Originally Posted by
tdracer
On the 747-8, a big part of the grandfathered cert basis was that the wing structural design wasn't changing (although beefed up for the higher weights) - just the aerodynamic profiling of the wing - since a truly new wing would have meant repeating all the structural testing at considerable time and expense. I know something similar was done on the 737NG - wing changed aerodynamically but not structurally. I don't know how much of that carried over to the MAX but without the original structural basis all that would need to be re-done.
They have 400 planes currently expecting scraping or upgrades in some ways. Why not take one or two for destructive structural tests? Or does Boeing fears the result?