Originally Posted by
Water pilot
Yesterday afternoon I was stuck in traffic near Everett so I pulled off to the marina to wait it out. At exactly 4:30 PM, Isaw what I think was a 737 MAX not in livery (green primer or whatever) flying at a much more vertical attitude than I have seen any plane accomplish anywhere other than an airshow. It kept that attitude long enough for me to pull out my phone and get some video, although since it ended up flying over the top of my head the video does not do a good job of representing the angle of the plane relative to the ground.
So the good news to me is that at least Boeing is doing some real world testing. Tragically far too late, but real world and not some jumped up playstation. If there is interest and I can figure out how I will post the video but there is nothing really spectacular in it, perhaps an expert could spot something interesting. Basically the plane was flying level, pulled up in to a very steep (absurdly steep) flight angle, held for awhile, and leveled out. I got some of the steep angle and the overhead flight.
I would almost guess that they had pulled it into a stall (intentionally) but I am in no way qualified to judge that. Shortly after an unmarked white helicopter with video equipment flew past, may have been news for the traffic jam (although that is not news in Everett!) or perhaps Boeing recording the flight.
I was waiting to see if this interesting post generated any response but I don't think it has.
I just wonder if Boeing or someone else is asking the question, 'What actually does happen to this thing during take-off if the aerodynamic changes introduced by the new engines are allowed to run their course without any input from MCAS or anything else?'
But of course you'd think that question would have been asked, and answered, and the answer documented truthfully in the original flight test programme. Wouldn't you?