MAX’s Return Delayed by FAA Reevaluation of 737 Safety Procedures

[Water pilot]

That is an excellent question, but the problem is not the fuel so much as what grows in it and the water that it attracts. I would assume that the planes are being stored empty, perhaps with the tanks inerted? All filters will have to be changed of course. In the marine world this is a real problem especially if tanks are stored partially full because the sides of the tanks condense water and bugs grow in it. They then fall to the bottom of the tank, and as you get towards empty (or in rough conditions) they get stirred up and clog the filters. I have no idea what the procedure is in the aircraft world to prevent this, I doubt you have fuel polishing onboard or the ability to spin on a new Raycor filter in flight. There are some microbes that destroy aluminum, so if this is not handled properly a bunch of fuel tanks would need to be replaced.'

There are tests for fuel quality and the presence of microbes, and it might not be a bad idea for pilots to demand to see the results before flight.

One thing that I find concerting is that Boeing downplayed the probable length of the grounding for so long that I wonder if all airlines took the proper procedures for long term storage of the planes. I'm sure that most airlines are capable of prepping a plane for long term storage, but in the chaotic conditions of the sudden mass grounding, and the unexpectedly extended length of the grounding give Mr. Murphy a lot of room to play with.

This is one thing that Boeing absolutely has to get right. Any little problems are going to be blown up by the media simply because it is a MAX. Any in-flight problem that causes a return would be catastrophic and if any plane hits the bricks for any reason then it is game over for Boeing, they will become just another subsidiary of China, inc. I think that they probably realize that now, but the trick is going to be to figure out how to release these planes with zero failures. Absolutely zero, if the chief engineer has to inspect each one himself.