Posted on 03/18/2019 7:53:07 AM PDT by centurion316
The flight control system on the Boeing 737 Max 8 is being eyed in Ethiopia crash investigation; Doug McKelway reports on the details.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
https://qz.com/africa/1575120/ethiopian-crash-black-box-shows-clear-similarities-to-lion-air/
The deep pocket automatic trim system seems to be having a large effect on the Ethiopian investigatory agency. I guess that the global warming skim trim system isn’t performing as well as anticipated since the election of President Trump. So a supplemental system needs to be put in place.
All you need to know about these crashes can be found in the
story about Air France Flight 296, June 26, 1988.
1988!!!!
Sure it was a different plane (Airbus A 320) different software, sure, but the same idea.
Humans/pilots are too stupid to be trusted to fly the airplane, computers are sooooo much safer.
In the A 320 crash, sure mistakes were made, but when the pilot tried to save the day .... the AIRPLANE wouldn’t let him!
In these crashes one thing is the same. The pilots needed to pull the nose up and the plane wouldn’t let them. It pushed the nose down at a critical moment.
Pilots make deadly mistakes too. The answer isn’t to override the pilot, it should be to warn him effectively. Alert the pilot to the problem then let him address it. Don’t TAKE OVER for him.
Computers MAKE MISTAKES TOO!
I often talk about watching LIVE PD and COPS as a real education on police work and society in general.
When it comes to airline safety, the show to watch is “Air Disasters”. Non political “Just the facts, ma’am, Just the facts” (see tagline) It has great computer simulations and actual video where available. It goes into detail into each crash in order to try and find the cause in order to prevent future accidents. The NTSB (National Transportation Board) does a thorough investigation into EVERY crash and leaves no stone unturned in finding out what exactly happened. They almost always do.
While the NTSB is an independent UNITED STATES agency, they are respected worldwide as the experts in this area. They are involved in investigating crashes all over the world.
LIVE PD. COPS, Air Disasters are REAL reality TV.
Television, just like the Internet, can be good and bad. Use them for good, don’t refuse to use them.
Continuing themes in Air Disasters include, errors in automated flight systems, poorly trained air crews, especially Asian and third countries airlines, and poor communications between those on the flight deck.
Last night, Air Disaster episode was a automated flight system on a Qantas Airbus. Fortunately, the pilot was a former US Navy aviator who knew what to do and flew the aircraft to a safe landing. Trained and competent air crew made the difference. That remains a question for the Ethiopian crash.
Airbuses have had automated flight systems for a number of years. the system on Max 8 is a first for Boeing aircraft. Rumors have suggested that the Ethiopian Air Ministry has not been playing nice with the FAA, Boeing, and our NTSB. Normally, the NTSB is the adult in the room.
Ethiopia is a Third World country with a Third World airline. Of course they gonna hope that they can convince the world that Boeing’s at fault rather than them. Let’s wait for a report from a body that has nothing to protect.
In the Air France crash you reference, I believe there was supposedly an issue with the engines. The pilot tried to increase power at 100 feet for the flyby, but the engines did not immediately spool up, causing him to sink to such a low altitude and airspeed that recovery was impossible.
So, if correct, the issue was more mechanical than software.
While a few facts are being to emerge, they do not constitute a validated cause for the accident. Speculation has enjoyed full sway. Interesting that the aircraft has been in common with two accidents and several reports of software problems that were resolved by crew intervention. The difference has been the crews: crashes with foreign airlines, safe landings with US airlines. That could be a factor, but it’s too early to jump to a conclusion.
I've traveled pretty extensively in the Third World. In Africa,Asia and South America I've flown Third World airlines...something I look back on with absolute shock and astonishment.
It would be very interesting to see what reports,if any,were filed by First World pilots and airlines (US,Europe,etc) about this aircraft.
If by chance there are none...or if problems encountered were easily fixed...that would tend to prove the "Third World" theory.
And not one of those 110 airplanes has crashed.
Only similarity are unskilled pilots
It occurred to me that Boeing may be in a tough position if it has to share proprietary information about the 737 Maxx with France which is heading up the investigation.
Boeing competes directly with Airbus whose civilian aircraft division is headquartered in France.
Surprisingly Ethiopian Airlines is very highly rated.
Now to my main point.
I'll bet before the week is over Pres. Trump will be blamed for the Lion-Air and Ethiopian airline crashes.
Here's a scenario...
The President requested/demanded that Boeing hurry up certifying the 737 Max in order to beat Airbus in buying orders. That would reinforce his Jobs back to America campaign, lower unemployment numbers, bump up the Stock Mkt.
Boeing grudgingly acquiesced to his demands. Pres. Trump is to blame in making Boeing lower safety standards.
From what I gleaned from an in-depth article in the Seattle newspaper...….
Apparently the training manual did not cover this possibility.
It covered a runaway stabilizer but this bug is not the same. Although the ‘fix’ is.
Flip a couple switches.
The training for the Max upgrade over the previous model was an hour on an ipad.
This possible MCAS scenario was not mentioned .
Another problem was/is the FAA certification paper said the MCAS would kick in down trim .6 deg at a time when Boeing had changed that to 2.5 deg. Test pilots had felt .6° was not aggressive enough
What that meant is every time the pilot tried to pull the nose up the MCAS would crank in another 2.5 deg down. After a few attempts the trim was at full down attitude.
Another problem was/is the MCAS was only reading 1 of the 2 AOA(angle of attack) sensors .
The flight data recorder showed a 20° differential between the two. Apparently the MCAS was looking at the wrong one.
They gave up the adult status when the second plane crashed.
Boeing screwed the pooch on this. Hiding information is not the way to go.
Does that mean they both had flames shooting out of the tail? And were shuddering just before the crash?
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