Boeing 737 max documentary research query
Good morning all,
I'm writing from a production company in the UK, Arrow Media, where we are working on a documentary investigating the Boeing 737 MAX, for broadcast in the UK and the USA.
As part of our research I am investigating the chain of events both on and off the ground that culminated in the two disasters, the plane’s eventual grounding and the impacts moving forward. We are particularly interested in pilot’s perspectives of the story and the engineering and aeronautics.
Our film is an hour long specialist-factual commission so we are keen, and have the time, to properly dig into and clarify some of the technical aspects of the story. That will be our main focus - demystifying the aeronautics and aircraft engineering design for a lay-audience.
However, this is not simply an engineering story and we are keen to tell it properly by exploring all of the issues. There has been a huge amount of reporting on this, which we hope to distill into a clear picture of how several disparate circumstances can culminate in an event that no one wanted to happen; happening twice.
As this is a still developing story, I am seeking any insights or news that has not yet come to light or which those working in the field feel are salient but so far overlooked.
I am particularly interested in speaking to those with authoritative knowledge about:
1. The reports posted on ASRS regarding the 737MAX before the Lion Air incident, or other concerns that were lodged elsewhere.
2. Any one who has flown the 737MAX simulator.
3. The 'rollercoaster' (stick forward to trim) maneuver being removed from recent iterations of the manuals.
Any anyone with specific knowledge who might be happy to be talk on the record (anonymously if required) regarding:
1. The FAA delegation issue regarding the certification process of the MAX.
2. Safety analysis procedure of the MAX.
3. The design iterations of MCAS that led to its increased authority.
4. Flight testing of the MAX.
5. The work being done now to get the MAX back into operation.
6. Negotiations with airlines after the grounding of the MAX.
I am also interested in understanding broadly pilots' perspectives, and I recognize there are a range of opinions, on:
1. Whether the situation described in the Boeing Bulletin was putting pilot's into an unreasonably challenging scenario.
2. Whether Pilots feel their employer's are taking risks with their safety (not choosing to purchase optional safety extras etc) or if its usually a fair compromise. Are pilots included in these decisions?
3. Do you feel adequately trained? Is this a new issue or a developing one?
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with me on this matter. We recognize that this a hugely sensitive topic, which is why we are keen to speak directly to experts involved in order to confirm our story. Please do feel free to contact me privately.
Kind regards,
Clementine Cheetham
Arrow Media