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The C-130 was tiny by comparison to the C-17. I admit I was on the
McDonnell-Douglas C-17 documentation team circa 1992.
We produced two 20,000+ page MilSpec documents for the C-17 flight
computer. We used Interleaf, so it was electronic documentation, but the
output was on paper.
I don't know what happened to those beasts, but they must have ended up in
the cockpit. It was a big plane, but imagine a nervous navigator trying to
find information about a single module on the dashboard. Scary.
The software development methods were quite primitive, so the documentation
was pretty crude. The Air Force was not happy. See http://gao.gov/assets/90/80538.pdf if you're interested.
The plane did get delivered in 1993, but god knows how.
Here's a cool flashback to Apollo 13 documentation. It was over 20 years
earlier, but we were still producing paper in the early 90s.
On Fri, Apr 25, 2014 at 7:07 PM, Keith Hood <bus -dot- write -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
> That about the planes not being able to lift their own manuals reminded me
> of something I read years ago about the Pentagon's procurement process and
> the proliferation of MILSPEC rules. I think this was in *Air And
> Space*magazine...When companies were bidding on buiding the C-130, it
> took a
> 5-inch 3-ring binder to hold all the paperwork required to file a bid.
> When Lockheed submitted a bid to construct the C-5, it took a C-130 to
> carry ONE set of the paperwork required.
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 25, 2014 at 5:56 PM, John G <john -at- garisons -dot- com> wrote:
>
> > Yabbut IIRC the airplanes you write about are barely able to take off
> with
> > all their manuals aboard, so making a copy of one of everything would be
> a
> > real physical effort.
> >
> >
> >
> > On Friday, April 25, 2014, Lippincott, Richard <RLippincott -at- as-e -dot- com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I concur with the two Roberts (Lauriston and Kay): Sometimes ya gotta
> get
> > > a printed copy out the door immediately, and the only way to do it is
> to
> > > print and bind it yourself.
> > >
> > > It's part of my job. It only comes up once or twice a year, and it's
> > > typically only one or two copies, but it happens.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Rick Lippincott, Technical Writer
> > > American Science and Engineering, Inc. | www.as-e.com
> > > 829 Middlesex Turnpike | Billerica, MA 01821 USA | Fax +1-978-262-8702
> > > Office +1-978-262-8807 | rlippincott -at- as-e -dot- com <javascript:;>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: techwr-l-bounces+rlippincott=as-e -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > <javascript:;>[mailto:
> > > techwr-l-bounces+rlippincott <javascript:;>=
> as-e -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > <javascript:;>]
> > > On Behalf Of Robert Lauriston
> > > Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 4:56 PM
> > > To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com <javascript:;>
> > > Subject: Re: Friday Hilarity
> > >
> > > The other requirements are fairly demanding.
> > >
> > > It says, "Performs Technical Publications administrative duties, such
> as
> > > filing, copying, binding, and archiving, as required and assigned."
> > > That's pretty standard for small-run / custom hardware where hard
> copies
> > > are provided. Somebody orders a unit, you print or copy the manual and
> > bind
> > > it. Given the potential legal exposure with medical devices it's
> probably
> > > better practice to have docs responsible for that than having a
> > > minimum-wage clerk do it and maybe send the wrong doc.
> > >
> > > On Fri, Apr 25, 2014 at 1:47 PM, Robart, Kay <
> Kay -dot- Robart -at- tea -dot- state -dot- tx -dot- us
> > >
> > > wrote:
> > > > Notice, too, that they have the tech writer filing, binding, and
> doing
> > > other such jobs. Looks like a $7 an hour tech writing job.
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: techwr-l-bounces+kay -dot- robart=tea -dot- state -dot- tx -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > > > [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+kay.robart=
> tea -dot- state -dot- tx -dot- us -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > > > ] On Behalf Of Nancy Allison
> > > > Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 12:44 PM
> > > > To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> > > > Subject: Friday Hilarity
> > > >
> > > > From a current job listing for Senior Technical Writer:
> > > > * Must be able to repetitively lift and carry product weighing
> > > > approximately 30 lbs
> > > >
> > > > (
> > > http://hologic.jobs/bedford-ma/senior-technical-writer/46122080/job/?v
> > > > s=107)
> > > > Break out the dumbbells for a few days before you apply!
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