Boeing has released a statement saying they have completed a MCAS software update for the 737 MAX. Boeing now needs to provide additional information to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other aviation governing bodies before a certification test flight can be completed.
Even after certification has been completed Boeing will face an uphill battle to regain consumer trust and it will be interesting to see how individual airlines handle the 737 MAX returning to service.
All the hyperbole here. When the DC-10 was grounded after the AA crash in 1980, it had a long and relatively safe history. If the same happens with the MAX, it’s legacy will be a safe jet that was released too soon with some tragic accidents to begin its career.
Unless I get a discount, I’m not sure why this is posted on DOC. But…thank you anyway.
Because we post a lot of travel deals and this is significant news? Doc isn’t just a deals site.
I love technology and I love air travel. But it’s disturbing that after two deadly crashes, the fix is basically the equivalent of “check for update” on my phone. I suspect that the ability to fix software after the fact contributed to an attitude of “no worries, we can just fix it later.” That’s not the end of the world with a smartphone, but a plane?! Boeing and the regulators screwed up big time with this.
I think it’s a bit more involved than a smartphone update. But, I agree that the underlying issue is more than just software. The problem is that the plane is unstable, full stop; and needs software to keep it stable. Which we now know is a life threatening combination.
Anything short of a full overhaul is not going to be sufficient to re-instill passenger trust back into the Max design. The engines need to be remounted or redesigned, and several tests need to be run by independent international boards. Airworthiness needs to be proven, from scratch.
Personally, I would ground the Max plane and just redesign the whole 737 line, entirely. It’s long since been time for a new, more aerodynamic and efficient mid-range jet design.
I am not flying that aircraft for sure.
I don’t fly on the ATR-72 / or the 42 due to past crashes, especially associated with icing. Thankfully that plane is now cycled out of domestic US airlines. So it’s possible people will avoid it due to bad design until it’s out of service.
Nope.
There are several problems with the 737max,
1. The original design was never meant to have the new large engines, so they had to move and compensate with MCAS.
2. planes without the paid option only had 1 sensor connectted to MCAS, with paid option you have 3 sensor I think. So if that senor go bad, like bird strike or bad maintenance. Mcas is activated. My speculation is US carries did not cheap out and paid for the package, but other carriers did not pay for the option, that’s why you don’t see us crashes.
3. Pilots was not trained on MCAS, so it took time to figure out wtf is going on, but you only have minutes at best.
With these crashes, you have combinations of factors, anyone of them could have stop it. How do you have a critical system connect to single sensor is beyond me, I am sure Boeing knew about. I hope someone is going to jail over this.
The American consumer won’t balk enough for it to matter. We vote with our pocket books and like cheaper flights. Americans were “forced” to keep flying well after the rest of the world stopped and I bet we’ll be first to be put back in the planes. Yes, you can always opt to not fly or change your flight but that could run $$$ to $$$$ and it’s just to not feasible for many people. Therefore based on how US airlines handled the grounding (only when absolutely forced) I don’t see them waiving change fees once the aircrafts go back into operation and this will become proof that the general public sees the fix as adequate.
ETA: although many of us were avoiding AA 737Max based solely on the lack of creature comfort!
Not buying it. FAA is toothless and coopted; has no credibility any longer. Revolving doors and legal corporate bribery in an accelerating race to the bottom. No way I’m stepping on any of those planes.
Boeing execs and their family should fly on the plane after the software upgrade is complete to prove that they stand by the update.
In fact, the Max should be the only plane Boeing execs are allowed to fly. My guess is that – if that were the case – the plane would be grounded in short order… for good.
Their families should be left out of it and the execs should be in jail for life for murder.
“Murder,” is over-dramatic. There’s definitely some culpability, there. But, try to be more accurate. Obviously, if you bring murder charges when it doesn’t apply, you just end up letting the perpetrators go free.
Kind of like with some of these bad shootings. Some jurisdictions deliberately bring “murder” charges, knowing full well that they cannot convict with such a high standard.
Whether the Boeing execs deserve to go to jail is based on whether there is evidence enough to convict of a sufficient crime.
We could start by sacking them from their positions, and taking away their golden parachutes.
Nassim Taleb has an argument in his book Antifragile that goes like this:
You’re a king – enjoy the benefits and when you lose your job you’re dead.
You’re a Roman Senator – You lead the army on the battlefield yourself, and if you win – you enjoy the benefits, or you’re dead.
Pre-CEO era – You’re the boss – You enjoy the benefits, and when the company goes under – you’re destitute.
Now people just advance until they break through a level and no longer have to pay/suffer real consequences for bad decisions, someone else will. IE – politicians, CEOs, fund managers, “news” hosts, tenured faculty, etc
It’s a disappointingly accurate line of thinking.