Originally Posted by
Nieuport28
IMO, the industry needs to look at this especially with the Max and the upcoming 797. I’m totally opposed to designing any inherent aerodynamic instability into a commercial airframe corrected by software. The statement from Boeing scares the hell out of me. It also scares the hell out of me that we are heading in the direction of ATP’s requiring F-35 levels of training.
MCAS was implemented due to the forward placement of the engines on the Max. Any commercial FBW aircraft should be an aerodynamically stable design. FBW should only be for control surfaces, not to allow the airframe to actually “fly.” This “improved efficiency at all cost” factor may be at a critical point.
Honestly, I think you are wrong.
1. FBW is exactly for that purpose. Not only, but for that too. To steer what is unstable. B2 Spirit nuclear bomber couldn't fly by a mile without FBW. It's great system and failed (probably) only once in all history.
And correction for aerodynamics in software is mandatory. For example, you can't build two exactly the same wings for A380. So without software correction in systems a/c can't fly in straight line by holding yoke/stick one position.
2. None of 737 is FBW equipped, including MAX. series (and that's a source of the problem IMO)