3 ms·

Thanks for the info. I guess the question for me is: even with a bad AoA sensor and the current MCAS behavior, can it be safer flying a 737 Max than whatever eq

by js2 8y ago

Thanks for the info. I guess the question for me is: even with a bad AoA sensor and the current MCAS behavior, can it be safer flying a 737 Max than whatever equipment I'd end up on if the 737 Max were grounded until the s/w update is deployed. I seem to recall after the MCAS came to light as being involved in the Lion crash, some folks here were arguing that there was no way that exact crash would happen again because all pilots would now be aware of that failure scenario. And yet here we are. Unless the Ethiopian plane crashed for another reason entirely.

bdamm 8y ago
Well yes, although it's possible the Ethiopian Air pilots haven't seen that memo. If I recall correctly, a fast remediation suggestion was to switch off all avionics power. As a pilot myself, I would be deeply reluctant to do such a drastic move, especially in an emergency. With the airplane in an overpowering dive, removing all instrumentation in one kill switch move just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. While I don't know the 737 MAX 8 electrical layout, in small planes that would also kill the radios, transponder, and navigation systems, possibly also flap controls, lighting, and some direct instrumentation. Such direction would have to be very strongly communicated if it were a viable escape from the MCAS/AoA failure.