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Crashing iPad App Grounds Dozens of American Airline Flights

Posted by Soulskill on from the have-you-tried-pushing-the-button dept.

infolation writes: American Airlines was forced to delay multiple flights on Tuesday night after the iPad app used by pilots crashed. Introduced in 2013, the cockpit iPads are used as an "electronic flight bag," replacing 16kg (35lb) of paper manuals which pilots are typically required to carry on flights. In some cases, the flights had to return to the gate to access Wi-Fi to fix the issue.

9 of 263 comments (clear)

  1. NB4 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    holding the plane wrong

  2. Wow ... by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Now there's a technology fail for you.

    Reminds me of a US naval ship being towed to shore because Windows NT crashed.

    I guess this is a problem when you have consumer technology being used in mission critical environments.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    1. Re:Wow ... by Richard_at_work · · Score: 5, Informative

      The US naval ship Windows NT crash meme is somewhat of a myth - there was a testbed ship (USS Yorktown CG-48) running an experimental ship management and integration system. The crash did indeed occur, but it had nothing to do with Windows NT and everything to do with invalid data being entered into the apps management system causing all linked systems to stop working. While everyone jumps on the "Windows NT" aspect of this, it would have happened under Unix as well.

  3. Before we start blaming or laughing at Apple... by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Let's see these AA iPads and the software for what they really are: pieces of business-critical software / hardware. Which means that they have to treat it like any other combination of business critical software and hardware. The entire configuration is frozen, software, OS, patches and all, and any change is thoroughly tested before it is pushed to the production devices.

    So what happened? One news item hints at a recent update causing the issue. Where did the update come from? Was iOS updated, or the app? Was this update tested before being rolled out?

    --
    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  4. as an executive maybe i can clarify. by nimbius · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here at american, we know you've come to expect the broken traytables, rotted seatback pockets, and permanently reclined seating prominently featured on our aging reagan-era Boeing fleet. We know none of you understand what the hell a gold line american star alliance partner is, but are well aware it means you're about to board a 42 seat brazillian rust-bucket with misaligned landing wheels and a weird styrofoam smell. Each year we add more rare earth metals and precious gems to our flight upgrade programs in an in incorrigible effort to confuse and infuriate weary passengers. What is Americium? Shouldnt platinum be more worthy than sapphire? who knows, who cares. We recognize your supreme discomfort at 4 AM as our cancelled connector to newark hobbles mercifully into the hanger for 20 years of well-earned repair to be condensed into 9 minutes of speed tape and air fresheners. We know you choose American because our 35 year old concourse seating has gone from suede to patent leather from use, and its foam long since evaporated to a fine haze of formaldehyde. And we, American, appreciate your undying commitment to sit in an airplane that smells canned soup and farts while futile attempts to adjust your weight merely prolong your encounter with the threadbare frame of a seat no more comfortable than a bus stop bench. But we cannot sacrifice our commitment to swiping, clicking, and tapping on a device that makes our second hand aeroflot cockpits look like modern museums to supercomputing and hence have cancelled numerous flights.

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    Good people go to bed earlier.
  5. It is a Jeppesen software failure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) software is an essential tools for aviation. One iPad can handle multiple charts, maps, and devices which would can weight of more than 20 lbs. Jeppesen software is the American Airlines is the corporate EFB software. A recent update crashed. The Jeppesen tool is a well known company and has Aerospace level of testing. It still failed. There are other EFB tools out there. This has nothing to do with WiFi and everything to do with software development.

  6. Re:Why such crap? by gstoddart · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I could have designed and built a system in probaby 1/10 the time it took for them to PAY OFF APPLE and buy those shiny shitslates.

    they used consumer grade 'auto updatable' fashon accessories for mission critical things

    Horseshit. You are completely talking out of your ass.

    Because they sure as shit didn't do this without approval from the FAA:

    The iPad has been used in General Aviation in conjunction with its paper backup counterpart, which is mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). There are many applications available which include everything that would be on the paper charts plus aviation tools including navigation charts, taxi procedures, weather maps, GPS, Minimum Equipment List, Company Policy Manual, Federal Aviation Regulations and flight controls. Although these tools have been used in the private sector, the use of the iPad in commercial aviation is just taking flight.

    The Federal Aviation Administration finished a three-month testing project which included putting the device thru adverse conditions such as rapid decompression testing and tests to make sure the tablet did not interfere with the avionic equipment. Early in 2011 the FAA authorized charter company Executive Jet Management to use iPad records without the backup paper charts.[1] This helps make way for the iPad to become an aviation instrument for the rest of the industry. Alaskan Airlines,[2] Delta Air Lines,[2] and American Airlines[3] planned test programs.

    Why must everybody on Slashdot keep acting like they could whip up a half-assed solution in a week, or that regulated industries just make shit up as they go?

    The reality is, this has not a fucking thing to do with paying off Apple or a hastily thrown together solution.

    This sounds entirely like an update from the vendor was poorly tested. In which case, they have some lessons to learn about working in that industry -- which is about as risk averse as you can get. Precisely because the FAA holds them to a very high standard.

    But, hey, don't let reality get in the way of your claims you could do a better job in your pajamas.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  7. USS Yorktown crash nothing to do with Windows NT? by DougPaulson · · Score: 5, Informative

    Software glitches leave Navy Smart Ship dead in the water

    a database overfow error (resulting from a divide by zero operation) caused the ship's propulsion system to fail.

    The Yorktown Affair

  8. Re:Android, iOS, and Windows Atom by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Informative

    It seems reasonable to have three tablets on the flight deck, running iOS, Android, and Windows 8 for Atom.

    The app crashed, not the OS. So having multiple OSes may help in some situations, but not in this one. Some mission critical applications are implemented by two teams working independently. Since this app is basically just a PDF reader with a customized menu, that should not be difficult.