20 replies to this topic

[dr thrust]

heard about this on the radio on my way home tonight,
big bay boom

[phildunford]

You have to feel sorry for the spectators, but what a terrible c**k up! Heads will roll - never happens with hand firing - lol

Edited by phildunford, 05 July 2012 - 09:18 PM.

[SmartPyro]

I spoke with someone at FireOne today about the display inSan Diego. They confirmed that there wasabsolutely no problems with any part of the FireOne firing system or the timecode feed that was driving the panels. They also said that the show was fired exactly as programmed in the firefile!!

They wouldn’t reveal any specific details as they areobviously attempting to protect their customer, but I guess someone obviously over lookedsomething very obvious when constructing the final fire file that was used byall the barges. The problem with a showof this scale is that things can go wrong and so it is very convenient to justblame the firing system even when it isn’t at fault……..

[pyrotrev]

Mmmm, I find it hard to believe that no one looked at the list of cue times at some point during scripting the display - or are people just getting so reliant on software?

[SmartPyro]

I guess the later and knowing how FireOne scripts work then there are numerous ways you could make a mistake with how you assemble the script.

[cooperman435]

Id class that still as an overlooked error by FireOne myself, if its that easy to make such a MAJOR error surely something should be done to ensure it cant be?

[scjb]

As someone on PU (I think) has previously said, I'd soon get very annoyed with a firing system that continually questioned my intentions. All I want is a firing system that does exactly what I tell it. If I screw-up with my instructions to it, then that's my fault... NOT the firing system's.

[cooperman435]

But surely if even just questioning your actions when a show will be esentially fired instantaniously would be an idea?

FBW comes up with "show errors" where it lists errors you have made with timings etc, you can reduce the error checking to low and it will only come up with those DEFINATELY going to screw up or set it to HIGH and it comes up with everything that has a chance of piddling about on the day. I had it set to HIGH for the recent show we did at Giggleswick and the list was LONG but with ten minutes of fiddling they were all gone and we had a 100% fire rate, not bad for 1255 cues? the only item not to go up was a 3" shell at the end of a timed string (which was ANNOYING to say the least!)

not bad for my first fully automated pyromusical to a live orchestra!?

[Arthur Brown]

I doubt that there is ANY firing system that is proof against all possible human (and other) error.

I think at peak times shows will be planned in the office, then the firing data transferred to a laptop. I certainly have oddities when transferring things from a W2K pc to an XPpro based one and there are further complications with W7. Maybe transfer to a MAC would mean different issues.

Maybe things should be tested before firing?

[pyromaniac303]

In the FireOne software, it is possible to fill in the Hour:Minute:Seconds:Hundredths column incorrectly and place your Minutes in Seconds, and Seconds value in your Hundredths column, resulting in a significantly shorter show! It wouldn't be the first time it has been done...

I don't see this as a bug in the FireOne software though, it is only doing as its told after all, and there are ways and means of playing back your firefile before you let it loose on a show. The columns are clearly marked.

Surely with a $400,000 budget someone would have checked for this though?!

[scjb]

The virus call is a load of old crap, and very disappointing. We all screw up, no point lying about it!

[PyroBrit]

I agree that virus is highly unlikely.
One wonders what scripting software was used and or method of conversion.
Just waiting on the official statement now. They certainly need it to protect future business.
On a side note, is anyone willing to PM what caused the short display at Oban last year and what system was used?

[Arthur Brown]

Those who do KNOW will not or should not say, others will of course guess or conjecture. As neither of these incidents caused injuries there will be no published report, even if there was ever an enquiry.