Who's *Really* to Blame for the 737 MAX?

In 2011, American Airlines placed what was at the time the largest aircraft order in aviation history. Comprised of 460 single-aisle aircraft at a whopping $38 billion in list price, this deal was set to completely overhaul American’s domestic fleet. However, while the number of planes was staggering, the type of planes that American ordered was the real shocker. And, the ramifications of the deal ultimately lead Boeing to build the #737MAX. So does that mean American Airlines is to blame for the creation of the troubled plane? Let me explain...

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#Boeing #Airbus #a320 #AmericanAirlines

[leonzeltser]

JetBlue: "Hey Boeing can we have some 737s at a discounted price?"
Boeing: "No, only at our more expensive price. What are you gonna do, buy the A320 instead?"
JetBlue: *buys the A320 instead*
Boeing: *surprised pickachu*

[koen]

Boeing has the responsibility in the end no matter what. They compromised safety over cost which is abnoxious.

[mad_dog_explores]

Boeing is 100% to blame for pushing out a half-baked product. American Airlines is in no way responsible for the MAX debacle. Historically Boeing has a solid reputation, but between the 737 MAX situation and the discovery of Foreign Object Debris (tools, rags, etc.) inside newly delivered KC-46's, you really have to wonder what is going on at Boeing these days. They need to right the ship before Airbus truly buries them. Here's hoping that Boeing resolves their issues and returns to greatness.

[mrrolandlawrence]

6:14 it's not just the design flaws in the 737 max it's the shocking amount of other defects and software issues as well as the power they had over the faa to smoke anything past they wanted too. The 737 poster child of cost cutting, cover up and bad management.

[vijaymurally]

Good morning Coby. At 4:53 in the video you said "Airbus went to Boeing". I think you meant to say American Airlines went to Boeing.

[gianmelendres]

It's all Boeing's fault. Simply put.

[steverose]

I met a Boeing engineer at a conference about three years ago. He explained to me that Boeing was no longer an engineering company.
Is the 737 Max the result of stock buy backs being more important than good engineering?

[bastadimasta]

I remember that they blamed poor Ethiopians their messed up aircraft, and forced people to travel in defected MAX

[francoisunger]

I guess Airbus was wrong on the A380 and Boeing on the 737 that's part of the game but one of the mistake didn't cost any lives...

[dattaxpony]

I have to say: ever since Boeing leadership left the Seattle area (because the new CEO's wife didn't want to leave Chicago) their decisions went to complete shite. The leadership team up through last year made terrible decisions as if they were grabbing the money and running. We'll have to see what the new CEO does especially in this crisis, but moving HQ back to Seattle and back closer to the factory lines would help.

[lorq]

Boing went down the tubes when the "bean counters" took over the company from the engineers.

[willke]

"Concessions were made when it came to safety": slight understatement, perhaps.

[jhmcd]

I recall part of the reason why Boeing didn't want to re-engine the 737 was because they knew it couldn't handle larger engines. That's why they wanted a new plane. It wasn't hubris, but reality. They knew the situation, they had performed a study in the 90's to see if they could put larger engines on the aircraft and found out it couldn't handle it. At the end of the day, they had the 787, the 747-8 and a new tanker all in development. They couldn't have another plane in development at the time, that's why they were pushing back. But the Neo put them in a bad situation. The A320 wasn't as efficient as the 737NG or 757 at the time, then the Neo with geared turbine came out and that was the end of it (also wiglets had been around for decades). That and since it was built higher already versus the 737 which was meant to be a large CRJ during the 60's, the 737 was just at its limits and Boeing knew it. Also, Airbus' charm offensive was boarder line illegal. The planes were and still discounted bellow cost in most cases, and they've been known to pay off executives, something which they got caught for several times. I have yet to hear one aviation video report on the WTO ruling and appeal that not only went in Boeing's favor, but confirmed that Airbus was cheating by a lot.

That being said...MCAS should have been properly tested, OR the plane designed so that it didn't need it. At least shifting the position of the wings. But they would have needed more time, and they didn't have that. I cannot blame Boeing for the market, because Airbus was cheating, but MCAS and those two crashes was their fault. They didn't deliver a good plane, and as a pilot I cannot forgive them for that.

[NovejSpeed]

The smartest thing Airbus ever did was keep their A321 in production even when it was barely selling. When the NEO was introduced and 75s were starting to go away, the A321 got a new lease on life.

[jakubskopec]

At 4:14 "Up to that point AA only ordered American built jets." I believe that AA had a significant fleet of A300-600 purchased from 1988 to 1993.

[MikeWiggins]

For a historical comparison, look up the Lockheed Electra (1950s). It was a great airplane that had the annoying tendency of its wings falling off. After three crashes the engineers at Lockheed figured out and fixed the problem. But it was too late. No one wanted to buy them. I feel that Boeing has etched a similar tombstone for the 737-MAX.
By the way, the military variant of the Electra still exists. It is called the P-3 Orion (although I believe it is being replaced due to age).

Good video, Coby!

[brentflora]

Very interesting Cody, now I understand why Delta went Airbus!

[grahamturner]

Yeah. American Airlines just needed new airplanes. However, Boeing couldn't keep engineering standards after the merger with McDonnell Douglass back in the 1990s. The 787 program was already a huge sign of that problem, as that program had massive delays and went way over budget. Hopefully they don't cause too many problems to the 777x program.

[rafiahaspagi]

Well I think Boeing is here to blame as I heard Boeing said
"You just need a few extra minutes from the standard 737 training"
But no also Boeing did not tell airlines of its new MCAS system

[ronanaballerino]

Thanks for the great content Coby!
Always putting a smile on my face, despite depressing times