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It's hard to believe: the Boeing 747 needs floppy disks for updates

2020-08-17T15:25:24.263Z


At the end of July, Boeing announced the end of the legendary Jumbo Jet 747. A look at the on-board technology shows that the “Queen of the Skies” still receives updates via floppy disks.


At the end of July, Boeing announced the end of the legendary Jumbo Jet 747. A look at the on-board technology shows that the "Queen of the Skies" still receives updates via floppy disks.

  • The Boeing 747 was for a long time the largest passenger aircraft * in the world.
  • At the end of July, the US aircraft manufacturer announced the end of the jumbo jet.
  • The computer technology on board dates back to the 1980s.

The Boeing 747 was the largest passenger aircraft in the world until the A380's maiden flight from its competitor Airbus in 2005 . There is room for more than 600 passengers on board. After the end of the giant Airbus plane was announced in February, Boeing followed suit at the end of July - production of the jumbo jet will be phased out by 2022 after more than 50 years. The demand was just too low.

Boeing's Jumbo Jet still receives updates via floppy disks

From the outside, the jumbo jet instills awe in every passenger, but when you look at the on-board technology, one or the other might be disillusioned - or even fascinated. A video by the cyber security company Pen Test Partners now reveals a unique insight into the aviation technology and electronics of the wide-body aircraft. The surprising thing is that the Boeing 747 still receives its updates via a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive . It contains important navigation data that must be updated every 28 days. A technician applies the updates every month.

However, according to n-tv, outdated technologies in apparently ultra-modern aircraft are not uncommon. Many airlines have meanwhile said goodbye to floppy disks, while others still employ engineers on a regular basis to upload the monthly updates on airports, flight paths and runways .

Legendary Boeing 747

Would you like more information about the legendary jumbo jet? The illustrated book "50 Years of the Boeing 747" (advertising link) has all the answers.

Also interesting : why are airplane seats almost always blue?

Crisis-torn corporation: Boeing's image has suffered in recent months

But now the Boeing 747 is over: As CEO Dave Calhoun explained, only six machines were produced per year in the end - and that mainly as cargo aircraft. In addition, the company has yet to recover from the Corona crisis and the debacle surrounding the 737 Max, which has been banned from flying due to two crashes. * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Also read : No vacation due to Corona travel warning? This airline will pay your money back the fastest.

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This article contains affiliate links.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-08-17

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