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From: Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Subject: Re: Boeing 737 and 737 MAX software
Date: Sat, 06 Apr 2019 12:05:33 -0700
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Date: 2019-04-06T12:05:33-07:00
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Jere <jhb.chat@gmail.com> writes:
> On Friday, April 5, 2019 at 5:16:22 PM UTC-4, Paul Rubin wrote:
>> It also sounds as if Boeing's software operation may have slipped in
>> recent years, not good news for the 737 MAX.
> I've honestly not read anything that actually indicates a software error,

I don't think anyone claimed that the 737 MAX issue was a software bug
per se, but I've heard some noises to the effect that when the FAA
looked into Boeing's proposal to update the MCAS software, they found
that the software in general was in worse shape than they had hoped.  So
I wondered if there had been any process changes, and along with that,
any language changes.

Also apparently this type of software is certified using DO-178C
requirements, which describe multiple levels of criticality.  Level A is
for the most critical functions, stuff that can crash the plane, and has
the most stringent requirements.  Boeing apparently submitted the MCAS
software under level C.  In retrospect that looks like a big error.

Some Hacker News threads regarding the 737:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19565759
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19573893
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19577602