FAA & Boeing Face the 737 Max Reality Check
New York – A fresh government report slid onto the scene on Sept 26, and it’s giving Boeing and the FAA a reality‑shake. The document? The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is pointing out that when pilots faced a flurry of alerts, the brain‑cracking reality wasn’t what the big names had imagined.
How the Blunder Unfolded
After the 737 Max was forced off the skies worldwide following two deadly crashes that claimed 346 lives, the NTSB said the Assumptions that shaped the airplane’s design were off‑target. “We saw in these two accidents that crews didn’t react the way Boeing and the FAA expected,” NTSB Chair Robert Sumwalt explained. Those mis‑steps, it turns out, led to a gap between how the Max was certified and pilots’ real‑world experience when a \Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS)\ pops off.
Heart‑Stopping Moments in Lion Air & Ethiopian Flights
- Both Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes had pilots scrambling to grip the aircraft once the MCAS—triggered by a faulty sensor—and let their nerves bruise.
- Boeing turned over the MCAS briefing after the Lion Air disaster in October 2018, missing the chance to prep crews right from the start.
- FAA oversight failed to simulate the chaos of a cockpit flooded with alarms, meaning they didn’t foresee that pilots would be juggling a million alerts.
“Chaos In The Cockpit”
The old saying “too many cooks spoil the broth” works here too: “Multiple alerts and indications can increase pilot workload, making it harder to know which procedures to follow,” the NTSB recounted. In other words, if you’ve got a dozen blinking lights, pinpointing the next step can take more time than flying itself.
What The NTSB Wants Going Forward
- Revise airplane design and pilot training to match actual pilot responses.
- Provide clearer “failure indications” that help crews react fast and smart.
FAA & Boeing Promise Action
A friendly FAA spokesperson said they’d “carefully review these recommendations.” “The lessons learned from the crashes will fuel an even higher safety level as we work to certify the Max for flights again.”
Boeing echoed that, marking safety as a core value and stressing its commitment to work hand‑in‑hand with the FAA and NTSB. “We’re aiming for approval to resume flights early in the fourth quarter,” a company spokesman added. He also kept the vibe upbeat: “We expect the folks involved in the NTSB’s reviews to get us on track.”
Will That Timeline Hold?
Just two days before this report, a critical review from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel flagged that 16 out of 22 FAA safety inspectors were under‑trained. Worse, the FAA allegedly misrepresented the training status to Congress.
Air‑safety consultant Michel Merluzeau from AIR cautions that while there’s still a good shot, nothing’s guaranteed. The FAA’s certification focus is largely on pilot training to manage MCAS, but broader questions about pilot training are still under scrutiny. Capitol Hill’s eagle‑eyes are watching closely.
Bottom Line
Boeing Max may jump back into the skies in 2019, if all goes well. But with the FAA’s inspectors and training under examined scrutiny, we’re not entirely sure when that happens. In the meantime, every airline patrols a couple of serious heads‑up checks to dodge the same pitfall. Good luck, 737 Max; the sky’s no longer blind to the MCAS!
