Ethiopian Airlines plane crashes on way to Nairobi

[heisan]

g....then Boeing decided to break that tradition/philosphy with MCAS & screwed the pooch bigtime.

Automated trim/stability augmentation has been part of the computer system since the 737 Classic, and has always had full manual reversion. MCAS was just another trigger algorithm for the same basic software and hardware, and all the manual reversion systems were still in place.

From a pilots point of view, the only difference was that a failure of the other automated trim systems would result in continuous runaway trim, while some MCAS failure modes would result in an intermittent runaway trim.

(Oops - one other functional change - MCAS bypasses the column cutout - which is quite important from a pilots point of view, as in some existing trim runaway situation, any significant column movement would stop the trim too.)

[jimdavis]

From Avweb:

Boeing believes it could resume deliveries of its grounded 737 MAX model as early as December, according to a progress report released by the company on Monday. The report also outlined five key milestones the company needs to reach with the FAA before the aircraft returns to service in the U.S. The first, an FAA eCab simulator certification session, was completed last week. Boeing emphasized that it is still targeting the final quarter of 2019 for certification of the aircraft’s updated flight control software.

“Based on this schedule, it is possible that the resumption of MAX deliveries to airline customers could begin in December, after certification, when the FAA issues an Airworthiness Directive rescinding the grounding order,” Boeing said. “In parallel, we are working towards final validation of the updated training requirements, which must occur before the MAX returns to commercial service, and which we now expect to begin in January.”

The milestones still to be accomplished include a “multi-day simulator session with airline pilots to assess human factors and crew workload,” an FAA certification flight test, submission of the “final certification deliverables and artifacts” to the FAA and a simulator training evaluation by the Joint Operational Evaluation Board (JOEB). Last week, both Southwest and American Airlines pushed the expected return to service dates for their MAXs to March 2020. The MAX was grounded in March 2019 after the fatal crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.

[tansg]

Seems like their customers are not as confident as they are.

From Flight Global
American pushes 737 Max service re-entry to March

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ch-462111/

From AeroTime
American and Southwest postpone Boeing 737 MAX return to service

https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.charp ... to-service

[Romeo E.T.]

https://twitter.com/flightradar24/statu ... 9216942081

Flightradar24
@flightradar24
Boeing’s #737MAX test aircraft is active again today near Moses Lake. fr24.com/BOE001/22d7f0fd

[ddevos]

From the photos on Airliners.net it seems every newly completed 737 MAX still undergoes its usual test flight, does that mean the grounding doesn't apply to these test flights?

[biffvj]

By 22 October Boeing had flown over 800 test flights sorting out the glitches. Only commercial flights grounded.

[Ugly Duckling]

737Max return to service Feb/March 2020
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/b ... -schedule/

[Imhotep]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/id ... ly_crashes

[Ugly Duckling]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/id ... ly_crashes

A comprehensive analysis

[Imhotep]

An excellent news report that make sense of the accident.

[eddy]

I see it is reported that Boeing has fired Dennis Muilenburg.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50893490

"The board of directors decided that a change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the company moving forward as it works to repair relationships with regulators, customers, and all other stakeholders," Boeing's statement said.

[Chuck]

Preliminary report is out.

Not much new, but some clear details on various aspects of the accident:

http://www.aib.gov.et/wp-content/upload ... 202020.pdf

[Ugly Duckling]

Stick-shaker response shows Ethiopian 737 Max crash crew stressed from outset: BEA

https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/sti ... 11.article

[Patrick AL]

Possible criminal charges against Boeing -arising directly out of Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes aftermath.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2x2rxdlvdo

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) says it is considering whether to prosecute Boeing over two deadly crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft.

The aviation giant breached the terms of an agreement made in 2021 that shielded the firm from criminal charges linked to the incidents, the DOJ said.

Boeing has denied that it violated the agreement.

The crashes - one in Indonesia in 2018, and another in Ethiopia in 2019 - killed a total of 346 people.

The plane maker failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the US fraud laws throughout its operations," the DOJ said.

Boeing said it was looking forward to the opportunity to respond to the Justice Department and "believes it honoured the terms of that agreement".

Under the deal, Boeing paid a $2.5bn (£1.98bn) settlement, while prosecutors agreed to ask the court to drop a criminal charge after a period of three years.

The DOJ said Boeing has until 13 June to respond to the allegations and that what it said would be taken into consideration as it decides what to do next.

Relatives of the victims have called for criminal action against the company.

“This is a positive first step, and for the families, a long time coming. But we need to see further action from DOJ to hold Boeing accountable", a lawyer for victims' families Paul G Cassell said in a statement.

Boeing has continued to face intense scrutiny over the safety of its aircraft after an unused door came off a new 737 Max shortly after take-off in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane.

[Old, Fat and Hairy]

Stick-shaker response shows Ethiopian 737 Max crash crew stressed from outset: BEA

https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/sti ... 11.article

Good call. Charge the manufacturer for crews' actions in reengaging AP and poor drills until it killed them.