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When the 737 was first created, iterating a known type of aircraft was much less of a concern. It was not a key design constraint. As time went by and we lear
by tomohawk 7y ago
When the 737 was first created, iterating a known type of aircraft was much less of a concern. It was not a key design constraint.
As time went by and we learned more and the good idea faeries had time to think about things, we now have all kinds of regulation that makes the cost of making a new plane much higher if it is not an iteration on an existing design.
This sort of regulatory pressure has a tendency to nix innovation in favor of stability, and that's what we see here.
- jyounker 7y agoI don't think this is a new phenomena. My understanding is that the MD-80 was built on the DC-9 airframe partially to avoid the costs and efforts of recertification, and that was 40 years ago. Aside from regulation, There are very good business reasons from both ends of the industry that exert pressure to iterate on an old design. (E.g Each additional airframe dramatically increases the complexity of an airline's maintenance organization.)