![]() 09/05/2019 at 06:42 • Filed to: boeing, bbc.com, 737 Max | ![]() | ![]() |
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![]() 09/05/2019 at 06:45 |
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On one hand, it’s pretty clear that there was too much trust before. On the other hand, it’s also pretty clear that Europe is not exactly unbiased here...
Bonus peeks at 737 MAXes piling up at Boeing field in Seattle:
![]() 09/05/2019 at 06:45 |
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true
![]() 09/05/2019 at 07:39 |
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Why would European authorities be biased?
![]() 09/05/2019 at 07:47 |
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![]() 09/05/2019 at 07:49 |
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Because European politicians want Airbus to do well, and even if there’s no outright corruption (I have no reason to believe there is from aviation regulators on either side of the pond), that’s going to create a subtle nudge.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 08:01 |
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Firstly, I think european governments are more hurt by the reduced tourism and productivity than they would be benefited by the very slight chance of increased A320 sales. People know that the Max is not a fundamentally unsafe airplane
Secondly, Airbus has a US factory, and being fair to B oeing is important to avoid hurdles with the very sentimental US government later on.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 09:01 |
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it’s also pretty clear that Europe is not exactly unbiased here
^ This^
![]() 09/05/2019 at 09:03 |
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People know that the Max is not a fundamentally unsafe airplane
No, they don’t. Informed people know that. But there are also lots of people who couldn’t tell a 737MAX from a Cessna 172 who are saying they’ll never fly on one.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 09:29 |
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You’re right, what I wanted to say is that airline CEOs know that the Max is not fundamentally unsafe.
I wanted to reinforce that it’s unlikely european airlines will switch to airbus just because of the Max debacle
![]() 09/05/2019 at 09:44 |
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They won’t switch, but they won’t be in any rush either.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 09:57 |
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But the notion that their delays stem from malice is a bit too conspiracy-theory-ish.... I mean, they already caught more issues with the jet
![]() 09/05/2019 at 10:05 |
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I would wager that some of this stems from Europe not wanting to feel like they are being forced to follow the FAA. They want to do things their own way. I have no problem with that. I do think that once the FAA clears the MAX, Europe will follow soon after. However, as much as it may feel like a conspiracy theory, the governments of Europe, which subsidize Airbus, would indeed have a vested interest in seeing Boeing struggle. They may not actively be trying to make that struggle worse, but they may also not be in a position to do them any favors. Even if there aren’t any actual roadblocks being put in front of the MAX, the mere fact that Europe subsidizes the company creates the possibility for impropriety. America is not immune to this. The fact that the FAA is charged with both promoting and policing the aviation industry is the direct cause of the MAX debacle in the first place. All of the extensive and rigorous testing that they are doing to the jet now should have been done before it ever carried a single passenger. The FAA has become too beholden to industry. Let’s hope this changes.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 10:58 |
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But I don’t think it’s that binary, Boeing has a lot of European suppliers, and a few European airlines depend on the 737 in order to function. I’d blame it more on the EASA wanting to separate themselves from the FAA a bit more, as you say.
I don’t think the FAA has been unfair to Airbus in the past, and the US government also has a vested interest in advancing Boeing. So, being unfair to Boeing on the other side of the ocean seems kind of unwarranted...
![]() 09/05/2019 at 11:20 |
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I know a lot more than most about airplanes and I still can’t tell most commercial airliners from each other.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 11:40 |
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Form indeed follows function, and they all do have striking similarities these days.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 14:04 |
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Military planes: I can name almost any on sight.
Airliners: there’s MD80s, 737s (everything medium sized), 777’s (everything widebody), 747s, and A380s.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 15:42 |
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Even after all this time, I still get stumped by Russian aircraft.
![]() 09/05/2019 at 16:06 |
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