Originally Posted by
silverstrata
That is normal for a 737. I have lost count of the number of times that has happend, both on Classics and NGs. The sudden pitch down on engaging the autopilot is pretty standard too - it is nornally caused by a baro-error in the autopilot computer.
The really disappointing thing, is it looks like the Max is equipped with the same old autopilot that was fitted to the Classic, with all its limitations and foibles. So I presume the Max still cannot do Cat IIIb landings. What I always wonder, is where Boeing gets these old 1980s microprocessors from, to run these autopilot computers. Do they have a source in China that still makes the 286 processor?
Silver
The reason that the FMCs are based on antediluvian computer chips is that the 'safety' people in FAA decided that all computer chips used in safety critical systems should be subject to 'formal ,mathematical proof'. The more complex multicore chips with intelligent prefetch cannot be formally proven. Well not easily/cheaply proved anyway. So until the safety people are dragged into better testing methods your cellphone will be more powerful than your FMC.