@HImom , do you read it on your PC or iPad? On my iPad it says I have to subscribe and won’t let me past that page.
For what it is worth, I can read it both on my PC and iPhone.
I was easily able to read this on my iPad. No paywall or anything. Maybe you have already read too many free articles this month from the Seattle Times…and that’s why you couldn’t open it.
Very interesting article…does not give me confidence!
I read it on my iPhone—didn’t pay. Used private browser and had no problem reading. Agree that the article doesn’t inspire much confidence in FAA or Boeing, sadly, and seems to make flying a plane harder than necessary.
Maybe an engineering team proposed using both sensors but the implementation would delay the schedule or cause issues for certification and they were told, a la the Challenger, to ‘take off your engineering hat and put on your management hat’
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/boeing-details-its-fix-for-the-737-max-but-defends-the-original-design/
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/27/boeing-unveils-737-max-fixes-says-planes-are-safer.html
Planned changes:
- MCAS to use both angle-of-attack sensors instead of one.
- MCAS will push the nose down once instead of repeatedly if sensor is stuck at a high value.
- MCAS power reduced to allow pilot override more easily.
- If angle-of-attack sensors disagree by more than 5.5 degrees, MCAS is disabled.
- Angle-of-attack-disagree warning display to be standard equipment and free upgrade to existing planes without it.
- More pilot training regarding MCAS.
@busdriver11 , how do you feel about the above fixes? Are pilots still wary of this aircraft? I know I am. Ethiopian Air has not even released the black box findings, have they? Plus, do we still know why the pilot had to make an emergency landing a few days ago?
If you mean the emergency landing by a Southwest plane on a ferry flight to a storage/maintenance area, that was due to an engine problem, rather than anything that looked MCAS related.
Yes, but still the same plane. Doesn’t bode well for confidence.
Flights land due to engine problems all the time. Literally weekly. That does not concern me.
Yes, this is the common view. However, the plane and the jet engine are built by completely different companies, and for some planes the buyer can specify the specific engine manufacturer they want to use.
Anytime an airplane engine has a problem at 30,000 feet is concern to me. 
Well, sure. But if you sat out every airplane model that had an engine issue and had to land in the last year, you’d probably have to stay home.
I’ve never been on an airplane path that’s crashed - meaning the air route, not the specific plane as I’d have no way of 100% knowing that one. No route I’ve taken has ever crashed (ABC to XYZ) even on days/times I wasn’t on the plane - and this over 51 years of flying (since my parents took me as a baby).
I’ll be hopping in my car tomorrow/Saturday and traveling roads that multiple people have died on over those same years. With Saturday’s route there’s even a chance someone will die tomorrow on it as it’s not all that rare of an occurrence.
There’s a possibility that I could become a statistic in the future with any choice I make, but there’s a reason I enjoy flying beyond the ability to get places quickly and see some fantastic views along the way. (We like road trips too. It all depends upon where we’re going as to which we choose.)
YMMV
^Excellent post, @Creekland. Puts risks into perspective.
So, Southwest will not be flying 737 Max at least through May. Of course, we booked family flights for graduation on Southwest. 
I know with many other airlines, you can view the aircraft for the flight on their websites. I don’t see that Southwest offers this functionality. The flights we are booked on are longer haul flights for SW so I have a feeling our flights might be impacted. I’ll be traveling with my parents one of which has a disability so the thought of being put on other flights with connections and making the trip longer, more walking, more hanging out in airports is not what I want. It would make it a lot harder on my parents who are in their 80s. We booked non-stops intentionally for a reason.
Does anyone know how to determine equipment for SW flights? I’ll place a call to SW but my guess is I’ll be on hold for awhile and the 800 number assistance might not be in the know themselves. Has anyone dealt with this in conjunction with the 737 Max issue?
I have read they are allowing customers to change flights but honestly I want to cancel and refund and book another nonstop flight with another carrier.
@doschicos , they show it. Go to where the flights are to choose from. On the left, in blue, they have the flight numbers. Click in that, scan down to aircraft information.
Flight numbers are little font and above the times.
I have upcoming SW flights for me & one kiddo (mid April, 2 in May, and August). I’ve heard they are contacting customers 5 days out with updated flight info, but haven’t heard anything else. I don’t have the same restrictions you do, so haven’t called them… will be curious what you find out.
You should be able to get a credit if you cancel.
Yes, the Wanna Get Away fare is non-refundable, but you get a credit.
We have a trip in May. Darn, I don’t know what to do. I would be so upset with a cancellation.
The flight we were booked on last week was a Max 8 and they just changed the plane to an 800. it was seamless to us. I went into the reservations as if I was going to make a new one and selected the flight I was on. Clicking the flight number showed that they had changed the plane.