Seemingly redundant electric systems, like the one depicted in the schematic above, still have points at which a specific failure or combination of failures can disable the system.

by Thomas P. Turner

We demand a lot from our airplanes since, for a great many of us, they are point-to-point transportation machines. We fly them at night, we fly them in IMC and we skirt areas of ice and thunderstorms. They’re expensive, so we want to get the most utility from them. More importantly, airplanes give us time, time that makes our business more competitive or that simply expands our operating radius for family and friends on a fun weekend. …