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Boeing making new 737 MAX software updates to address computer issue:
Boeing Co (BA.N) said late on Tuesday it will make two new software updates to the 737 MAX's flight control computer as it works to win regulatory approval to resume flights after the jet was grounded following two fatal crashes in five months.
The planemaker confirmed to Reuters that one issue involves hypothetical faults in the flight control computer microprocessor, which could potentially lead to a loss of control known as a runaway stabilizer, while the other issue could potentially lead to disengagement of the autopilot feature during final approach. Boeing said the software updates will address both issues.
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday it is in contact with Boeing as it "continues its work on the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX. The manufacturer must demonstrate compliance with all certification standards."
The largest U.S. planemaker has been dealing with a number of software issues involving the plane that has been grounded since March 2019. Boeing halted production in January. Boeing said it does not expect the issues to impact its current forecast of a mid-year return to service for the plane. Boeing said the new software issues are not tied to a key anti-software system known as MCAS faulted in both fatal crashes.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Friday April 10 2020, @04:27AM (1 child)
Awesome post. Wish I could credit you, mystery person.
I agree with what you've written, and I agree with your analogy. Over my driving lifetime, I've occasionally driven radically different vehicles. Sometimes the steering, braking, accelerator pedal, etc., are quite different. My job, as 2D pilot, is to learn and adapt. Great example- on my own car I recently mounted a great-looking slightly used tire that pulled pretty strongly. No matter which side I put it on, or which other tire I matched it with, it pulled pretty bad. Point being, I had to adapt, learn, compensate, and had no problems. I would hope a commercial pilot would be at least as good as I am. If they're not, then we have too many square pegs in round holes in this world. Sigh. I feel strongly that is true regardless...
And again, my other point about the MAX plane- that training was an option kind of proves the MAX is flyable without MCAS.
I might be a radical, but I would advocate testing drivers in simulators, subjecting them to fairly difficult situations and maybe not letting some people drive. I would hope a pilot could compensate for some unexpected pull. Heck, look at landing in heavy crosswinds. That's got to be harder than compensating for MAX engine placement and the thrust pitch issue.
You may know this, but when you turn a plane you lose altitude, so you have to pay attention and you may have to compensate with extra throttle, rudder, and maybe flaps if it's bad (losing altitude) enough. I've done that. But not the flaps part.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 10 2020, @05:58AM
Don't get me wrong, it is totally flyable without the MCAS. The problem is that the performance on paper, as that is the only experience I have with the MAX, is different then the nonMAX. Because it is too different, especially near stalls, they had two choices: require a new rating or somehow get it to perform like the nonMAXes. They chose the latter, which isn't surprising since the former would have cost them more money, possibly more than this may end up costing them after all this brouhaha.