LegalTender

It was elsewhere reported the FAA made the AOA alert an optional feature for the 737MAX on American carriers. It was not deemed critical for safe operation.

Reuters

ursine1

The cockpit voice recorder has been recovered.

Indonesian divers find crashed Lion Air jet's second black box

kennycrudup

ET302 was a Max-8.

ursine1

Too early to tell much yet... but:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ethiopi...es-2019-03-10/

The plane showed unstable vertical speed after takeoff, air traffic monitor Flightradar 24 . Visibility appeared to be clear.


Records show that the plane was new. The Planespotters civil aviation database shows that the Boeing 737-8 MAX was delivered to Ethiopian Airlines in mid-November.

simonrp84

In other news, multiple airlines use the Boeing 747 despite it crashing many times.

ursine1

The planes involved in both crashes (what we're discussing here) are 737-MAX 8's. There are only about 350 737-MAX aircraft in use today. Both planes were brand new. Questions have been raised about specific systems Boeing introduced specifically in these aircraft that may (or may not) affect air safety.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/10/afric...ntl/index.html

OPNLguy

Well, yeah, over the decades long service history of that aircraft type. But when a new type such as the 737 MAX has two accidents during the same phase of flight within such a short time frame, well, that's something that raises eyebrows, not to mention the attention of regulators and investigators.

txhyattlvr

Insulator-King

Just saw this. Certainly seems like a much greater correlation than previously.

Hope they get it solved.

txhyattlvr

expert7700

Looks like Indonesia will be grounding the 737max. There is zero chance the Ethiopian pilots were not aware of the lionair crash and temporary mitigation procedures.

North American carriers need to step up and do the same.
(I'm looking at you--SOUTHWEST!) The mechanics contract dispute is one thing, but these 737max aircraft have a legitimate airworthiness problem.

FAA won't do this on their own because it will increase carrier profits. But if Southwest does this publically I guarantee every other carrier will follow suit within a day.

They can all claim losses against Boeing and insurance carriers. If they do this soon Boeing will put all hands on deck and have a fix LONG before the peak summer travel season.

lougord99

LegalTender

For now at least, can the cabaret act during the safety lecture.

expert7700

who cares. Their culture needs to be safety first at any cost. Ground them tomorrow. Beat the FAA and Boeing to the punch. This will show them "hey, we're doing what is right for our customers and employees.... ball's in your court guys".

They can gain alot of public opinion and goodwill by announcing they will do this, it will be tough, but they will overcome and end up in a better position than they are now.

​​​​​​They sure could improve public image related to safety. Remember when they fired a mechanic for pointing out an airframe crack who noticed it even though that section of the plane wasn't 'due' for inspection yet? And when Southwest complained that the FAA proposed 737 engine fanblade inpections were cost prohibitive (~4 mechanic hours per plane?) and nearly impossible to track $ of hours since they intermixed fan blades from one engine/aircraft to another. . A year or so later that proved fatal for one poor woman, and Gary Kelly wrote it was their darkest time ever. (then magically they found a way to do those same inspections to their entire fleet within a couple weeks).

nsx

Primary discussion of the crash, as opposed to what Southwest will do, is at https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/othe...way-kenya.html