Boeing suspends production of 737 Max

[RedDuke]

The whole situation is criminal. US authorities were quick to come down on VW for Dieselgate but in this case, where hundreds of people actually died as a direct result, they're not bothered? From what I know, this whole thing seems like a deliberate coverup.

Such sad times, when even such a stellar company like Boeing decided to cut corners, and the criminals in charge still wanted FAA to lift restrictions because they patched a software code.

The f..n thing is not supposed to exist, the design is flawed based on everything I read. They put engines too big for the body, and then patched it with software. Bastards.

 

[d08]

The whole aircraft is from another era. A320 series was designed from scratch in late 80s and early 90s so it's still fairly modern. 737 is a 1960s design, that's why the engines are elliptical, it sits way too low to the ground.

 

[Cuddles]

Such sad times, when even such a stellar company like Boeing decided to cut corners, and the criminals in charge still wanted FAA to lift restrictions because they patched a software code.

The f..n thing is not supposed to exist, the design is flawed based on everything I read. They put engines too big for the body, and then patched it with software. Bastards.

I'd like to read up on this if you have a source. Software can be a wonderful way to cut costs allowing us to polish turds, so don't exactly agree with your premise. Sometimes hot rodding old hardware gives good results and by all accounts, it sounded like buggy software was to blame

 

[RedDuke]

I'd like to read up on this if you have a source. Software can be a wonderful way to cut costs allowing us to polish turds, so don't exactly agree with your premise. Sometimes hot rodding old hardware gives good results and by all accounts, it sounded like buggy software was to blame

I know nothing about planes, and can only comment on what I read. Essentially the design was flawed, and they "fixed" it by software so that the plane does not tilt so to speak. Engines were too heavy for the body.

 

[Cuddles]

I know nothing about planes, and can only comment on what I read. Essentially the design was flawed, and they "fixed" it by software so that the plane does not tilt so to speak. Engines were too heavy for the body.

That may be the case, and don't necessarily see anything wrong with that if there's a countermeasure in place, software included. Many designs are a compromise and so engineers smooth those rough edges by different means.

I doubt there's any modern plane that would be capable of flight without software tbh.

 

[2FT]

Software can be a wonderful way to cut costs allowing us to polish turds

Do you actually understand that idiom? You actually said that in relation to this situation. Two crashes just after take off where the pilot was unable to stop the plane from nose diving. Everyone on those flights saw it happening, the ground coming up at them. They knew they were about the go down. And all their relatives know that they knew. I wonder how much you actually feel as the plane hits the ground. Guess the fuel explosion takes you out pretty fast. What a rush. "Polished Turds!" Someone get this guy a MarCom role asap.

This company has no business operating in this industry. I don't care how strong their balance sheet is. In theory, they are goners, it is just a matter of time. The flying public has limited tolerance for polished turds. The airline industry operates on trust. Trust is expressed with retail dollar voting. I am a Capitalist, but I know that eventually in the long-game evolutionary method of Capitalism, there are more resources vital to survival than balance sheet and profit margin, and those off-balance sheet resources need to be conservatively protected. This company is failing in that regard.

 

[Overnight]

...
I doubt there's any modern plane that would be capable of flight without software tbh.

And that is the real tragedy in my mind, right there.

Every aircraft in the world should be capable of being flown from takeoff-to-landing using just stick-and-rudder skills. Otherwise, you are ripe for disasters. Like the MAX. It is OK to have automation for the majority of the tasks. But the automation should NOT disallow a pilot to take complete control of an airplane in an emergency. Especially when that emergency is caused by the automated systems! GAH!

 

[tiddlywinks]

And that is the real tragedy in my mind, right there.

Every aircraft in the world should be capable of being flown from takeoff-to-landing using just stick-and-rudder skills. Otherwise, you are ripe for disasters. Like the MAX. It is OK to have automation for the majority of the tasks. But the automation should NOT disallow a pilot to take complete control of an airplane in an emergency. Especially when that emergency is caused by the automated systems! GAH!

 

[Overnight]

Exactly! And that was from 1968!

 

[d08]

And that is the real tragedy in my mind, right there.

Every aircraft in the world should be capable of being flown from takeoff-to-landing using just stick-and-rudder skills. Otherwise, you are ripe for disasters. Like the MAX. It is OK to have automation for the majority of the tasks. But the automation should NOT disallow a pilot to take complete control of an airplane in an emergency. Especially when that emergency is caused by the automated systems! GAH!

Humans are very much inferior for tasks like these. There's a bunch of cases of pilots crashing the plane despite automation trying to save the plane. In fact that is far more common than automation crashing the plane.