US watchdog orders Boeing to fix 777

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2010 (AFP) - US aviation watchdog, the Federal Aviation Administration, on Tuesday ordered Boeing to fix a software problem in hundreds of 777 aircraft that could cause them to overrun the runway.

The FAA said 818 planes would be affected by the order to fix a software malfunction that has caused two airliners to abort takeoff in January this year alone.


The error causes the planes' autopilot function to engage, causing a low-speed take off that could cause the plane to run off the end of the runway.

"Since 1995, there have been nine reported instances of a rejected takeoff because of higher than normal control column forces at takeoff rotation due to the pilot inadvertently engaging the autopilot in lower-speed takeoff roll," the FAA said.

The order also addresses a possible problem with one-engine take-off that would not allow the plane to adequately clear obstacles on the ground.


by Mira Oberman
(c) 2010 AFP