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Old 11th Mar 2019, 09:04
  #301 (permalink)  
EIFFS
 
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Given the data so far presented and whilst acknowledging the similarities to the Lion Air accident, it seems that the aircraft was fairly low to have reached a clean configuration given the high airfield elevation.

If it wasn’t clean then the MCAS wouldn’t be active?

Another consideration is loading error, the CoG is much further forward on the MAX when compared to the NG and it’s easy for the loaders to overlook this if they’re not used to handling both types, often the case when a new variant enters a fleet.

I fly both variants, on the NG we normally split the load 2/3rds in bay 3 and 1/3rd in bay 2 ( so for 2100kg of hold luggage/ cargo 1400kg in the aft and 700kg fwd hold) on the MAX that would push the CoG to far forward, in the MAX all of that would go in the rear.

I have had loaders load a MAX as though it was an NG and when I did the W&B on the EFB computer said NO, moved some passengers from zone B to C and computer said yes.

if the early FDR confirms same issue as Lion Air a grounding is likely until a fix installed.

either way I can’t see that Boeing would go with a follow on version of the MAX, a new clean sheet design rather than tweaking a 50 year old design and coming up with auto intervention systems to sort the problems by stretching the design life.

having said all that the MAX is a lovely aircraft to fly and still find the cruise fuel burns unbelievably low, my longest sector length so far is over 8 hours
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