Advanced’ or ‘Faulty’ Airplane Model: Is the Lion Air Crash a Boeing Problem?

On Oct. 29, Lion Air Flight 610 took off from Jakarta’s Soekarno — Hatta International Airport to Pangkal Pinang, a provincial capital of an island in the Java Sea. Just minutes after take off, the crew spoke to the air traffic controllers and requested to return to Jakarta.

They lost contact with the air traffic control, and soon, just made a sharp dive straight into the sea. The flight data showed that the Lion Air plane was at an altitude of about 5,000 feet when the final descent began. It hit the water with such great force, that the aircraft disintegrated upon impact.

This tragedy is the second worst air crash in the Southeast Asian country since 1997. And this marked the first ever crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane model, which is the best-selling and updated version of the 737.

Boeing at fault? Emergency system in question

Based on reports, Boeing failed to warn the airline industry, and the other airlines who purchased the airplane, about a potentially dangerous feature in the in-flight control system. The said system was suspected to play a big role in the fatal Lion Air crash which killed all 189 people on board, and as more reports unfold, it seems all fingers continue to point to that direction.

The Wall Street Journal reported that there was the automated stall-prevention system on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 models. Investigators found out that the system designed to help pilots avoid raising the nose too high, can actually push it down unexpectedly - a proof made evident in the nose dive.

Many pilot unions and experts claimed they had no idea about the automated stall-prevention system added to the 737 model, nor did they have a clue it was a potentially fatal problem. The new feature, in that unusual condition, pushed the plane’s nose down so hard and strong, that flight crews can’t just pull it back up. And that was something even the best pilots can easily save.

That very same jet in the crash was also recorded to have “weird sounds” as told by the previous passengers. They said the feeling was like being on a “roller coaster” when the said airplane model tried to ascend. The black boxes and the cockpit voice recorder are very critical in understanding the cause of the crash. According to the head of Indonesia’s transportation safety committee, Soearjanto Tjahjono, they need to learn about the conversation in the cockpit to solve the crash.

According to a Boeing spokesperson, they are taking “every measure to fully understand all aspects of the incident,” and that they are working very closely with the investigators and regulatory authorities involved. They claim that they are “confident in the safety of the 737 MAX.” Safety remains their “top priority and is the core value for everyone at Boeing.”

Best selling model of Boeing

The airplane model is known to be the best selling model of the Boeing 737. It makes for a competitive choice compared to the update of the Airbus A320. After all, minimizing the costs of upgrading to a new model is a winning situation for any airline company.

Since entering service in 2017, it was greatly received for its advanced aerodynamics and fuel-efficient engines. Boeing has taken orders for 4,783 737 MAX aircrafts, with 219 delivered to customers (airlines and airplane leasing companies). Currently, it is being operated by 40 airlines around the world.

The Boeing 737 MAX has many major customers. It includes Norwegian Air, Air China, SpiceJet, Southwest Airlines, Icelandair, FlyDubai, Air Italy, TUI, LOT Polish Airlines, AeroMexico, Oman Air, SmartWings, Aerolineas Argentinas, Lion Air, Corendon Airlines, China Southern, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Canada, Garuda Indonesia, United Airlines, American Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, WestJet, Turkish Airlines, SCAT Airlines, China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Jet Airways, Okay Airways, GOL, SilkAir, S7 Siberia Airlines, Copa Airlines, Lucky Air, Sunwing Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Mauritania Airlines International, Shandong Airlines, and 9Air.

Specialised training for pilots

The pilots need to undergo an extensive specialized training to fly the Boeing 737 Max 8 - given that it is a reworking of the 737 airplane model. It is said to use advanced technology, but that doesn’t mean pilots can forego the three-hour computerised instruction on the differences between the two models.

Lion Air’s instructors claim that they have followed Boeing’s advice as well as instructions in teaching pilots to fly the Boeing 737 Max 8. According to them, they haven’t broken any manufacturer’s rules. They even carried higher requirements than the minimum.

The investigation of the Lion Air Flight 610 is still ongoing, with all parties involved, promising their full cooperation to solve this big tragedy.

There are more questions than answers. And I know the story has progressed, but what do you think of this big tragedy? Is Boeing realy at fault?

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