Boeing 737 Max Problems Loom Again
On July 18, Southwest Airlines announced they’ll cancel thousands of Boeing 737 Max flights until November.
That means Southwest will drop nearly 200 out of 4,000 flights a day from its flight schedule.
Issues With the Flight Computer
In a June press release, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced its discovery of more flaws with the Boeing 737. This time, the flight computer isn’t working properly.
In March, Boeing’s 737 Max experienced a worldwide grounding after two planes crashed within five months. In total, 346 people died.
After investigation, Boeing learned that both plane crashes were a result of a malfunction with the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). The issue is with the anti-stall software.
Originally, Boeing purposefully built the 737 Max with a larger engine to increase fuel efficiency. They’ve since learned that the larger engine would have been less susceptible had it been mounted higher, like previous 737s.
Airline cancellations may extend even further than November. Southwest’s decision comes after both United and American Airlines made similar cancellations.
