Everybody's favourite Aviation Expert Geoffrey Thomas is in Seattle for the Boeing 777X first test flight. We all know he is a Boeing fan and apologist but a friend who follows him on Facebook sent me these comments he made there about the 737 MAX.
The overriding problem with the MAX is badly trained and incompetent crew. Far more to come out on this aspect soon. In fact there ae a number who hold that view and when you delve into the pilot reports they make for slickening reading. The co-pilot of the Lion Air crash "didn't understand the concept of the stall" according to his instructor. He was the one that lost control of the plane. Some very highly respected voices in the industry are blaming the pilots. BUT they get no "air" because the mass media decided long ago that Boeing was guilty. Things like it rushed the design...nonsense, it was the longest development of any Boeing derivative. I have just been with one of Southwest's check and training captains and he said they love the plane. It will take a while for all to come out but this is I assure you a major watershed for the industry in that it will have to rethink who is flying their planes. All assumptions are out. The mistake Boeing -and Airbus - have made is assuming an experienced well trained crew would fly a well maintained aircraft.
So basically a Boeing apologist, "the 737 MAX is a wonderful plane and it was all the airlines fault".