Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

I don't think the number of planes in service with the airlines is a factor there. I think the difference is twofold. Firstly there's a perception in America that the US airlines maintain their aircraft more diligently than third world airlines meaning that Southwest and American flights could still be safe even if Lion Air and Ethiopian ones were not. Secondly, White Lives Matter and there would be fewer white people on the flights outside the US.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

Both valid (if slightly depressing) points. The former likely has some truth, particularly if extended to pilot training vs. third world. The latter is a short-term view. Much of the 737 MAX order book (4000+ aircraft) is for Asia Pac airlines. Implying to those customers that you don't value their passenger and crew lives as highly as US ones, would seem a short-sighted business strategy by Boeing!

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

works for me. I love flying but I dont feel overly comfortable about flying on this aircraft type at this time. We have a Westjet flight booked to the UK in June and this means it cannot be on a MAX aircraft. Thats fine by me.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

I'm pretty much the same. I did 9 business trips last year, 8 of which were to London from St John's and 5 or so were on the MAX. I'm not a nervous flyer by any measure (flying out of St John's can be an "interesting" experience at times!), but this is concerning. We're all booked on WJ out of Halifax in July on what, right now, is scheduled to be a MAX. I hope for some clarity on the issue and resolution before I have to get on that aircraft type. If WJ subsitute a 737-800 then that will be just fine. The problem is, of course, dropping 13 I think it is, aircraft out of WJ's Fleet (plus 24 out of AC) will more than likely result in flights being simply cancelled as they don't have enough planes to cover all routes.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

I think there isnt enough time between now and then for an investigation to conclude. Therefore maybe this is a real risk and frankly I dont want my flight cancelled, and I dont want to get on the Max.... meh

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

Of course the immediate consequence of this is that WJ and AC will presumably have to cancel their Halifax and St John's to London flights, or substitute a different aircraft. Heads up for anyone planning to travel these routes in the immediate future.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

Britain, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, South Korea, Ethiopia, Morocco, Mongolia, Malaysia, Oman. Brazil, Argentina, Mexico - not looking good for this aircraft. I hope the fault, if there is one, can be detected and sorted out quickly.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

When driving in canada I choose to drive on the right. I could drive on the left but it very likely would not end well.
Choosing to drive on the right eliminates an avoidable risk.
Unfortunately, for those on the Ethiopean Airlines flight, insufficient information was then available allowing them to avoid what is becoming a risk too far.
In both the Lionair and the EA cases the aircraft apparently flew itself to earth despite the efforts that the pilots would have made to prevent it.
The issue before us is one where those at the sharp end, the passenger, is unaware of what really happened but I strongly suspect that those who find themselves in a better position to judge how airworthy the aircraft is are acting to keep the aircraft out of their skies, and this is evidence in itself.
If I were to judge whether this aircraft should be flying I'd examine the evidence. I'd conclude that there exist some conditions under which software embedded within the flight control system will prevent pilots from safely operating the aircraft and will act to override such efforts and to drive the aircraft downwards irrespective of height.
Personally I would not fly in this aircraft, it remains an avoidable risk until evidence proves otherwise.
Unlike many aircraft accidents where the fault can be ascribed to pilot error or mechanical failure, the apparent problem with this model is systemic and I'm tempted to wonder how the FAA will approach this if it's discovered that software is at fault since I understand that it was installed to avoid another feature of the aircraft which is a tendency for the aircraft nose to lift and to prevent stalling.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

France, Germany, ROI.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

From the Wall Street Journal, 2019 February 10 -

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

Maybe too much automation in planes these days?

The routes from Atlantic Canada to UK are already affected, wonder if AC will put a rouge 767 on the routes until they can fly the Max again on it, or just cancel the routes until further notice?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...udVKwJbCIIpeBM

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

The use of software to rectify a characteristic inherent in the design / construction of civil aircraft is fundamentally wrong.

Re: Boeing 737 Max 8
 

I am unsure of the financial issues here.

What do you estimate the liability cost in terms of immediate penalties and compensation to the airline would be if they continued operating and a plane crashed? What value would you put on the public relations problem/loss of confidence in a US airline that did that? What's the position of the airlines' insurance carriers on all this; they likely have fine print allowing them to step back at this point.

On the other side, what's the cost to, say, Southwest of grounding their examples of this plane until April? Can they recoup any of the losses from Boeing?

How does all of this compare with the same considerations for airlines not based in north America? Traditionally damages are higher in the US so one might think US carriers would have the greater incentive to ground dodgy planes.