The MCAS System Issues aboard Boeing 737 Max Planes
The Boeing 737 Max is a narrow-body plane series manufactured by the Boeing Commercial Airplanes as the fourth generation of Boeing 737. It has efficient engines, aerodynamic changes, and airframe changes. It made its first flight at the end of January and became the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history with about 5,000 orders for more than 100 customers worldwide. This year, Boeing had to suspend all Boeing 737 Max Series because of two fatal crash accident, the recent being the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
In October of 2018, Lion Air Flight 670 plunged into the Java Sea after taking off from Indonesian capital, Jakarta, killing the eight crew members and 181 passengers. The cause was found by the Indonesian investigator, was that the plane kept pitching down, like a tidal wave. When the Black boxes were reviewed for flight data and cockpit conservation before impact, it described a fight for life or death by both pilots. Both pilots struggled to pitch the nose up, which was caused by the MCAS system.
MCAS (maneuvering characteristics augmentation system) is a new system in the Boeing 737 Max series that uses sensors to give flight data to pilots that automatically helps the plane level in flight without pilot response. Engineers added the system in order to help keep the plane from stalling (not enough airspeed to create lift) from the engines. The Max series had new engines, but they were three times bigger than Boeing 737 engines, so they attached the engines to the wings. This change made the engines go a bit farther up into the wings of the plane.
However, onboard the Lionel Flight 670, MCAS was completely out of control and started giving false data to the pilots saying that the plane was stalling even though it wasn’t. MCAS made the nose of the plane tip downward, which caused the crash. There was much controversy and debate over the MCAS, but Boeing reassured the public that the planes were safe to fly.
Then, in March of this year, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed near the town of Bishoftu minutes after takeoff from Nairobi, Kenya. Investigators looked at Black Boxes to investigate what had happened. They realized that the plane kept putting down the nose as well and pilots were clueless as to what was happening. However, when investigators reviewed other cases, they realized the simulation that Lionel Flight 670 made was like the Ethiopian Airline Flight 302 crash, caused by MCAS System.
The FAA created strict regulations because of the crashes and demanded that all the Boeing Max Series are grounded until they are safe to fly. Many customers had their flights cancel due to it and Boeing lost billions of dollars. Currently, they are working to make changes to the MCAS and the FAA wants to initiate more training on the MCAS system so that pilots are prepared. Boeing has stated that they didn’t want pilots to know the system because of how automated it is, and pilots don’t need training for it.
Pilots spoke out against this statement, saying that the MCAS system could be hiding other things that would be useful for them to know. Boeing has said in regard to the two crash accidents, they feel deeply sorry for the victims and their families. They manufactured the Max series to compete with the Airbus A330-900 neo, but they forgot what was most important, their passengers. Passengers should feel safe to fly and not fear that their life might be in danger.
