Building an airliner is a long, complex and expensive undertaking with a simple purpose: safely transporting people from one place to another. When the Boeing 737 Max made its maiden flight in 2016, it was billed as a modern, fuel-efficient version of a familiar workhorse. But any virtues became trivial when two of the planes crashed overseas, killing a total 346 people. After the second accident, in March 2019, governments around the world, including the United States, grounded the aircraft.
It was not just the future of the 737 Max that was questioned, it was the fortunes of Chicago-based Boeing. Aerospace consultant Scott Hamilton said, “Boeing is facing the worst crisis in its 103-year history.” The company lost sales, agreed to pay $50 million to the families of those who died and still faces a stack of lawsuits. Boeing replaced its CEO and saw it share prices take a hit.
Tuesday, the Max made its official U.S. return to the skies when an American Airlines 737 Max began flying the route from Miami to New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Aboard were some 100 passengers, including the president of the airline. It was a game effort to assure the public that the Max is as safe as a plane can be. United, Southwest and Alaska Airlines plan to return it to service in the coming months.
Whether the public is ready remains to be seen. American says it will inform travelers before boarding that they’ll be on a Max — and will let nervous ones rebook.
Boeing did much to damage public confidence, as did the Federal Aviation Administration. A report by the inspector general of the Department of Transportation said the corporation misled the agency about changes in the flight control system, known as MCAS, which was blamed for each crash, and that the FAA delegated most of the certification process to Boeing.
To limit costs to airlines, the company wanted to convince regulators that the new model would require no new training for pilots. A Wall Street Journal investigation found that “Boeing repeatedly minimized the risks posed by MCAS, without detailed scrutiny or pushback from U.S. regulators.” When the system malfunctioned on the fatal flights, sending the planes into nosedives, the pilots were unable to regain control. Before approving the return of the Max, the FAA required changes in the flight control system, as well as additional pilot training.
If the Max proves itself by providing accident-free service in the months and years to come, Boeing should be able to restore trust in its planes. In the meantime, this tragic chapter should remind everyone connected with commercial aviation that there is no substitute for safety.
— Tribune News Service
