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Friday, June 21, 2019

Middle Of Grounding 737 Max MoG

Since March 2019 the 737 Max has been grounded and parked. When airlines get excited about getting Max back in the air, I get excited. Air Canada the Max engine placement forward looks to get the Max flying at the end of summer, the earliest, and no later than October of 2019. Mark your Max calendar about September 20th, 2019 as a reasonable time frame for a return to the air for the 737 Max.

Some may even be quoted as saying the Max is becoming the world' safest aircraft given all this scrutiny. The inspectors, like FAA, are looking at everything and not just the MCAS system which is blamed for the two 737 Max crashes. The angle of attack is greatly affected by its engine placement and a propensity to stall since the center of the airplane gravity has moved forward from its forward engine placement.

Computer software kept Max from stalling with only one sensor in play. If the sensor was not functioning properly bad data went to the computer pushing its nose down while gaining speed to avoid stalling. Pilots who thought they were in control pulled up and saw speed indications were at maximum speed for the aircraft. The computer drove the aircraft downward while pilots could not solve a problem they had no training in. The Max just crashed at maximum speed into the earth/water. The computer allowed the pilots some upward mobility but then overrode pilot inputs until it crashed as the reports seem to document.

The solution is reported three fold but it is important to know there will be two sensors that must always function, agree and can be overridden by the pilot via switching off MCAS functions. The pilot is given ultimate control of the aircraft under all MCAS conditions at any time. The preventable stalling situation is only assisting pilots by its MCAS and adding new indicators informing the pilot of the aircraft flying conditions. MCAS will keep the MAX in flying balance but not fly the airplane. Boeing overbuilt and under built MCAS at the same time causing the crashes. It wouldn't let go of control when the one sensor it depended on failed. It overrode pilot control for a system or condition which didn't exist on the aircraft. It always was flying fast enough and there was no stall occurring. The aircraft didn't have a chance because a monstrous system was unchecked.

The outcome will be a thorough vetting of the Max making it the safest airplane humans can build from all the checking and changing that has occurred. It will be the first "world airplane" scrutinized by every world agency signing off on its airworthiness. The A320 will not of had this much testing, nor Embraer or a Bombardier. The 737 Max should fly with extreme confidence during 2019. Its been about 90 days since grounding and it will be another ninety-days before its return to service. It's the Middle of Grounding (MoG).

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