Originally Posted by
Discorde
It's probably been asked before but why didn't Boeing re-engine the 757 to compete with the A320 family rather than tweak the 737? Then there would have been no need for MCAS.
If it's a question of minimising training costs for airlines operating 737 fleets, why not arrange dual rating 737/757 for pilots? It worked well for 757/767 pilots even though these types had different handling characteristics.
Yes - I asked that also.
A retired Boeing engineer here (
tdracer) explained (my very rough summary) that the 757 was designed in and for a different economy (the 1980s). A very expensive aircraft to build and buy (although efficient with relatively low operating costs), in an era with no narrow-body competition from Airbus (yet). Once production ended in 2004, all the jigs and other dedicated production equipment were disposed of. So no economically-rational way to revive it when Boeing needed to compete with the A321neo.
With luck, he will be along to correct my "interpretation" of his words, where needed.