that run off 120VAC.
 
hopmedic said:
I've never used one of those vehicles, but I thought that they were smart enough to know that when you pull the handle, it should close. What a pain, indeed!
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The doors DO move when you pull the handle. But not super quickly, and the result is that people tend to yank on the handle again, reversing the first command.

It's a case of people expecting something different than what they get, and reflects poor design, not a problem with the people.
 
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