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9 years after, the story of QF72's air-data computer failure

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9 years after, the story of QF72's air-data computer failure

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Old May 14, 2017, 6:03 pm
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9 years after, the story of QF72's air-data computer failure

I found this an interesting read, especially as someone who works on avionics software for a living. I do not remember the story when it originally hit in 2008.

The untold story of QF72: What happens when 'psycho' automation leaves pilots powerless?
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Old May 14, 2017, 6:21 pm
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Originally Posted by Gig103
I found this an interesting read, especially as someone who works on avionics software for a living. I do not remember the story when it originally hit in 2008.

The untold story of QF72: What happens when 'psycho' automation leaves pilots powerless?
Crazy story. I didn't remember it either
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Old May 14, 2017, 6:50 pm
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I remember them having to make an emergency landing at Learmonth.

It was around this time that QF also had an incident with a 747 that had to make an emergency landing at Manila I think??
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Old May 14, 2017, 7:10 pm
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Originally Posted by andy81
I remember them having to make an emergency landing at Learmonth.

It was around this time that QF also had an incident with a 747 that had to make an emergency landing at Manila I think??
Both were very big stories in Australia when they happened. The 747 suffered an oxygen cylinder explosion which caused it to penetrate the passenger cabin and exit the external skin near a door. IIRC both were"unprededented one of a kind" situations. Plenty of (official) accident reports have been around for quite some time. Seems the media has only just discovered the story.
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Old May 14, 2017, 9:13 pm
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Originally Posted by og
... Seems the media has only just discovered the story.
No, this is the first time interviews with the PiC have been available.
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Old May 14, 2017, 9:38 pm
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The story itself was big at the time, as well as the follow up regarding passengers suing various parties. Especially when at the time the conclusion was it was caused by plane error. Subsequently all airbus aircraft got a software upgrade.

But yes there haven't been any interviews from anyone directly involved.
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Old May 14, 2017, 10:38 pm
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The article was a very interesting read. Very fortunate to have such a cool cucumber with Top Gun training in the cockpit for that flight.

Incredible to learn there wasn't a manual override (if that's the correct term in a fly by wire world) and illustrates the Airbus v Boeing philosophy.
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Old May 15, 2017, 12:13 am
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Originally Posted by Coathanger
The article was a very interesting read. Very fortunate to have such a cool cucumber with Top Gun training in the cockpit for that flight.

Incredible to learn there wasn't a manual override (if that's the correct term in a fly by wire world) and illustrates the Airbus v Boeing philosophy.
The article could have made a better point of the philosophy difference, but instead it sort of muddied the water at one part by comparing the 747 to "newer planes" and then describing an Airbus cockpit with the side-stick.

"In the Boeing 747 jumbo – the backbone of global aviation for almost five decades – pilots' control sticks are connected by wires and pulleys to parts of the plane such as the tail. In newer planes, pilots adjust a side-stick to make requests of the flight computer to move."
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Old May 15, 2017, 2:36 am
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In terms of safety, additional technology is never a one-way street.

Even for something as beneficial as immunisation, which has dramatically improved health, there are still a few people who are damaged by the immunisation itself.

As an engineer (though not in aeronautics), I'm not surprised that there has been a situation where technology increased danger rather than lessened it. The question is: what is the overall cost-benefit?
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Old May 15, 2017, 4:06 am
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Originally Posted by Gig103
The article could have made a better point of the philosophy difference, but instead it sort of muddied the water at one part by comparing the 747 to "newer planes" and then describing an Airbus cockpit with the side-stick.

"In the Boeing 747 jumbo – the backbone of global aviation for almost five decades – pilots' control sticks are connected by wires and pulleys to parts of the plane such as the tail. In newer planes, pilots adjust a side-stick to make requests of the flight computer to move."
Agreed. Formatting wise it could have been in a callout box within the article or even a footnote at the end.
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Old Jul 17, 2017, 11:15 pm
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Has anyone read QF32?

https://www.amazon.com/QF32-Richard-.../dp/B007KTLQ5W

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/qf32/id511178147?mt=11

Remarkable story of Cockpit Resource Management and piloting skills that saved a 380.
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Old Jul 18, 2017, 11:42 pm
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Another interesting read is the report into the Toyota throttle problem, where badly-written software caused life-threatening situations.
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Old Mar 22, 2020, 11:56 pm
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Youtube on QF72 by Sunday Night True Stories in Australia has over 5 million views. Captain Sullivan has a book out called "No Man's Land". My first post so I can't post links. : ) Never met the Captain and nothing in it for me to post. Just highest respect for him and his journey.
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Old Mar 23, 2020, 3:28 pm
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Originally Posted by grov
Another interesting read is the report into the Toyota throttle problem, where badly-written software caused life-threatening situations.
The book has yet to be written about the 737MAX, but another case of badly-written software?
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Old Mar 23, 2020, 4:31 pm
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Originally Posted by 747FC
The book has yet to be written about the 737MAX, but another case of badly-written software?
So which chapter of the book will that be?
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