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Puzzled over random transponder failures since the last patch
I applied the latest software patch to the fleet's transponders. Now they fail at random times, but pass all ground tests. What am I missing here?
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phoenix_grant345d ago
That point about ground tests not catching real-world flight issues is huge. I read a case study once where a patch changed how often a system "phoned home" to check its status. On the ground it was fine, but in the air, during a certain phase of flight with lots of other radio noise, those extra signals would create a weird feedback loop and cause a reset. The fix was literally to add a tiny delay. Could be something like that, where the update just makes the system a tiny bit too chatty at the wrong time.
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emery_park936d ago
Software patches sometimes feel like when I try to fix a leaky faucet and accidentally loosen the pipes in the next room. Ground tests are great, but they don't always catch what happens in the real world up in the air. My first guess would be something with timing or temperature changes during flight that the update messed with. Been there before, chasing a ghost that only showed up when the system got a little cold and busy. Maybe start logging every single thing happening right before each failure, see if a pattern shows up.
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rowan6585d ago
Emery_park93's note about ground tests not catching in-flight issues hits home. Are you tracking what else is happening in the avionics when these random fails occur?
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