Very sad comedown for a once stalwart company. The article mentions errors in wiring diagrams. It reminds me of the requirements review I undertook for the KC-46 tanker program, maybe in 2012. They were referring to wiring standards dating from 1970 and the 747 initial program. I couldn't believe that would be adequate for a military transport and flagged it for attention---but I don't really suppose anyone did anything about it.
As I look back on it, the Company had an ambivalent view toward documentation. As long as it was good for production, it was prioritized. But as a record for future reference, bah humbug. Not necessary. Waste of time and money. I even ran into a colleague who maintained that to solve a problem, it was easier to start over from scratch and re-find the solution, than it would be to consult the library for applicable documentation. No point to saving solutions. In other words, institutional amnesia was a virtue. I found that very repellent. I remembered General Patton's disdain for withdrawing from gained territory, something along the lines of, "I'll be damned to surrender territory that I would have to fight over to regain."
Very sad comedown for a once stalwart company. The article mentions errors in wiring diagrams. It reminds me of the requirements review I undertook for the KC-46 tanker program, maybe in 2012. They were referring to wiring standards dating from 1970 and the 747 initial program. I couldn't believe that would be adequate for a military transport and flagged it for attention---but I don't really suppose anyone did anything about it.
As I look back on it, the Company had an ambivalent view toward documentation. As long as it was good for production, it was prioritized. But as a record for future reference, bah humbug. Not necessary. Waste of time and money. I even ran into a colleague who maintained that to solve a problem, it was easier to start over from scratch and re-find the solution, than it would be to consult the library for applicable documentation. No point to saving solutions. In other words, institutional amnesia was a virtue. I found that very repellent. I remembered General Patton's disdain for withdrawing from gained territory, something along the lines of, "I'll be damned to surrender territory that I would have to fight over to regain."