Don't fly on a 737-MAX

Haych · March 12

I worked very briefly in aviation and what amazes me is that there is no lifespan on aircraft parts.

At the end of its service life an aircraft can be dismantled and the parts resold to other operators.

There is usually an inspection and certification process, and traceability is a priority. But it’s kind of scary that an almost brand new aircraft could have parts from a 40+ year old plane used when it needs repair!

Danny1969 · March 12

Haych said:

I worked very briefly in aviation and what amazes me is that there is no lifespan on aircraft parts.

At the end of its service life an aircraft can be dismantled and the parts resold to other operators.

There is usually an inspection and certification process, and traceability is a priority. But it’s kind of scary that an almost brand new aircraft could have parts from a 40+ year old plane used when it needs repair!

I've driven past a massive plane scrap yard in the desert in California. I've never seen anything like it, just hundreds of planes standing there in the desert baking in the sun. As an aviation toilet can fetch 40K though I'm not surprised.

Jalapeno · March 12

Haych said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Sad news https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68534703

Wowsers! I've read too many David Baldacci and John Grisham novels and my mind is doing somersaults!

Quite. A very convenient suicide (for Boeing & FAA)

yocky · March 12

Axe_meister said:

I did Aero Eng at uni, and it still fills me with wonder how they fly.

That's comforting....

snowblind · March 12

I always remember flying to the US on Virgin just after they got started as a business. Branson bought a couple of second hand 747s which were already something like 20 years old. We're sat on the deck at Heathrow and the pilot comes on to say there will be a short delay while we drill a broken component out of the cockpit. Shortly after some mechanic type in overalls comes strolling down the centre aisle with drill in hand.

All so reassuring.

elstoof · March 12

proper planes in those days, you could fix the whole thing with an imperial socket set and some elbow grease

Brio · March 12

Was that the inaugural press junket to Miami? That was a total clusterfuck jazz band and all.

snowblind · March 12

Brio said:

Was that the inaugural press junket to Miami? That was a total clusterfuck jazz band and all.

Luckily no. Into New York. We were only a couple of hours late in the end and nothing else fell off on the way over (that we knew about).

Danny1969 · March 12

snowblind said:

I always remember flying to the US on Virgin just after they got started as a business. Branson bought a couple of second hand 747s which were already something like 20 years old. We're sat on the deck at Heathrow and the pilot comes on to say there will be a short delay while we drill a broken component out of the cockpit. Shortly after some mechanic type in overalls comes strolling down the centre aisle with drill in hand.

All so reassuring.

I flew on one of BA's oldest 747's in 2019 ... the plane had ashtrays. Smoking was banned in the late nineties so nobody had used them for 20 odd years. The plane itself was 30 years old at least I think.

For long haul over the ocean I always felt safer on a 4 engined 747. Fantastic safety record

ICBM · March 12

Danny1969 said:

For long haul over the ocean I always felt safer on a 4 engined 747. Fantastic safety record

The modern ETOPS certified twins are astoundingly reliable - as far as I know, no modern airliner has ever had a dual engine failure that wasn't caused by some other fault or error (mostly fuel-related), rather than the engines.

RocknRollDave · March 12

I don’t understand how aeroplanes ever crash, seeing as they are flown along wires these days.

or something.

I guess sometimes the wire breaks and they fall down?

goldtop · May 2

Another Boeing 737 whistle blower dies.

https://www.newsweek.com/boeing-whistleblower-joshua-dean-dies-sudden-illness-1896401

Emp_Fab · May 2

Well, I must confess to being very slightly more alert on the 737-8 Max I was on coming out to Cyprus but I'm still alive! Whether the Max I'm taking back tonight will get us home in one piece remains to be seen....

Danny1969 · May 2

Apparently on Kayak you can filter out 737 Max planes when you choose a flight. Personally I wouldn't get on one now but might do in 5 years or so when the safety records a bit better.

Haych · May 2

The missus wants to holiday in the Med later this year. I've told her I'm up for it but not to book flights on a Max. I think we're going Easyjet and I don't think they operate Max aircraft yet, thankfully.

Danny1969 · May 2

Haych said:

The missus wants to holiday in the Med later this year. I've told her I'm up for it but not to book flights on a Max. I think we're going Easyjet and I don't think they operate Max aircraft yet, thankfully.

Easy Jet fleet are virtually all Airbus A320 planes I think.

I'm in the Med in Sep, cruising there but flying back.

Emp_Fab · May 2

Well this is a snapshot of the 737-8 Max's in the air at this moment in Europe and the US. Bear in mind this is just the 737-8's and doesn't include the -7, -9 or -10 variants...

So.... this is going on 24h a day, 7 days a week and has been since they were 'un-grounded' in 2021. Since then, the only incident has been the door plug one. There's more chance of me getting invited to a supermodel orgy than of dying in a plane crash.

*Note to God: If I land safely tomorrow morning, I'm free for the orgy most weekends.

Emp_Fab · May 3

Oh well.... no orgy for me.

Sporky · May 3

Boeing is a customer of ours. They're supplying some kit for an install, and our contact said "we'll drop them off at your warehouse". Then paused, and added "I don't mean they'll drop off one of the planes, if that's what you're thinking."

From a quick look around the meeting, that was indeed what everyone was thinking.

fretmeister · May 3

Axe_meister said:

I did Aero Eng at uni, and it still fills me with wonder how they fly.

My daughter is studying that.

I bought her this:

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Don't fly on a 737-MAX

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