Millions of lost and mistrust: the worst Boeing crisis in a century of existence

Boeing He introduced the 737 in 1967. Since then he has produced about 10,000 units making it one of his flagship aircraft, but the reputation he built over the decades has collapsed with the fatalities of his most recent model in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Boeing 737 MAX.

The aviation giant is going through a crisis of unsuspected dimensions amid serious questions about aircraft safety.

"I refuse to fly on a Boeing 737 Max 8". With the same force expressed by several pbadengers around the world, following the collapse of flight ET302 of Ethiopian Airlines last week, the markets severely punished the company's shares.

The automatic stabilization system (MCAS) is under surveillance. This is a software that was created to help the Boeing 737 MAX to avoid air stagnation and thus make fuel efficiency more efficient, in order to compete with the Airbus model, but its larger engines make it gave a different aerodynamics.

Early indications suggest that in both accidents, factors could typical of automatisms such as MCAS, but also the human element and the inefficient training of pilots. This combination is one of the most complex challenges that Boeing has faced.

A report of Wall Street Journal He indicated that the United States Department of Transportation was investigating the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval for safety measures taken by the United States. Boeing 737 MAX.

The FAA was the same body that had given full support to Boeing, while other countries in the world had banned the operation of it in its airspace. It was a direct order from President Donald Trump, who put the Boeing 737 MAX ein the American Union.

Boeing and the aviation industry have been facing other crises, but nothing like this can leave "substantial" badignment, according to Craig Fraser of Fitch.

Investigations into the causes of the accident in Ethiopia are in their initial stages, but the damage to Boeing's image is complex.

Analysts believe that the suspension of flights of the Boeing 737 MAX could last six months. This is a crucial period for a company that has been working for a century, to act quickly and to prevent the crisis from having irreversible effects.

By 2018, Boeing had revenue for 101 100 million USD. A higher figure than the economy of countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela. 60,700 million USD were obtained thanks to the commercial aviation.

Every 1.5 seconds, it lands or takes off from a Boeing 737 in the world. Society is as big as the crisis it's going through.