Had a friend say she would not fly on 737Max. Can’t blame her all the news reports proclaiming end of the world.
Here is how I answered her: 737 is not a new airplane. It started commercial service in 1968. (she “Did not know that”.) The Max is an updated version. Over 10,000 737s have been delivered to airlines all over the world.
Daily over 10,000 Boeing airplanes of different models 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 & 787 fly. There are thousands of Boeing military aircraft and helicopters flying daily including F-15s, F-18s, KC-46, P-8, C-17 & a new trainer on the way. Don’t forget Delta rockets. Boeing is flying every day.
Boeing has revised the software, actually starting before the second crash. The problem was not comparing angle of attack sensors on both sides, plus revised training for the pilots. Angle of attack sensors have had ~20 failures over 17 years. Almost understandable someone may have assumed wasn’t necessary. However Boeing and FAA both should have caught that.
Assured her I would fly the 737Max today and not afraid to put my family on one or any other Boeing. Just flew cross country and back on 757s.
Why am I so confident? The people I worked with in the factory on 787. They are our babies. Our job is to make near perfect airplanes, and we care.
Disclosure - 5% of my 401K is in Boeing stock. Have no inside information. What I know is from published public information. No idea when regulatory approval is coming, just confident it will.
Suspect the news cycle will die down, and people's memory will fade in a year or two once the 737Max is flying again. Can’t wait to see it flying, getting people to where they are going.
