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The US aviation regulatory authorities, reacting to the Lion Air reactor crash last month, have launched a high-priority survey on safety analysis.
Boeing
Co.
BA -2.11%
has done over the years. The regulators are interested in the information that Boeing has provided to airlines about the potential dangers associated with a new automated flight control system introduced on the latest versions of the 737 workhorse aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Tuesday that it was reviewing the details of the safety data and the findings that the Chicago aircraft manufacturer had previously provided to the agency as part of the certification of the 737 MAX 8 models. and MAX 9. The Agency's statement, which was made approximately two weeks after refusing to comment on one aspect of the accident that killed the 189 people on board, also indicates that responsible for investigating the requirements for pilot training.
Noting that future regulatory measures and generally strengthened oversight of Boeing's risk assessment procedures are forthcoming, the statement states that "FAA and Boeing continue to assess the need for software and / or software." 39, other design changes, "including" operational procedures and training. we learn from the "ongoing investigation into the crash" conducted by the Indonesian authorities.
This statement is the clearest sign of the FAA's internal concerns stemming from preliminary indications as to why the twin-engine aircraft plunged into the Java Sea at an abrupt, high-speed angle.
A spokesman for Boeing did not immediately answer questions on Tuesday. On Monday, the Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer said: "We are taking all necessary steps to fully understand all aspects of this incident, working closely with the investigation team and the relevant regulators. . "
According to government officials, when Boeing chose to install the new flight control feature, he concluded that it was virtually impossible for a combination of sensor failure, actions Automated dive pilot and dive controls in the new system pose a serious safety risk. .
But now, with preliminary accident data indicating that the aircraft has experienced such a sequence of events before its crash, the company's risk analyzes and decision-making are increasingly being monitored by the public. . The same goes for the FAA, which has agreed to allow two US airlines to use the new models without Boeing providing flight crews or experienced pilots with detailed information on the operation of the new control system. of flight and on the risks that it might present in unusual circumstances. , pushing the nose of the plane automatically and strongly.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the Lion Air crash and security experts have warned that it was too early to say exactly what role the new flight control system had played in this tragedy. But as new evidence emerges and accident investigators deepen the design issues and the interaction of various computerized systems and cockpit displays, there is a growing focus on the assumptions of these systems. Boeing's initial safety assessments.
More than 200 737 MAX aircraft have been delivered to airlines around the world, including US carriers.
Southwest Airlines
,
American Airlines and United Airlines. This represents a fraction of the thousands of 737 used.
Indonesian investigators are still looking for the cockpit voice recorder, which could contain vital information about what the pilots saw and did as they struggled with an alleged succession of sometimes electronic warnings. contradictory, unreliable speed displays and seemingly uncontrollable aircraft gaining momentum. as he rolled towards the water. Investigators and safety experts said that after a certain point, the crew might only have a few seconds to respond appropriately.
The November 10 note from Southwest management to its pilots, which was reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, indicated that Boeing had failed to include information on the stall prevention system in flight manuals because the pilots could not be in situations involving its characteristics.
Gaps in Boeing's risk analysis procedures had already caused significant regulatory, financial and public relations issues for the company. Initially, it failed to recognize or neutralize the potentially fugitive rechargeable lithium batteries installed on Boeing's flagship 787 aircraft. All the jets were temporarily immobilized until Boeing and the FAA agreed to a foolproof fix.
Write to Andy Pasztor at [email protected] and Andrew Tangel at [email protected]
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