Posted on 03/10/2019 1:35:43 PM PDT by springwater13
The Boeing 737 MAX 8, a brand new plane only registered in November, disappeared from the radar six minutes into the flight. Immediate comparisons have been drawn with Lion Air flight 610, which crashed just over four months ago, killing 189 people. Flight data showed erratic climbs and descents before the plane, also a MAX 8, came down 12 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta.
More than 300 Boeing 737-MAX planes are in operation and more than 5,000 have been ordered worldwide since 2017. It is the latest iteration of the 737, the world’s bestselling plane, ever more capable of flying autonomously.
Autonomy, however, can bring problems. It is notable that insurers considering driverless cars worry most about the period when highly autonomous vehicles will coexist with human drivers, the uncertain interface between human and artificial intelligence.
Pilots worldwide were angered after the Lion Air crash that subtle software modifications to the MAX 8’s autopilot had not been fully communicated. Nor were they made the subject of mandatory pilot retraining.
The new plane automatically compensates if it believes its angle puts it at a risk of stalling, a safety feature that worked in a slightly different way to that which 737 pilots were used to. Lion Air’s black box suggested the pilots of flight 610 had been wrestling with this issue.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
I’ve flown just a handful of times. My first flight ever was to Ireland. I had no fear, it was thrilling. I later was on a domestic flight that had to change course because of major turbulence, again no fear. Somewhere between then and now I developed a huge fear. We went to Mexico last year and I was tense the entire flight. I decided never to fly again and my frugal husband said Amen!
Make that probably more like 150. I forgot I didn’t travel on the road as much on one job (at first).
It’s probably just one of those things. I noticed the slight bounce in an elevator one day as I was getting on - having ridden them for decades - (LOL) it’s just the cables tightening up, i.e. slack in the pulleys as they accept the load.
I got over it but I kept noticing it for about 3 months. It never made me avoid the elevator, though. I no longer think about it.
However one place one particular elevator used to always have problems - fortunately, thank God, there was a woman riding with me - she noticed the misalignment - very, very unusual. I probably would have tripped over it had she not pointed it out. The elevator car floor was 3-4 inches below the floor of the hallway.
Me too I had some flights that were smooth as
could be not even a ripple (the longest leg from ny to India) and one
of the last one or 2 we had turbulence for a
1/2 of a sf to ny flight where I was in the farthest
Rear seat left (the buckingest bronco in the plane)
and just hung onto the arm rest with my head
against the window shade until we landed
My 2nd most dangerous was when we landed at DEN
then the pilot suddenly gunned it back into the air and took
a loop and landed again it was a Frontier jet taxiing in its path
(I heard that happens a lot there)
My 1st was on the ground on 9/11 when I decided not
to go inside but the 2nd jet crashed over my head 2 blocks away
and I still ducked from flying debris I thought would kill me
The thought occurred to me of the Nairobi Trio as being the cockpit crew, but it seemed to flippant to post at the time.
My first commercial flight was on a TWA Constellation, prop-driven. I remember looking out at the wings flopping up and down in the wind.
My first jet flight, the accelartion at take off was stunning, and I noticed that, unlike prop planes, we flew so high at night you could no longer make out car headlights below.
Yikes. Did a go-around in a DC-9 during a bad thunderstorm. Crosswinds of 35mph or more. My head was banging against the wall (I was next to the window) of the fuselage liner. Some overhead compartments were opening during the storm.
2nd attempt and all was well. Just a poorly-timed gust on the first one.
Once in an L-1011 (greatest airplane once out there) I was afraid they forgot to lower the gear (though I probably heard it go down and the rush of wind around it). I kept watching the runway come up and no feel for the touchdown (again, window seat).
The guy put that big old plane down that smooth. Never felt the ground contact. Unbelievable. My father and I complimented the pilots on the landing.
” “Never pilot a plane when you are only a voting member.””
Sadly, airlines are demanding Boeing add more computer controls to squeeze more fuel efficiency.
That was how the Tenerife crash happened but
that was a mistake using a runway that was
closed / under reconstruction
I heard anecdotally Frontier has some kind of
preference in Denver and they F up a lot
The creepiest thing was an hour before I was leaving to go fly
home from FL one time I was watching TV and a program about
air disasters came on and of course it was about the JAL flight
that the “Sukiyaki” singer died on. The rudder/tail came off
of a loaded plane that finally crashed in the mountains, the plane
was damaged earlier in a runway taxiing collision and a cover plate
was installed improperly with x rivets vs the correct number y. The plane flew out of control for some interval while messaging “Farewell...farewell”
Tenerife in 1977 was the KLM going with only having been given a departure clearance and not a takeoff clearance.
Due to it being a small airport, the a/c had to back-taxi. KLM blocked access where Pan-Am could not get past without collision. Therefore, Pan Am had to wait for KLM to finish taking on a full fuel-load. The KLM pilot made that decision, too.
KLM backtaxiied down the runway. Pan Am was to pull off and come up behind him. The controller told Pan Am to pull off on the 3rd accessway but it was 135 degrees to the left. The controller probably forgot about the back taxi (IMHO).
The 4th accessway would have been smooth and brought Pan Am up near KLM’s tail. The (dead) KLM pilot already tried to roll without authorization and was shut down by the co-pilot. Now he’s mad and embarrassed. Next time he rolls but Pan Am is not clear of the runway. When he finally sees Pan Am through the fog, it’s too late.
The runway under construction happened in the far east as I recall. Singapore Airlines(?). The 747 was taking off in heavy rain and accidentally chose the wrong runway. Yes, one under repairs. The a/c struck equipment parked on the runway overnight (it was a night takeoff attempt).
I love to fly - in my buddy’s stunt plane pulling Gs. I absolutely hate to fly commercial. (aka cattle car) I only fly when my job requires it. I’ve pretty much sworn off ever flying for “pleasure” again.
Pilot error.
Until evidence to the contrary is discovered, it’s always pilot error. The dead pilot can’t prove he didn’t do it and that lets everyone else off the hook.
get a prescription for Valium 5.
split it in half and take half one hour before the flight.
Take second half after boarding.
You will fly in peace.
Years ago I was as prescribed Xanax for anxiety. All it did was make me tired; and then I worried that I would doze off and something would happen to my kids while I was sleeping in the middle of the day. I threw it away. Maybe Valium would be more effective.
I wouldn’t be flying on any plane in one of those third world countries
I hear you. Mine, too.
Boeing is beginning to show its design flaws.
This coming from the daughter of a United Technologies Corporation employee.
Addition: Whose late father worked at Pratt And Whitney Aircraft .
Have they checked the cockpit voice recorder for an “Allah Akbar” just before the crash?
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