Philip Greenspun describes by what the engines on a 777 are controlled (“full authority digital engine control”). In short, the link between controls and engine is governed by software and it seems, on this $50m model at least, there is a problem with the algorithm. I flew to Tokyo last summer on a 777 – and was mightily impressed by it, too, it being, I think, my first flight on a really big plane – and reports like this occasionally make me briefly reconsider my wish to work on software I might really care about.

Only briefly, though.