Egypt, Elsewedy review progress on Ain Sokhna phosphate complex    US employment cost index 3.6% up in year to June 2025    Egypt welcomes Canada, Malta's decision to recognise Palestinian state    Pakistan says successfully concluded 'landmark trade deal' with US    Sterling set for sharpest monthly drop since 2022    Egypt, Brazil sign deal to boost pharmaceutical cooperation    Modon Holding posts AED 2.1bn net profit in H1 2025    Egypt's Electricity Ministry says new power cable for Giza area operational    Egypt's Al-Sisi, Italian defence minister discuss Gaza, security cooperation    Egypt's FM discusses Gaza, Nile dam with US senators    Aid airdrops intensify as famine deepens in Gaza amid mounting international criticism    Egypt exports first high-tech potato seeds to Uzbekistan after opening market    Health minister showcases AI's impact on healthcare at Huawei Cloud Summit    On anti-trafficking day, Egypt's PM calls fight a 'moral and humanitarian duty'    Egypt strengthens healthcare partnerships to enhance maternity, multiple sclerosis, and stroke care    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Indian Embassy to launch cultural festival in Assiut, film fest in Cairo    Egyptian aid convoy heads toward Gaza as humanitarian crisis deepens    Culture minister launches national plan to revive film industry, modernise cinematic assets    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Boeing 737 MAX: a plane of compromise
Published in Daily News Egypt on 12 - 03 - 2019

Boeing's new passenger aircraft has crashed twice within the space of a few months, raising a number of safety questions. So far, the 737 has been the backbone of many fleets globally.For two years now, the Anglo-German travel company TUI has been making preparations for the arrival of Boeing's 737 MAX flagship plane. The first plane was due to be moved to Germany from Seattle this week. But now a massive debate about the safety of this aircraft is in full swing following the crash of a brand-new 737 MAX in Ethiopia on Sunday.
It's the second crash involving that particular model, following the Lion Air crash of October 2018, in which 189 people were killed.
The model has now come under intense scrutiny, so how does it differ from other 737 models, the best-sold aircraft in the world?
Boeing's plight
At the beginning of this decade, Boeing faced a dilemma. Airlines around the world were looking for a low-fuel, modern plane for short and medium-haul distances. The US company only had its regular 737 on offer, a particularly suitable plane for journeys lasting a couple of hours. That had been the case for about 50 years.
Lufthansa started using it for its routes in February 1968, with the plane offering room for some 100 passengers. Boeing was leading the pack in this segment long before Airbus marketed its A320. By 2019, Boeing had sold almost 10,500 of its 737s, the most widely spread plane of the jet era.
It had developed a large number of modernized and improved versions over the years, but some 10 years ago, the company realized it had to come up with something different after rival European rival Airbus gained the upper hand in terms of global sales with its A320neo. Boeing found itself under enormous pressure to keep up.
Technical problems
And that was its problem. Unlike the A320, which was able to accommodate larger engines under its wings, the Boeing 737 didn't lend itself easily to the same thing, as its wings were a lot closer to the ground.
Many airlines had requested a completely new short-haul aircraft, but Airbus and Boeing shied away from the two-digit-billion-dollar investment required, knowing the money would most likely not pay off. Also, the two companies were channeling their resources into the development of their A350 and 787 long-haul planes. Boeing was thus forced to make compromises and overhaul its old 737 model instead of developing an entirely new one.
To make the LEAP engines fit under the wings, the nose landing gear had to be extended to ensure enough distance to the ground. On top of that, the new engines had to be mounted further apart from the outboard wing assembly, and that changed the plane's aerodynamics.
This in turn causes the plane to lift its nose, which triggers a compressor stall in the worst case scenario, which in turn can lead to a crash.
Communications disaster?
To counter this possible effect, Boeing uses a special technology called Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which automatically lowers the nose to head off a compressor stall.
But Boeing failed to comprehensively communicate this system to pilots and encorporate it into regular training programs. This is why the pilots of the 2018 Lion Air flight fought a battle for several minutes trying manually to get the plane to gain altitude, as it kept lowering its nose position by mistake.
The subsequent crash was devastating. Pilot associations heavily criticized Boeing for its insufficient communication. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.
It's unclear yet whether Sunday's crash was caused by a similar or some other technical issue to do with the 737 MAX's characteristics. Be that as it may, the second crash of a 737 MAX 8 is a severe blow for Boeing and its biggest safety crisis since the grounding of the 787 six years ago.
The US plane maker has meanwhile canceled the planned inauguration of its 777X long-haul aircraft. Globally, some 350 737 MAX 8 planes are in operation right now, the biggest operator being Southwest Airlines in the US. Norwegian, TUI and Turkish Airlines are Europe's largest operators of that model.
Another 5,110 such planes have already been ordered.


Clic here to read the story from its source.