Crashed Planes Lacked Vital Safety Features As Boeing Charged More For Them

Lately, it was found that Boeing jets in Ethiopia and Indonesia crash lacked two safety aspects in their cockpits as the company charged more to install them. The features could have aided pilots in detecting flawed readings, which some experts think may be linked to the planes’ failures, The New York Times stated. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610, which collapsed in 5 Months of each other, were whole new but were not prepared with an angle of attack indicator or disagree light, the report said. Reportedly, the angle of attack indicator finds out how much the jet’s nose is tilted and then disagree light is set in motion if the plane’s sensors are giving conflicting signals. Boeing would now make this (disagree light) free of cost on all new 737 Max planes, following the fatal collapse caused all the Max planes to be suspended, as reported by The New York Times. The angle of attack indicator would remain an alternative that airlines can buy, the report stated. Boeing is also outlining a new software upgrade.

Neither safety attribute was commanded by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), but expertise says it is important for flight safety. Bjorn Fehrm—Analyst at Leeham, an aviation consultancy—told to The New York Times, “They are imperative and charge nearly nothing for the airlines to put in. Boeing charges for them since it can, but they are very important for safety.” In a statement, Ethiopian Airlines said that its pilots are following the FAA and Boeing guidance.

On a similar note, recently, Garuda Indonesia—the national airline of Indonesia—canceled 49 Boeing 737 Max orders. Seemingly, Garuda Indonesia has called off their order for 49 Boeing 737 Max placed a few years ago. Reuters and AFP reported the company’s plans. Citing Garuda’s CFO, Reuters stated that the company might change its 737 Max arrange to another type of Boeing plane. The Boeing planes have been suspended by authorities in several nations, counting in Europe, the U.S., China, and Indonesia following two deadly crashes involving the 737 Max 8.