4 ms·

I am sure the feature is there to help keep the plane stable. It can be flown without the system being on if the sensors don't work. You can drive your car with

I am sure the feature is there to help keep the plane stable. It can be flown without the system being on if the sensors don't work. You can drive your car without cruise control, but it makes it more convenient with it on.

close04 8y ago
> the feature is there to help keep the plane stable And we don't want that? > You can drive your car without cruise control Sure, because cruise control is there to allow me to be lazy, not to keep my car on the road. The aircraft has handling deficiencies at high angles of attack due to the engines being mounted differently. The MCAS is there to correct this. It's this or redesign the plane. Only 2 things that could have helped: an angle of attack disagree light to warn the pilots of the issue, and to to retrain the pilots. The first was sold just as an optional package, the second was considered unneeded since Boeing treated the new plane as a perfect equivalent of its predecessor. Disabling the MCAS is not a fix and without it the plane is not certified to fly.
- samfisher83 8y ago
  It works when the sensor works. When it doesn't you need to fly it manually.
  - close04 8y ago
    What I'm saying is that the MCAS is there so the plane can get the certification. You can fly the plane without it but it's not considered normal (or safe) operation. Which is why it must be there and it must work. You can fly a plane without an engine if needed but just try certifying a plane with one engine under one wing.
peteradio 8y ago
The feature is there so pilots don't have to be retrained on the different handling of the plane. It was entirely cost avoidance on Boeings part. To say that they could just turn it off is also an admission that the plane is not the same and pilots would need to be retrained. Boeing can't have it both ways.

4 ms·

I am sure the feature is there to help keep the plane stable. It can be flown without the system being on if the sensors don't work. You can drive your car with

by samfisher83 8y ago

close04 8y ago
> the feature is there to help keep the plane stable And we don't want that? > You can drive your car without cruise control Sure, because cruise control is there to allow me to be lazy, not to keep my car on the road. The aircraft has handling deficiencies at high angles of attack due to the engines being mounted differently. The MCAS is there to correct this. It's this or redesign the plane. Only 2 things that could have helped: an angle of attack disagree light to warn the pilots of the issue, and to to retrain the pilots. The first was sold just as an optional package, the second was considered unneeded since Boeing treated the new plane as a perfect equivalent of its predecessor. Disabling the MCAS is not a fix and without it the plane is not certified to fly.
- samfisher83 8y ago
  It works when the sensor works. When it doesn't you need to fly it manually.
  - close04 8y ago
    What I'm saying is that the MCAS is there so the plane can get the certification. You can fly the plane without it but it's not considered normal (or safe) operation. Which is why it must be there and it must work. You can fly a plane without an engine if needed but just try certifying a plane with one engine under one wing.
peteradio 8y ago
The feature is there so pilots don't have to be retrained on the different handling of the plane. It was entirely cost avoidance on Boeings part. To say that they could just turn it off is also an admission that the plane is not the same and pilots would need to be retrained. Boeing can't have it both ways.