Boeing, Congress and Our Airlines

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) officers inspect the turbine of the downed Lion Air plane at the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) 2 in Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, Sunday (4/11/2018). A search operation for the wreckage of the plane, which plunged into Karawang waters in West Java, was extended until Wednesday (7/11/2018).

There is something interesting about flight issues this week, namely the summoning of Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg by the United States Congress regarding the Boeing B-737 MAX aviation disaster.

The news from the US appeared not far from the announcement of the results of the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) investigation into the crash of Lion Air\'s B-737 MAX 8 PK-LQP, on Oct. 29, 2018, which caused 189 deaths. Nearly five months later, there was another disaster involving the same type of aircraft owned by Ethiopian Airlines on March 11.

This is a major blow for Boeing. Previously, Boeing was the world\'s leading aircraft manufacturer with amazing and successful products in the market, such as the Jumbo B-747 and B-777, and the last B-787 Dreamliner, a revolutionary design aircraft.

Boeing pocketed more than 4,600 orders for this aircraft, which is very efficient in fuel consumption.

However, this marvelous reputation collapsed with two calamities involving the B-737 MAX, the most recent version of the 737 that was a very successful regional route aircraft in terms of sales. Until the accidents happened, Boeing pocketed more than 4,600 orders for this aircraft, which is very efficient in fuel consumption. Besides Lion Air, Garuda Indonesia has also ordered the 737 MAX.

In an effort to pursue efficient use of fuel, for the 737 MAX, Boeing implemented a new design that consequently had to modify wing height to accommodate a larger engine size. This also makes the center of gravity shift; the plane will tend to tilt up. Boeing also installed a sensor system to correct the aircraft\'s posture while flying.

EPA-EFE/GARY HE

Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft sit parked at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, USA, 21 July 2019 (reissued 23 October 2019). Boeing is to release their 3rd quarter financial report on 23 October 2019.

After the disaster, investigators focused their attention on the 737 MAX control system known as the MCAS (maneuvering characteristics augmentation system), which was designed to automatically bow the nose of the aircraft when there was danger of stalling. This system is not yet perfect or the way it works was not adequately informed by Boeing to pilots and in the two disasters that occurred, the pilots failed to stabilize the aircraft.

Following a hearing with the US Congress, US Senate Trade Committee chairman Senator Roger Wicker said the US would not allow the Boeing 737 MAX to fly again until US citizens and policymakers were confident 99.9 percent of the aircraft were safe. It is really not easy for Boeing to restore airline and passenger confidence. This is perhaps the most serious disaster Boeing has ever experienced.

US would not allow the Boeing 737 MAX to fly again until US citizens and policymakers were confident 99.9 percent of the aircraft were safe.

Apart from Boeing, we are reminded to convey a message for the Indonesian government to campaign for flight safety. Regardless of our shortcomings in the aviation world in the past, for the case of the Lion Air JT-610 disaster, the cause of the accident was not Lion Air’s fault.

Read more : Restoring the Reputation of Indonesian Airlines

Besides completing matters such as compensation and payment, we need to take the wisdom and wait for further developments from the US. The reputation of Indonesia’s national aviation safety is vital considering that the Indonesian people cannot be separated from aviation as a mode of transportation.