Topic: Avionics

The investigation into the Lion Air crash has focused on the Boeing 737 Max's automated flight control system, which can force the aircraft's nose down to avoid a stall. Pilots' unions have expressed outrage that this specific software change was not highlighted in training manuals. There are also questions regarding Boeing's decision to bring avionics development in-house after years of outsourcing to India, and whether this transition contributed to the certification oversight.

An expert producer with experience in cockpit display systems calls "bullshit" on claims by security researcher Chris Roberts that he hacked a plane's flight controls via the in-flight entertainment (IFE) system. The technical explanation clarifies that the IFE and the safety-critical ARINC-429 bus are physically separate systems. The FAA's strict safety standards (DO-178B/C) prevent non-critical systems from interfacing with flight management, making Roberts' claims highly dubious.

An analysis of Chris Roberts' interview on the "Security Weekly" podcast reveals he did not actually plug into the seat-box during the flight in question, despite his provocative tweets. The tech press, including Wired and Ars Technica, is criticized for uncritically propagating the story of the "sideways flying plane." The segment highlights the technical impossibility of a standard laptop issuing commands to a modern glass cockpit through an Ethernet-based entertainment network.

An official air safety report regarding Qantas Flight QF72, which suffered sudden altitude drops in 2008, identifies high-energy solar and galactic radiation as the likely cause. The report suggests that neutrons from solar storms can interfere with aircraft avionics, particularly in highly automated Airbus systems. This confirmation of atmospheric interference with flight systems is noted as a rare instance of "crackpot" theories being validated by official investigators.

Aviation maintenance relies on strict "time to live" expiration dates for every bolt, wire, and airframe component. Pilots and engineers must sign off on regular intervals of inspections, such as annual checks and biennial avionics testing. The current FAA focus on MD-80 aircraft stems from concerns that maintenance records were not properly signed off, leading to safety risks.