The Anonymous Widower

Max Delays Force Job Cuts At Ryanair

The title of this post is the same as that5 of this article on The Times.

This is the introductory paragraph.

Ryanair is to close bases and cut jobs because of the continuing delay in delivering the grounded Boeing 737 Max.

It obviously was going to happen, as if you haven’t got the planes, you’ll have to cut routes and that needs less staff and fewer bases.

November 5, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , | 2 Comments

Boeing Staff Texted About 737 Max Issue In 2016

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

What is in the texts is another reason not to trust the design of these airliners.

October 19, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , | 4 Comments

Boeing Left Safety Features Off MAX Jet

The title of this post is the same as that of this article in today’s copy of The Times.

It appears Boeing had a similar problem to that on the Boeing 737 MAX, on the KC-36A Pegasus, so they fitted an MCAS system.

This paragraph in the Wikipedia entry gives full details.

On 22 March 2019, the USAF announced it was reviewing KC-46 training after the Boeing 737 MAX groundings, as the KC-46 uses a similar Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) to that implicated in two 737 MAX crashes. However, the KC-46 is based on the Boeing 767-2C and its system takes input from dual redundant angle of attack sensors; it will disengage with stick input by the pilot. The Air Force stated that “The KC-46 has protections that ensure pilot manual inputs have override priority” and that it “does not fly the models of aircraft involved in the recent accidents” and that it is “reviewing our procedures and training as part of our normal and ongoing review process.

Note that there are dual redundant angle of attack sensors and the pilot takes control from the MCAS system, in the traditional manner.

These two features are not fitted on a 737 MAX.

Was the cost too great to maintain sales?

October 1, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Boeing ‘Misjudged 737 Max Pilot Reactions’

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the introductory paragraph.

Boeing needs to pay more heed to how pilots react to emergencies in its safety assessment of the 737 Max plane, US transport chiefs have said.

That is very true. But worldwide there are thousands of pilots who are certified to fly a 737.

If Boeing had designed the plane correctly, it would be a strength, and a very strong reason, why airlines would buy the plane.

Pilots  don’t want to kill anybody! Especially themselves!!” And they tend to be very risk averse!

So how many of those thousands of pilots would trust a 737 MAX?

If one has a serious incident, I’m sure social media will be buzzing.

 

September 26, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , | 2 Comments

Flights For Sale On Deathtrap’ 737s

The title of this post, is the same as that on an article on the front page of today’s Sunday Times.

Apparently, TUI, United Airlines and some other airlines have booked passengers on Boeing 737 MAX 8 airlines for later in the year.

I certainly won’t fly these airlines until the Boeing 737 MAX scandal is over.

August 18, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , | 7 Comments

Another Problem For The Boeing 737 MAX 8?

This article on the BBC is entitled Russia Bird Strike: Plane Crash-Lands After Hitting Gulls.

The aircraft involved in the accident was an Airbus A321-211, which was flying Ural Airlines Flight 178.

This model of Airbus 311 has CFM56 engines.

So what has that got to do with the Boeing 737 MAX 8?

|Especially as the Boeing aircraft is powered by the successor to the CFM56, the LEAP engine.

This engine is also offered on the latest baby Airbus; the A320neo.

As the Ural Airlines crash was the second bird strike that brought down a baby Airbus after US Airways Flight 1549, I wouldn’t be surprised to see see  certification authorities, making sure that this type of aircraft can land safely a double engine failure., providing the plane has enough height.

Airbus seems to have proven, that good airmanship can handle an Airbus A320, when it is flying as a glider.

Given the questioned  nature of the design of the computerised controls in a Boeing 737 MAX, the authorities might take a lot of convincing, that these aircraft can be handled safely in similar circumstances.

I think it should also be born in mind, that although the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549i; Chesley Sullenberger was very experienced, the two Russian pilots were much less so, but were still able to carry out a successful emergency landing without any fire and only comparatively minor injuries to those on board.

If you think I’m being alarmist about bird strikes, read the Wikipedia entry for bird strike.

This is a paragraph.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) reported 65,139 bird strikes for 2011–14, and the Federal Aviation Authority counted 177,269 wildlife strike reports on civil aircraft between 1990 and 2015, growing 38% in 7 years from 2009 to 2015. Birds accounted for 97%.

We must not get complacent!

I hope that ICAO, the FAA and other authorities are collecting the data on bird strikes in a comprehensive manner and thoroughly analysing it, so that airports with serious problems are identified, so that they can improve their countermeasures.

 

 

August 17, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

How The Boeing 737 Max Disaster Looks To A Software Developer

The title of this post is the same as this article on IEEE Spectrm.

It is the best article, I’ve read on the disaster and I agree with nearly every word the writer has written, except perhaps some of his spelling.

Like the author, I am a software developer and I have had over a thousand hours in command of light aircraft, although I don’t fly now!

I have this feeling that this affair, will go down in history as one of the worst business disasters of all time!

I certainly won’t fly in any 737 again! Or at least not for a long time!

August 2, 2019 Posted by | Business, Computing, Transport/Travel | , , , | Leave a comment

Boeing Says It Could Halt Production Of 737 Max After Grounding

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the Guardian.

This is the first paragraph.

Boeing said it could halt production of the 737 Max jet on Wednesday as it reported the company’s largest ever quarterly loss following two fatal accidents involving the plane.

To my mind, this is a self-inflicted problem caused by trying to stretch a 1960s design too far past the end of its design life.

Boeing realised that they needed a new larger plane and developed the fuel-efficient Class 787 Dreamliner to replace 747s, 767s and 777s.

It was total management failure to not planning to replace the 737 with a smaller plane based on Dreamliner technology.

Will Boeing Solve The 737 MAX Problem?

Compare it with the Class 710 train, that also had software problems that delayed the launch.

  • The Class 710 train is a totally new train, with masses of new features, liked by operators, staff and passengers.
  • The Train Management and Control System of the Class 710 train was very challenging to design and program.
  • If a train fails, it only comes to an embarrassing stop.

On the other hand, the following can be said about the 737 MAX..

  • The 737 MAX is an update of a 1960s design.
  • The mathematics of the 737 MAX must be challenging.
  • The computer system hasn’t been properly designed, programmed and tested.
  • If a plane fails, it’s a lot more than an embarrassing stop.

Boeing seem to have made a tragic mistake for airlines, passengers and them,selves.

Engineers will probably solve the software problem,but will that be enough to save the plane?

July 25, 2019 Posted by | Computing, Transport/Travel | , , , , | 1 Comment

Boeing Loses Big Order For 737 Max Aircraft

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

The first paragraph says it all.

lyadeal, the low-cost Saudi Arabian airline, has cancelled an order for 30 Boeing 737 Max aircraft.

Nothing will persuade me to fly in one of these aircraft and this story just adds to Boeing’s woes.

July 8, 2019 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | Leave a comment

Boeing Suffers New 737 Max Issue That Could Delay Return

The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the first paragraph.

US regulators have uncovered a possible new flaw in Boeing’s troubled 737 Max aircraft that is likely to push back test flights.

The FAA have released this statement.

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) is following a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the Boeing 737 Max to passenger service. The FAA will lift the prohibition order when we deem it is safe to do so. We continue to evaluate Boeing’s software modification to the MCAS and we are still developing necessary training requirements. We are also responding to recommendations received from the Technical Advisory Board. The TAB is an independent review panel we have asked to review our work regarding 737 Max return to service. On the most recent issue, the FAA’s process is designed to discover and highlight potential risks. The FAA recently found a potential risk that Boeing must investigate.

Bodies like the FAA don’t take chances.

The BBC article also says this.

Other sources said the problem was linked to the aircraft’s computing power and whether the processor possessed enough capacity to keep up.

Sorry Boeing! But I’ll never fly in a 737 Max!

 

June 27, 2019 Posted by | Computing, Transport/Travel | , | 3 Comments

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