3 ms·

Actually, I don't think that example is a real one. Adobe has a full view of the same board too (https://stock.adobe.com/uk/images/split-flap-or-just-flap-displ

by rob74 2y ago

Actually, I don't think that example is a real one. Adobe has a full view of the same board too (https://stock.adobe.com/uk/images/split-flap-or-just-flap-display/327223343 https://stock.adobe.com/uk/images/split-flap-or-just-flap-di...), and at a closer look it seems very strange for an airport board. The flight numbers don't have airline codes, there are no direct flights, and the "vias" don't really make sense for any location I could think of (from Frankfurt via Oslo, from Moscow via Skopje, from Copenhagen via... Khartoum?!). There definitely are split-flap displays with whole words on the flaps, but for airports it doesn't really make sense because there are too many potential destinations.

krisoft 2y ago
> and the "vias" don't really make sense for any location I could think of Most likely because the board has been decommissioned and the flaps got flapped around randomly. Very likely that is why one can't find a picture which shows the board with its surroundings. > I don't think that example is a real one. Real as in what sense? Do you think it is CGI? > but for airports it doesn't really make sense because there are too many potential destinations. Here is an other one: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Departures_from_ITM-RJOO_North_Terminal_(3443615427).jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Departures_from_ITM-... and here is an other one: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/ws/640/cpsprodpb/16C66/production/_110868239_windhoek1965_02.jpg.webp https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/ws/640/cpsprodpb/16C66/producti... and here is an other one: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/85EE/production/_110868243_newbery1960ca_01.jpg https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/85EE/pro... Yes, it is not as common as the per-character deesign, but it certainly was used sometimes.
- rob74 2y ago
  Ok, I stand corrected - in some cases it makes sense to have whole words on the flaps. The first picture are domestic Japanese flights (limited number of destinations, and it's probably not possible to have all Japanese characters on flaps anyway), the second is Windhoek (Namibia) in the 1960s (also limited number of destinations), and the third seems to be at the counter of a domestic Argentinian airline (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_L%C3%ADneas_A%C3%A9reas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_L%C3%ADneas_A%C3%A9rea...), so just shows their flights. But the "Adobe board" still looks suspicious (mainly because of the missing airline codes in the flight numbers, which all the "real" boards have).

by rob74 2y ago

krisoft 2y ago

> and the "vias" don't really make sense for any location I could think of Most likely because the board has been decommissioned and the flaps got flapped around randomly. Very likely that is why one can't find a picture which shows the board with its surroundings. > I don't think that example is a real one. Real as in what sense? Do you think it is CGI? > but for airports it doesn't really make sense because there are too many potential destinations. Here is an other one: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Departures_from_ITM-RJOO_North_Terminal_(3443615427).jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Departures_from_ITM-... and here is an other one: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/ws/640/cpsprodpb/16C66/production/_110868239_windhoek1965_02.jpg.webp https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/ws/640/cpsprodpb/16C66/producti... and here is an other one: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/85EE/production/_110868243_newbery1960ca_01.jpg https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/85EE/pro... Yes, it is not as common as the per-character deesign, but it certainly was used sometimes.

rob74 2y ago
Ok, I stand corrected - in some cases it makes sense to have whole words on the flaps. The first picture are domestic Japanese flights (limited number of destinations, and it's probably not possible to have all Japanese characters on flaps anyway), the second is Windhoek (Namibia) in the 1960s (also limited number of destinations), and the third seems to be at the counter of a domestic Argentinian airline (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_L%C3%ADneas_A%C3%A9reas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austral_L%C3%ADneas_A%C3%A9rea...), so just shows their flights. But the "Adobe board" still looks suspicious (mainly because of the missing airline codes in the flight numbers, which all the "real" boards have).