The Boeing 737-MAX uses an Intel 80286 processor from more than 30 years ago and that has started to be a problem
The retired Boeing 737-MAX aircraft has Intel 80286 processors for its flight control computer and it has become a problem.
After two plane crashes and several problems, any Boeing 737-MAX has been banned. It seems that the company skimped on some security measures and it was not exactly cheap. The initial savings have caused dozens of these planes to fail to take off and have lost many customers and orders. Now the problem is that the software update that fixes most of the bugs cannot run smoothly and saturates the flight control computer.
The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States (FAA), one of the inspectors discovered a delay in the execution of a crucial step to stabilize the plane. Following the simulation, FAA inspectors determined that the emergency procedure cannot be quickly and easily followed. This means that control of the Boeing cannot be retaken.
Boeing 737-MAX has problems due to the used processor
The New York Times reported that the problem could lie in the flight control computer's processor. It appears the fault is linked to the MCAS system, which prevents the aircraft from stalling. A software update has been developed that corrects the problem, but it overloads one of the aircraft's two processors.
According to Moon of Alabama, the flight control computer has two processors that operate independently. The problem is that these processors are the Intel 80286 with a frequency of 8MHz and were sold between 1982 and 1991.
Peter Lemme, a Boeing flight control engineer noted that the computer executes 11 different instructions. The software has a very strict process design involving special tools and very high optimization.
There are manufacturers that have produced similar processors that reach 25MHz. The problem is that the computer is at the limit and the MCAS updates overload it. Which implies that the execution of the remaining instructions of the plane is jeopardized.
Can the processor be upgraded?
The CPUs used in flight control computers have a very different life span than smartphone or desktop processors. An airplane processor is not measured in performance or power, but in reliability. The Intel 80286s are error free processors.
Currently, airplanes make use of the Fly-by-Wire system. This system began to be installed in the eighties and replaces the electronic flight controls with an electronic interface. This interface is supported by a computer. Through the electronic controls, impulses are launched that the computer must interpret and know what to move.
One might think of looking for more current hardware, but it is not that easy, since the software is programmed for the hardware. The software is linked to the computer chip by a part number. Boeing has its hands tied in this regard, since to change the processor, you have to follow a very tough procedure.
Changing a hardware component would require paying for certification. This involves hundreds of hours of testing and then receiving approval from the authorities. It's not as simple as just swapping out our components.
Now they are against the clock and solving problems in a hurry. They should have worked on this a long time ago, as now it involves money and above all time, which they cannot afford. Starting a certification for a new processor now could take months or years.
