The FAA has ordered a $127.50 software upgrade for 157 Boeing 787s in the U.S. fleet to fix a potentially problematic glitch with their radios. Apparently, the radios will randomly toggle between active and standby frequencies without pilot input. “The uncommanded frequency changes could result in missed communications between the flight crew and Air Traffic Control,” the agency said in an AD issued more than a month ago.
The fix seems simple enough. It’s a software upload to the airplanes’ tuning control panel followed by a configuration check. It will take about 90 minutes to do and Boeing is providing the software for free. Comments can be made until April 14. Boeing issued a service bulletin on Feb. 25, and it’s likely that most operators have already complied.
