“I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period” • Hacker News Board

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#271

Post by magduf » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 8:55 PM UTC

rajbot wrote: post #190

jcadam wrote: post #103

I worked at Boeing on a large satellite program back in this same time frame (2008-2011). I worked on the software simulator for the satellite that was used to test flight code and the ground system (i.e., give the ground control software simulated satellites to talk to, and to ring out procedures). Anyway, as the final configuration for this satellite was still being tweaked, I needed to get updated mass properties…

I’m surprised there wasn’t a push to standardize units after this incident: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter

That isn't the greatest example of that IMO. From what I've read, the real problem there wasn't just imperial/metric confusion, it was the fact that the team providing data did not provide any units at all, and the team receiving the data didn't ask and just assumed units.

One of the first things I was taught in engineering school was to always provide units! It doesn't matter if you're only using metric; that still doesn't tell you if it's a gram or a kilogram, after all.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#272

Post by 6nf » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

bronco21016 wrote: post #65

6nf wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just to explain a bit more: It uses the main pilot side AOA sensor, and pilots switch seats every flight.

I can’t speak to foreign operators but in the US that most certainly does not happen. The captain flies in the left seat and the first officer flies in the right seat. Turns are taken on who is flying and the automation is selected to the side of whichever pilot is deemed the pilot flying.

> Turns are taken on who is flying

That's what I meant yes

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#273

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 8:58 PM UTC

sctb wrote: post #208

guatepeor4 wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably a lot of diversity hires too, with lower IQ. Maybe some womynz who tech are in the management roles. It's amusing to watch how a culture piously self-desructs.

Obviously we've banned this account.

[deleted]

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#274

Post by tracker1 » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:02 PM UTC

weaksauce wrote: post #212

cwilkes wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well if you have two sensors you never know which one is right.

You either trust both when they are nearly in agreement or disengage any autopilot type system like the mcas. The engineering solution is three sensors voting on agreement and disregarding the one that is out of agreement with the other two.

I'd favor one sensor or three... though there's something to be said for one simple structure being more reliable than 2+ complex ones.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#275

Post by guatepeor5 » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:03 PM UTC

sctb wrote: post #208

guatepeor4 wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably a lot of diversity hires too, with lower IQ. Maybe some womynz who tech are in the management roles. It's amusing to watch how a culture piously self-desructs.

Obviously we've banned this account.

Good job! Crimethink should not be welcome here.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#276

Post by weaksauce » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:04 PM UTC

tracker1 wrote: post #274

weaksauce wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You either trust both when they are nearly in agreement or disengage any autopilot type system like the mcas. The engineering solution is three sensors voting on agreement and disregarding the one that is out of agreement with the other two.

I'd favor one sensor or three... though there's something to be said for one simple structure being more reliable than 2+ complex ones.

coming from an engineering and climbing background... i favor redundancy.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#277

Post by anonfounder747 » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:05 PM UTC

RealityVoid wrote: post #262

anonfounder747 wrote: post #242

It would be presumptuous to think "this is the real Boeing" based on anecdotes from people who worked there. Even in big companies, where a lot of folks are twiddling thumbs, there are undoubtedly teams where real quality work gets done. These teams are somewhat insulated from the bureaucratic environment around them and attract true performers.

Do you think that the teams are insular or the people who know what they are doing are insular? Because in my experience the people that do the heavy lifting are just randomly distributed and are bright spots in a otherwise gray landscape.

You do find good talent embedded in poorly performing teams, but that doesn't last very long (few years at most). People like to be around others with similar standards. Good talent will gravitate to teams with high quality talent and conversely good teams tend to pick good quality people. It's a form of sorting that over time results in people with similar standards working with one another.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#278

Post by tracker1 » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:07 PM UTC

dx034 wrote: post #58

noir_lord wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> “They don’t build stuff like they used too anymore”. In fairness part (but far from all) of the reason we don't build stuff like we used too, is because we have much better understanding of material limits so we don't need to over-design structual elements like we used to. How that understanding of material limits feeds into design obsolescence is where I do get annoyed though. With everything we know now we could…

The problem is that if a company gives customers (both b2b and b2c) the choice between a cheaper product with minimal guarantees vs. a product that is indeed better and can last longer, not enough customers will choose the better (more expensive) product to justify development cost (there are exceptions obviously). Partly, companies are even forced if the lowest bidder for pre-defined specification gets the contract.…

The problem is you can't trust anything/anyone any more... Brands are generally trusted until you get burned by one. And then they relabel or buy out another brand to burn.

I often make choices that are anywhere from 50% more cost to 200% if I'm relatively certain I'm actually getting a better product. Unfortunately that trust is usually limited and even then, you often don't have a good trust case.

There are also times where I look at industrial options for comparison, as that's often usually skewed towards more solid/maintainable production. Though again often means more expensive.

I tend to find the best value (my own experience) about 2/3 up the pricing scale for whatever products I'm looking at.

If I could find appliances in general with a 15+ year warranty (that didn't have weird loopholes), I'd be more inclined to buy. Unfortunately, they often don't cover interface boards, and even then they redesign in often incompatible ways each year and stop making the previous version entirely.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#279

Post by mariuolo » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:20 PM UTC

gdy wrote: post #46

nostrademons wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes I wonder what'll happen if the United States ever has to fight a war against an opponent whose industrial base is not 150 years behind it. Then again, I've heard Russian military equipment is in just as sorry a state. No idea what the Chinese military is like, but I'd imagine the real money is in selling to Americans rather than killing them. We're in this interesting place where it's entirely possible that…

"SpaceX has ballistic missiles with a CEP significantly smaller than a drone ship" It goes quite slowly compared to a real ICBM and relies on GPS that will be jammed in a real war.

Also they run on kerosene. By the time they are fueled and prepped the other side will have taken out the facility.

Re: “I worked at Boeing for about 1.5 years in the 2008-9 time period”

#280

Post by silvermast » Tue, Apr 16, 2019, 9:32 PM UTC

okmokmz wrote: post #180

I'm currently working at Boeing, and had a very similar experience to him getting onboarded as a contractor on a major project. Just as an example, I'm going to outline the steps it took to get me a proper badge 1. Filled out badge request form and gave it to my manager who gave it to the person who would be my manager at boeing 2. 4 months later have to refill out form because they lost it 3. 1.5 months later I rece…

Dude we had totally different experiences. When I got my grey badge, I walked in, gave them my forms I was told via email they would need, was then told to wait 3 hours and left to go hang out at the lake. Sunbathed for 2 hours. Came back. Got my badge. No issues.

My team was very underutilized... We got legitimately excited when we came in and there was real work for us to do instead of sitting around and being 'available'.