Ada Transition and Success Story:
              Arnold Engineering Development Center

The U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, is a successful example of how a transition to Ada can be beneficial. Since its decision to implement Ada two years ago, AEDC has completed one pilot project and others are approaching completion with little or no adverse impact.

Dan Hix, AEDC Ada Implementation Project Manager, has said the transition has been a real success story. "There has been a lot of talk about how difficult the transition to this might be, but it turned out not to be true. The program is being implemented without undue hardship," Hix said. He also stated that most of the personnel at AEDC were not skilled in the Ada language.

A major facet of AEDC's Ada success is the training program that was implemented during the early stages of implementation. In addition to on-base training, AEDC's alliance with Motlow College allowed the Center to use the school's Computer Integrated Manufacturing center as a training facility. In return, the school has been given access to both the ADA training equipment and the training classes.

"This proactive approach is an effective way to encourage the local colleges and universities to offer Ada as a part of their curriculum," Hix said.

The first Ada project implemented and completed was the "Tunnel 16S Nozzle Improvement Project." Other pilot projects currently in progress are the following:

• ETF (Engine Test Facility) Data Systems Replacement project - The ETF is used to test jet engines in test cells. The ETF can simulate high altitude conditions and is used to test jet engines for both military and civilian aircraft.
• The Engineering Support Center Ada Initiatives Project - This effort will establish a base-wide repository of reusable Ada routines.
• The HTL (High Temperature Laboratory) Data Acquisition and Processing System - The HTL is used for tests where physical components are subjected to high temperatures.

[Source: Crafts, Ralph E., "Ada Transition and Success Story: Arnold Engineering Development Center," Ada Strategies, Vol.8, No.5, May 1994.]

Ada Promotional Campaign Ads to Appear in June

One of the ongoing efforts to promote Ada usage in commercial markets is the Ada promotional campaign being led by the Ada Software Alliance (ASA). The ASA-led program is focusing on the commercial (defined as non-government) marketplace through the placement of professionally designed advertisements in major computer publications.

The ads will appear in Software Magazine, Application Development Trends, Computerworld and Embedded Systems Magazine beginning in June and running through November. All of the ads will include a toll-free number (800-380-4ADA) which the reader can call for an information "kit" on Ada.

[Source: Crafts, Ralph E., "Ada Promotional Campaign Ads to Appear in June," Ada Strategies, Vol.8, No.5, May 1994.]

For more than two and one-half years, Tartan Inc. has enjoyed increasing profits in its Ada-related business. At the mid-point of its 1994 fiscal year, Tartan's revenue from product sales was up more than 30% from the same period a year ago. In overall product revenue and total revenue, the company logged increases of more than 22% and 28%, respectively. According to Tartan, its financial strength continues to come from its Ada products.

Tartan has taken steps to ensure its position in the highperformance real-time Ada market with the introduction of its Inter-Processor Support (IPS) for mixed processor systems. Also, beginning in August 1994, Tartan will begin incremental releases of Ada 9X features, to enable developers to make a smooth transition to the updated standard.

[Source: Crafts, Ralph E., "Tartan Achieves Ten Consecutive Quarters of Increasing Profits," Ada Strategies, Vol.8, No.5, May 1994.]