Originally Posted by
AviatorDave
Really? You think the nine bucks an hour guys in India understand the 286 and the special programming techniques it takes to efficiently program those systems better than a US engineer?
The real reason is obvious: the Silicon valley techie won‘t do the job for $9 an hour.
And it is a real shame that a respected and pioneering manufacturer such as Boeing thought it would be OK to go to the cheapest option for modifying the program code, (no disrespect to the coders they did use). One would think Boeing would at least bring in the original programmers as consultants - there must be some of them still alive?
What has happened to Boeing’s pride in their products? It seems to have been replaced by greed for money, and that is a real pity.
What is the issue with using “old” CPUs such as 286s, as long as they can process everything at the required speed? Indeed, there is a lot to be said for keeping to a tried and tested CPU.
How much extra code can be involved in an AoA vane comparison routine? : If x = y then continue. If x ≠ y then goto: (routine to illuminate AoA disagree light, master caution and disable MCAS). Repeat.
(I realise there will have to be limit windows applied to how much of a difference between AoA vanes for how long will trigger the disagree routine, but it’s basic stuff and not nuclear science.)