Pinterest

Boeing 737 MAX Returns to the Skies After Two Years

A Long Journey After Deadly Crashes

The Boeing 737 MAX, one of the world's most popular planes, has returned to service after two years of being grounded following two deadly crashes. The MAX 8 entered service in May 2017, followed by the MAX 9 in March 2018. A high-density version of the MAX 8, the MAX 200, also entered service.

Boeing's Costly Mistakes

In October 2018, a MAX 8 operated by Lion Air crashed shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia. In March 2019, another MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The crashes killed a total of 346 people and led to the worldwide grounding of the MAX fleet.

Investigations revealed that a faulty flight control system, known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), was a major factor in both crashes. MCAS was designed to prevent the plane from stalling, but it malfunctioned in both cases and caused the planes to dive uncontrollably.

Re-Engineering and Re-Certification

In the wake of the crashes, Boeing spent billions of dollars to redesign and re-certify the MAX. The company made changes to MCAS, the flight control system, and other systems. Regulators around the world also conducted thorough reviews of Boeing's changes before approving the plane's return to service.

The MAX has been flying again in most of the world since late 2020. However, China, one of the largest aviation markets, has not yet re-approved the plane.

Variants of the Boeing 737 MAX

• 737 MAX 8: Replaces the 737-800 with a longer fuselage than the -700
• 737 MAX 7: The first variant developed within the 737 MAX series
• 737 MAX 200: A variant with a high-density seating configuration

The return of the 737 MAX is a significant milestone for Boeing and the aviation industry. The plane is a key part of Boeing's product line, and its return to service will help the company recover from the financial losses it incurred during the grounding.

The crashes that led to the grounding of the MAX were a tragedy, but they also led to important safety improvements. The lessons learned from those crashes will help make air travel safer for years to come.

Pinterest