Tag: Boeing

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INTERNATIONAL

We are addressing Indonesia’s safety guidance on Lion Air crash- Boeing

Lion Air crash-
Lion Air crash-

Boeing Co said on Friday it is addressing Indonesia’s safety recommendations following calls for better cockpit systems and oversight by U.S. regulators, and after the country blamed design flaws for a deadly Lion Air 737 MAX jet crash.

In its final report released on Friday, Indonesian regulators criticised the design of the anti-stall system known as MCAS, which automatically pushed the plane’s nose down, leaving pilots fighting for control.

Boeing said it has redesigned the way Angle of Attack (AoA) sensors work with the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).

Lion Air crash

“MCAS will now only turn on if both AoA sensors agree, will only activate once in response to erroneous AOA, and will always be subject to a maximum limit that can be overridden with the control column,’’ Boeing said.

On Oct. 29, 2018, a Lion Air 737 MAX jet crashed into the Java Sea shortly after take-off from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board.

Boeing faces several investigations by regulators, U.S. Congress and the Department of Justice over its development of the 737 MAX, its previously best-selling workhorse for short-haul travel.

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INTERNATIONAL

Indonesian investigators blame Boeing design flaws for Lion Air crash

Lion Air crash
Lion Air crash

Boeing made incorrect assumptions about how pilots would respond to system malfunctions on its 737 MAX aircraft, and this contributed to the Lion Air plane crash in Oct. 2018, Indonesian investigators told families of the victims on Wednesday.

A Lion Air passenger jet plummeted into the Java Sea after take-off from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Oct. 29, killing all 189 people on board.

The National Transportation Safety Committee’s final report into the crash, presented in a slideshow to the victims’ families in Jakarta, said incorrect assumptions about pilot response to malfunctions was a contributing factor.

“During the design and certification of the Boeing 737-8 (MAX), assumptions were made about pilot response to malfunctions which, even though consistent with current industry guidelines, turned out to be incorrect,” the committee wrote on one of the slides.

Lion Air crash
Lion Air crash

Crash investigators had looked into the role of a feature in the aircraft known as the manoeuvring characteristics augmentation system (MCAS), designed to prevent the plane’s nose from getting too high and causing the aircraft to stall.

The system’s reliance on one sensor made it vulnerable to erroneous input, investigators said.

“Based on the incorrect assumptions about pilot response and an incomplete review of associated multiple flight deck effects, MCAS’s reliance on a single sensor was deemed appropriate and met all certification requirements,” a slide in the report read.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS & LIFE

Boeing to give $100m to 737 Max crash families

MAX 737

World’s largest aerospace company, Boeing, is set to pay out $100 million to help support the families and communities of people who died in two 737 Max crashes.

The company said the money woull be given to local nonprofits and community distributing the funds to the relatives of the 346 people who died.

The two crashes involved Boeing 737 Max planes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
Boeing said in a statement on Wednesday that the “funds will support education, hardship and living expenses for impacted families, community programs, and economic development in impacted communities.

“Boeing will partner local governments and non-profit organizations to address these needs. This initial investment will be made over multiple years.”

Chairman and chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg, added: “We at Boeing are sorry for the tragic loss of lives in both of these accidents and these lives lost will continue to weigh heavily on our hearts and on our minds for years to come.

“The families and loved ones of those on board have our deepest sympathies, and we hope this initial outreach can help bring them comfort.”

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BUSINESS HEADLINES NEWS & LIFE

Pilot did not follow procedures – Boeing CEO

Tobi Ijalana


The Ethiopian Airlines jet and October crash of the Lion Air 737 MAX killed a total of 346 people and also led to global grounding of the aircraft.

Following Boeing’s annual shareholder meeting in Chicago on Monday, Muilenburg claimed the crashes were not caused by the manufacturers but the pilots and that Boeing was unable to find any technical slip or gap in building its MCAS software. He said:

“When we design these systems, understand that these airplanes are flown in the hands of pilots. It met Boeing’s design and safety criteria, and adhered to certification protocols.”

According to indiatoday.in, Ethiopian officials had said earlier this month that pilots flying Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 repeatedly performed all of Boeing’s procedures, but could not control the plane before it crashed.

Somehow accepting the blame for the crash, however, Muilenburg added that Boeing can make some improvements to make the 737 MAX safer to fly.

“Going forward we have identified a way to improve.

“I am confident that that again will make one of the safest airplanes in the air to fly. We know this is a link in both accidents that we can break.”

He also promised that 737 MAX would become the safest plane in the air.

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INTERNATIONAL

Boeing to review Ethiopian AIB’s preliminary report on flight 302 crash

Boeing says it will review the preliminary investigation report on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 by the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) released on Thursday in Addis Ababa.
A statement by Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ President and CEO, Kevin McAllister, on Thursday, said that understanding the circumstances that contributed to the accident was critical to ensuring safe flight.
According McAllister, “we will carefully review the AIB’s preliminary report and will take any and all additional steps necessary to enhance the safety of our aircraft.”
He said that safety was a core value for everyone at Boeing and the safety of its airplanes, customers, passengers and crews was always a top priority.
“Boeing’s technical experts continue to assist in this investigation and company-wide teams are working to address lessons from the Lion Air Flight 610 accident in October.
“The preliminary report contains flight data recorder information indicating the airplane had an erroneous angle of attack sensor input that activated the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) function during the flight, as it had during the Lion Air 610 flight.
“To ensure unintended MCAS activation will not occur again, Boeing has developed and is planning to release a software update to MCAS and an associated comprehensive pilot training and supplementary education program for the 737 MAX.
“As previously announced the update adds additional layers of protection and will prevent erroneous data from causing MCAS activation.
“Flight crews will always have the ability to override MCAS and manually control the airplane,” he said.
McAllister said that Boeing would continue to work with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and other regulatory agencies worldwide on the development and certification of the software update and training program.
He added that the manufacturer would also continue to work closely with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as technical advisors in support of the Ethiopian AIB investigation.
According to him, as a party providing technical assistance under the direction of investigating authorities, Boeing is prevented by international protocol and NTSB regulations from disclosing any information relating to the investigation.
“In accordance with international protocol, information about the investigation is provided only by investigating authorities in charge.
“I will like to reiterate that our deepest sympathies are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the accident.
“We thank the Ethiopia’s Accident Investigation Bureau for its hard work and continuing efforts,” he said.
Ethiopian Airlines had on Thursday disclosed in its preliminary report, that the pilots of the ill-fated aircraft followed instructions that Boeing recommended and FAA approved emergency procedures to handle the most difficult emergency situation created on the airplane. (NAN)