In a previous life I managed operations that sold aircraft components to Boeing. And I’ve taught related courses to Boeing companies and Boeing suppliers. Boeing’s emphasis on quality assurance, safety, and reliability was extreme and Boeing went far beyond what any other organization required. That’s why I was so surprised a few years ago when facts began to emerge detailing how Boeing concealed flight control augmentation systems information on their new 737 Max aircraft.
When I returned home from another secret mission a couple of nights ago and we tuned into Netflix, a documentary on Boeing’s 737 Max failures popped up when Netflix opened. Downfall: The Case Against Boeing had just been released that day.
Downfall: The Case Against Boeing is an inside look at the events surrounding the two crashes that occurred shortly after the 737 Max began flying. It’s about the 737 Max, its two crashes, Boeing’s resistance to revealing MCAS (that’s Boeing’s acronym for Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), the aircraft’s susceptibility to a single-point failure, Boeing’s prioritizing sales over safety, the Federal Aviation Agency’s inadequate response, and more.
I thought Downfall: The Case Against Boeing was extremely well done. If you get a chance, this is a show worth viewing.
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Similar to the rudder hard over issues from a few years previous. Known, documented and they kept flying.
Yep. It really is unconscionable.
Thanks for commenting, Larry.
Like you I always thought…”if ain’t Boing I ain’t going…” I guess this shows the massive complexities of building al this new computer driven stuff and one screw up can will really drive things into the ground, literally. Sad and if they really knew and went ahead anyway, well shame on all of them.
Indeed. Shame on them.
I have not yet watched that show but will eventually. Boeing tried to sell the Max as being the same plane as the 737 therefore no need to retrain the pilots, which costs millions of dollars. The FAA let Boeing self regulate. Many people died for Boeing’s bottom line.
You have to wonder what the FAA was doing while this was occurring, and before it occurred. Makes me want to ask for an income tax refund.