Is the Boeing Max safe?

There’s a lot concern proper now in regards to the Boeing Max.  I’ve seen additionally fairly a couple of feedback from folks saying that they might refuse to fly on it, even after it’s permitted once more.  Whereas a typical response, it’s a misinformed one.

I’ll first state that, based mostly on my information of the modifications, the problems with the Max as they relate to MCAS and the flight management system normally, can be solved.  These issues have been, so far as I can see, not because of direct negligence on the a part of Boeing, nor the a part of FAA.  They have been an oblique results of the drive to put revenue and value first.  An unanticipated consequence of the design and motivations of company construction in America. In addition they weren’t because of the FAA permitting “self certification” (the Designated Engineering Consultant – DER) program both.  Sadly, these plane are so complicated the federal government has little likelihood of totally vetting each side (maybe that may change now?).   As a facet word, all pilots within the U.S. have been conversant in the usage of designated pilot examiners for many years.  The FAA has designated checking of pilots and airplanes for a lot of, a few years, and that has not led to any degradation of security that anybody can level to.  That program is, merely, not “the issue”.

So what’s “the issue”?  It’s that our requirements for the way we design programs and do security evaluation have merely not saved up with the modifications within the trade.  The assumptions underneath which they have been created are now not legitimate.  These requirements have been designed for a time earlier than pc programs, and they’re merely lower than the duty. The reply is to replace the requirements and prepare engineers and regulators to work with them.  MIT’s System Theoretic Course of Evaluation (STPA) is one of the best methodology that I do know of to handle this drawback.  Whereas no system is ideal, STPA would seize most of a lot of these issues, in addition to the standard ones.

I believe Boeing is already utilizing this within the redesign of MCAS – I hope they’re.  Nevertheless, we have now a bigger side going for us now.  We now hove a number of authorities companies from all around the world additionally scrutinizing the Max to a effective element.  The extent of consideration to this single airplane is, frankly, unprecedented.  I’m positive that they are going to take a look at each nuance in the complete design, and never simply on the MCAS side. They ALL must agree earlier than the airplane flies once more, and none of them will need their identify on the approval with out being positive.  No plane in historical past has handed such a stage of scrutiny.

So, as soon as it’s licensed (assuming it’s) by all of the premiere plane certification companies on the planet, then, sure, it will likely be protected to fly.  The one extra function (that I’ve not seen mentioned) I might nonetheless wish to see is an aural alert when MCAS is activated.  A “MCAS..MCAS..MCAS..” could be a fantastic support to the pilots in checking out what the difficulty is perhaps.

For some extra ideas on superior programs normally, please see my earlier article Know your aircraft – System Training.