What’s Your Bandwidth?

Airwolf’s Spec’s per wikipedia: Range: 950 miles Ceiling: 11-89,000 ft Speed: 300 knots Weapons: 30mm gun, .50 BMG chain gun, multiple types of missiles Crew: 2-3 plus 4-6 passenger

Do you remember the 80’s TV show “Airwolf”? Would you believe you share things, important things, in common with this high performance helicopter? YOU DO!!!!!!! I was talking with an engineer friend the other day. He works flight safety for the design and development of helicopters. What he deals with in the design and development of helicopters, is similar to things that impact every one of us, every day and the majority of people don’t even know it is happening. During this chat we talked about the concepts of bandwidth and load shedding considerations during their design and development phases.

Let’s talk, for a brief moment, about the terms Bandwidth and Load Shedding. Two distinct different concepts but relevant to the aircraft as a whole. In the world of engineering:

• Bandwidth is ability to handle the throughput of information, how much information can it handle. The computer has a design limit and we don’t want exceed that limit. If we do, the computer can stop processing, process slower, etc. All of these are bad things for a helicopter in flight since it is the computer that flys the helicopter.

• Load shedding refers to the idea that if we exceed certain electrical loads or don’t have enough electrical power, the computer will shut down functions as needed to preserve critical systems in order to preserve the system as a whole, . The pilot doesn’t have much of a say in what shut down.

• Bandwidth issues do not necessarily lead to load shedding issues and vice versa.

You experience bandwidth considerations daily. For example, look at your internet service. In my house between the four of us, we have at least 13 different items drawing on the internet at any given time. As you could imagine, depending on what we are doing, this will cause a lag in some areas of the system.

Now I am sure someone is saying for me to just increase my bandwidth or my internet package. For my issue of so many devices, they would be right. All I need to do is make a call and the problem could be solved. Pretty easy to solve that type of bandwidth issue in my personal life. However, solving your personal bandwidth issues isn’t always so easy to recognize, let alone solve.

But in what other areas of daily life do we see considerations of bandwidth and load shedding? The term Bandwidth may also be used colloquially to indicate a person’s capacity for to handle tasks or deep thoughts at a point in time. You are an amazing creation. What specifically about you is handling bandwidth and load shedding considerations? Specifically your body and mind. Your body is constantly and continuously engaged in a delicate balancing act among your personal bandwidth and load shedding as needed.

Let’s assume the mind is handling the issues of bandwidth (how much you can handle) and the body shows the impact of needed load shedding to save the system (your system) as a whole. Signs of depression could be equated to bandwidth issues and Symptoms of fatigue could be equated to the needed load shedding to save the system- Your system…

Signs of Depression: Hopeless outlook Lost interest Fatigue Anxiety Irritability in men Appetite changes Emotions Suicidal thoughts.

Symptoms of fatigue: chronic tiredness or sleepiness headache dizziness sore or aching muscles muscle weakness slowed reflexes and responses impaired decision-making and judgement moodiness, such as irritability impaired hand-to-eye coordination appetite loss reduced immune system function blurry vision short-term memory problems poor concentration hallucinations reduced ability to pay attention to the situation at hand low motivation

Does any of this look or sound familiar in your life or the life of someone you care about?

If my engineer friend saw a bandwidth problem or load issues with his helicopter. He would take immediate steps to correct the issue(s) so the system wouldn’t be forced to load shed for the good of the system as a whole, for the good of the Helicopter as a whole. The helicopter is designed to do an important mission for those who rely on it.

You are an amazing creation. You are way cooler than a helicopter. But you need to take care of yourself so you can do all you were meant to, so you can accomplish whatever mission you want to accomplish for yourself and those who rely on you.