OT: What Really Brought Down the Boeing 737 Max?

[gfretwell]

confronted with this scenario in simulator training," Sullenberger said."

version of the 737.

He is still blaming it on a training issue, not a plane issue. Personally I think the planes depend too much on computers and the pilots get lazy, sloppy or can just be stupid and still succeed until something goes wrong.

A while ago Mythbusters did a segment on whether the average person could take control of a plan and be "talked down" if both pilots were out of action. Even with the best help the guys kept crashing the simulator. Then they turned on the computer and both had no problem landing the plane. It made me wonder, how many pilots could actually land that plane without the computer? (particularly young ones who have always had the computer)

[trader_4]

Well that's just flat out wrong. He's blaming both.

That's partly true. It's also the case that the computers are often better and flying the planes than the pilots and the computers can do things a pilot can't, eg Cat III landings.

I would expect all ATP pilots flying for commercial airlines certified in that aircraft could land it. And a very high percentage that are not rated too. They don't use the computers all the time, they hand fly a lot of time, particularly takeoffs and landings.

The accidents typically happen with a plane that has some serious malfunction, not one that is flying normally.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I know that some of our best fighter planes that have the best pilots cannot fly without a computer.

I've always wanted to see how I would do in the cockpit of a big plane. My experience is limited to small planes and I know the basics, but is it enough to handle the big stuff? One of these days I may try this:

30 minutes $75.

[Scott Lurndal]

There are craft that are inherently unstable, the F117 being the classic example. FBW systems are required in such craft.

[rbowman]

That was the trade off twenty or thirty years ago. To get the desired performance the planes are unstable. Fly by wire is the only thing that keeps them in the air. Even fuel management comes into it. Suddenly drop that 500 pound anvil under your left wing and you need a little tuneup to keep the CG in the envelope.