Boeing 737 MAX
Recently, there has been controversy regarding plane safety, specifically for the Boeing
737 MAX. Almost daily, there seem to be numerous updated articles concerning the Boeing crisis. After the two accidents that resulted in almost 350 deaths, the media has not been shy to express their opinions and much has been said on the matter. Especially considering that Boeing employees withheld hesitations on the plane’s technology. Sky News stated that the plane was “designed by clowns”.
In addition, a Boeing employee claimed that the airplane was “supervised by monkeys.” In March 2019, the successful airplane company had to suspend all Boeing 737 MAX from flight for safety concerns, causing their stock to dip 6.9%. However, the stock is not suffering as much as the countless airlines who utilize the planes, especially loyal customer Southwest Airlines who, as a result of the catastrophe, canceled myriad flights. In the midst of trepidation, Boeing has remained calm and professional.
A Brief Timeline on the 737
The Boeing plane company invented the Boeing 737 classic plane in 1965 alongside a
German airline. The plane was a variant on Boeing’s 727 in that the 737 was narrower and made for shorter distances (50-1000 miles). After selling the plane to a German airline, it gained popularity so much so that in 1991, Boeing introduced the 737 Next-Generation with a similar engine but updated features that were lacking in the ‘classic’ Boeings. The 737 NG was extremely successful and gained plenty of money for the company.
Later, in 2011, the Boeing 737 MAX’s were introduced as Boeing attempted to replicate the success they had with the multi-purpose NG. Because there was no additional transition training required for the pilots from the NG to the MAX, it was convenient to produce. In fact, Boeing’s chief technical director was opposed to extra training, going so far as to affirm his opposition of such a required procedure by writing, “Boeing will not allow that to happen.”
He threatened that Boeing would “go face to face with any regulator who tries to make
that a requirement.” In October 2018, a flight from Jakarta, Indonesia to Pangkal Pinang crashed shortly after departure killing all 186 passengers along with the crew. The identified cause of the crash was a malfunction of technology, and Boeing’s MAXs continued to fly worldwide.
However, on March 10, 2019, five months after the first crash, another crash took place.
A flight from Nairobi to Kenya crashed, killing 157 people due to what looked like the same technology malfunction. Paranoia spread like a wildfire and a red flag was raised, resulting in the grounding of all Boeing 737 MAXs.
Cause of 737 MAX complications
Why is the 737 MAX having trouble if it has almost identical engines with the other safe
Boeing planes? The cause of complication in the Boeing 737 MAXs is because it suffered from a software error in the Maneuvering Control Augmentation System. The MCAS is purposed to stabilize the nose of the aircraft and lower the nose if it is at a high angle of attack.
Although the purpose of the MCAS was to keep the plane safe, ironically, it did the opposite. If one of the two sensors were slightly damaged in measuring the angle of attack of the plane, the plane might compensate incorrectly, plunging downward. This faulty safety mechanism is exactly what occurred in both instances.
Boeing and the US Economy
The grounding of planes and the indefinite halt of 737 MAX production has impacted all
aspects of United States, including its economy.
Boeing, being an American company, did contribute to the country’s gross income, and its decline has garnered concern from the country’s leaders. United States president, Donald Trump, urged Boeing to “Get that going. Work together.” Knowing that the crisis could potentially shave up to .5% of US gross income, he asks, “you’ll straighten that out quickly please?”
What does the future hold? One can only guess what is to come for Boeing and their 737 planes. It would take a considerable amount of money and time to replace all of the software in all of the constructed planes. Most likely, the Boeing 737 MAX planes will not be in flight through the 2020 summer and into the foreseeable future.
Article by Rosa Saavedra of Herbert Hoover Middle School
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons