Indonesia Says More 737 MAX Training Is Needed After the Lion Air Disaster
What the Investigation is Really Getting At
On Monday, Indonesian safety officials announced that the pilot training for Boeing 737 MAXs needs an upgrade. They claim the ‘hand‑off’ that the doomed Lion Air jet’s crew faced wasn’t actually covered in the aircraft’s flight manual—something that blew the whole investigation loose.
While the initial focus has been on potential maintenance glitches—especially that infamous angle‑of‑attack sensor that went haywire—the new findings suggest the crew might have been short‑cutted on how to react when the computers start acting like they’re on autopilot (and scary).
Why This Matters for Everyone
After the 737 MAX sank into the Java Sea on Oct. 29, killing 189 souls, the FAA and Indonesian regulators are tightening the spotlight on crew training.
- This isn’t just about a faulty sensor.
- It’s about how pilots are trained to fight the system’s urge to go nose‑down when they shouldn’t.
- And whether the crew had enough time to use the checklists that could actually override the autopilot.
Key Talking Points from the Safety Committee
Soerjanto Tjahjono, the head of the crash investigation board (KNKT), made it clear that the regulators will tweak training standards. “Because we’re seeing that the crew needed more guidance,” he said, “we’re making the courses tougher.”
That’s a big head‑shake for the 737NG (the older 737 model) pilots who have been upgrading to the MAX. Their training paperwork—mostly computer‑based drills that last three hours—looks like it missed how to pull the plug when the plane’s computer tries to drag the nose down for up to ten seconds.
How the Current Training Looks
“We’d managed the airline’s training in line with both U.S. and EU regulations,” declared Dibyo Soesilo, Lion Air Training Centre’s general manager. “It’s confined to a three‑hour computer module and a quick familiarisation flight.”
That’s less than a full marathon. If the plan were a fitness regimen, it’d be a quick sprints—a nice trick but maybe not enough when your plane starts i
Unpacking the Technical Side
- The FAA’s emergency directive urges airlines to beef up their manuals.
- They warn that the 737 MAX’s computer could force the plane downhill for up to ten seconds even when flown manually.
- Pilots normally could stop this by pressing two buttons. The question is: how well‑prepared are they for such a scenario, and do they have enough split seconds?
Boeing’s Response
Boeing took a while to reply. At last, they claimed the “runaway stabiliser” fix is already part of the existing procedures. However, investigators are still on the hunt for a missing cockpit voice recorder that might give some insight into what the crew heard (and didn’t hear) during the fatal time.
What Investigators Are Looking At Now
In short, the big questions are:
- Did the crew use the checklist meant to cut the automated nose‑down?
- Was there enough time for them to halt the system before the plane hit the ocean at 5,000 feet?
- Will the recovered voice recordings (if found) reveal a missed cue or understandable confusion?
Every piece of the puzzle is vital because it shapes future training programs. After all, if a pilot can’t turn off the bird-wings that cause a plane to go nosedive on autopilot, you can’t expect smooth sailing.
Final Takeaway
Indonesia’s latest call for more robust pilot training—apart from fixing mechanical problems—might just be the necessary remedy that keeps more folks safe in the sky. The next November, investigators will put everything on paper and hand it over. Until then, the dialogue between regulators, airlines, and the manufacturer is as critical as ever.
