Audio reveals pilots angrily confronting Boeing about 737 Max feature before second deadly crash

CNN ^ | May 2019 | J. Hanna, G. Wallace

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Just months before a second deadly crash of a Boeing 737 Max airplane, American Airlines pilots angrily confronted a Boeing official about a computerized anti-stall system that preliminary reports have now implicated in both deadly wrecks, audio obtained by CBS News reveals.

On the audio, a Boeing official is heard telling pilots that software changes were coming, perhaps in as little as six weeks, but that the company didn't want to hurry the process.

The pilots indicated they weren't aware of the 737 Max's computerized stability program -- the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS.

"We flat out deserve to know what is on our airplanes," a pilot is heard saying.

"I don't disagree," the unidentified Boeing official answers.

"These guys didn't even know the damn system was on the airplane," a pilot says, seemingly referring to the Lion Air pilots. "Nor did anybody else."

"I don't know that understanding this system would have changed the outcome of this," the Boeing official says. "In a million miles you're going to maybe fly this airplane, and maybe once you're going to see this ever."

The Dallas Morning News and the New York Times reported on the November 27 meeting between American Airlines pilots and Boeing earlier this week, citing recordings of the meeting. The papers reported the pilots were frustrated that Boeing didn't disclose the presence of the MCAS system.

Preliminary reports on both crashes have implicated a flight-control system that Boeing designed to operate in the background, making the 737 Max fly like earlier versions of the workhorse jetliner. Maintaining enough similarities between the planes avoided costly pilot training programs, a fact Boeing touted as a selling point.

[gaijin]

The Alexa of aircraft..!

SUUUUURPRISE..!!!

(you’re dead)

[Paladin2]

“Alexa - Just STOP it!”

[montag813]

This is insanity. WTF Boeing???

[Glad2bnuts]

Look up Boeing Uninterruptible Auto Pilot. They can fly these planes “by wire since before 9/11. It is part of the ability to take control of the planes in the event of a hijacking. Never officially used though.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

article: "Maintaining enough similarities between the planes avoided costly pilot training programs,"

Well, it looks like that "money saving" plan is shot to hell.
 

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The 737 has two Angle-of-Attack sensors. I take that as prima facie evidence that Boeing knew that its AOA sensors were subject to failure.

Add to that the fact that Boeing made software available at extra cost which would have considered the output of both sensors rather than only one. Making a safety feature which you know is likely to be significant optional is a recipe for disaster. What, are airlines which skimp on safety features gonna spend freely on pilot training to account for the absence of safety features???

Boeing, and the FAA, look terrible on this one.

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

"In a million miles you're going to maybe fly this airplane, and maybe once you're going to see this ever."

Simply - WOW. I work in an extremely safety-critical and government-regulated industry. My motto has always been 'If you can imagine some wrong-side failure occurring, you must mitigate it.'

In my opinion, Boeing is on its way to having new owners - the families of those killed in these 2 crashes. Their liability is clear and virtually unlimited, IMHO.

[tallyhoe]

“We flat out deserve to know what is on our airplanes,” a pilot is heard saying.

Well read the manuals then ask questions and study the Aircraft your going to fly.. Pilots need to know what to do in an emergency.. Just like Sully knew what to do when his plane hit a flock of geese and lost both engines...