meh130

This is correct. In the original design, the MCAS used only one AOA sensor. I believe it switched sensors on each flight segment. In one of the 737 MAX crashed, a bird strike sheared the MCAS active AOA sensor off off the airplane. The MCAS had no ability to switch to the other sensor, or determine an AOA mismatch between the two.

This is very similar to the DC-8 pitch trim compensator (PTC) design and problems. The DC-8 PTC was designed to pitch the nose up to prevent overspeed conditions. Failures caused two crashes in three months. The difference is, the DC-8 PTC was a mid-1950s design, and mostly electro-mechanical. The AOA/MCAS is an early 2010s design with digital flight computers. Given the McDonnell Douglas heritage at Boeing, and the successful fly by wire C-17, 777, and 787, it was really inexcusable for Boeing to not design the MCAS with more redundancy.

Ultimately, what the MCAS/AOA is doing is compensating for pitch instability (given the larger, more forward engine nacelles) via "active controls" on the horizontal stabilizer via trim, which eliminated the need for a physically larger tailplane. This is similar to how the L-1011-500 used active controls on the ailerons to reduce wing loading due to gusts which allowed a longer wing without adding significant weight to address wing loading.

The MCAS solution is the correct solution, and the design which should have been done from the beginning.

jiburi

I wasn't thinking from SEA but utilizing operations from ANC or LAX.......

From Anchorage.....,.
Reykjavik, Iceland, (3365 Miles)
Sapporo, Japan, (3300 miles)
Seoul, Korea (3766 miles)
Tokyo (NRT), Japan (3429 Miles)
Osaka (KIX), Japan (3679 Miles)
Vladivostak, Russia, (3304 Miles)

LAX to
Caracas, Venezuela (3615 Miles)
Bogota, Columbia (3476 Miles)

among others.....
Website indicates, MAX 8 & MAX 9 has a range of 3550 miles. MAX10 has 3300 miles.
A321LR has range 4000 Miles, A321XLR has 4700 Miles, A321 has 3685 Miles

Jiburi

be_rettSEA

Considering they've cut LAX/JFK, BOS (and many other non-west coast routes) that don't have a Seattle connection, and a variety of other operational reasons, I really don't see any of this happening, at least anytime in the near or mid-term future..

eponymous_coward

LOL, that’s just what AS needs, to get in a shooting war with 7H (as Northern Pacific Airways) for the lucrative ANC-NRT market.

https://np.com/

Why worry about DL in SEA, UA in SFO and WN in California when you can fly ANC-VVO?

Spoiler: 7H is going to be lucky if they can make their “we’ll connect pax Asia-USA in ANC” work, but there isn’t a market for TWO carriers doing longhaul out of ANC.

AS737

Only three 800s have the space bins: 536AS, 537AS, and 538AS (the last three 800s delivered to AS)

To my knowledge, the plan was to replace the standard BSI bins on the 900ERs with the larger space bins (this was completed in 2016-2017ish), but there was never a plan to upgrade the 800s.

N830MH

Incorrect! The A321XLR range is 4,700 miles. It has more range.

jiburi

Oops. That was my typo.

That must be it. Perhaps AS' international expansion strategy is to see how 7H is successful, and then when they are, purchase them into AS network later. 7H could definitely benefit from AS feed.

Jiburi

.

Eastbay1K

AS already abandoned Vladivostok many years ago. AS would make more money with hourly -900 service between FAT and OAK carrying 10 pax per flight than it would serving CCS daily on full planes. BOG range must suffer somewhat due to elevation.
Besides, wouldn't ANC/MIA be the dream route? The AS planes will never make it, at least not with passengers.

And back to being a passenger on a 737 for 8 to 9 hours - unless there's a place to lie down that isn't going to get the plane diverted and me arrested for trying, I don't want to be on that plane. I don't care what the range. But that's just me. We can all have our pipe dreams, even if some of our pipes contain more hallucinogenics than others.

Xrayman

I’d be happy just being able to get directly to Toronto from seattle.

ASA_1

I wonder if AS will add an additional row of first class on the -10. Fingers crossed the -8 and refurbished -800s will get updated to 4 rows of first class!

jrl767

great for upgrade potential, not so much for revenue management :/

beckoa

I was wondering what new routes might work out with that when I read the press release...

ANC or FAI could have a few options I'd try out.

I'd like to have another row or 2 of F... but not crossing my fingers.

desafino

wouldn't be surprised to see anc-ord and anc-msp move to max, the extra range is nice for headwinds. if they add anc-nyc i would try it westbound, east on recliners overnight is not for me

isaacchambers

YES! i would love a little more OW love in eastern Canada that isnt AA. Im over using AC for getting to YOW or YYZ or YUL. I know they wont do YOW, but i will take YUL or YYZ.

CLT

I highly doubt you will see any Caribbean routes...historically West Coast-Caribbean service has struggled (LAX-SJU/MBJ, PHX-MBJ) and quickly was dropped.

What I do think you will see, at least for the 737-8s, is ANC-East Coast summer seasonal service. ANC-IAD/NYC wouldn't surprise me. I could also potentially see an ANC-PHL or ANC-CLT service to connect with AA as well.