Every commercial pilot I’ve seen or heard talk about the issue says the pilots should have been trained to shut off the MCAS system in that situation, and that the problem was the pilots weren’t trained to recognize what was going on. The idea that computerized systems should work flawlessly and never fail is unrealistic.
Boeing will spin as much as expensive PR people can spin, but building a plane that falls out of sky if hit by a bird is not good enough.
Looks like the pilots did try to follow the procedures set out by Boeing.
Preliminary report says pilots of Ethiopian Airways flight followed Boeing rules
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/04/04/ethiopia-plane-crash-boeing/3361880002/
Computerization is great and all that. But a plane should be able to fly manually without the need for any computers. The fact that they need a computer to trim a potentially hazardous situation is the problem, IMO.
I have computers in my car. It tells me when I am going to hit something, when I am going into another lane, adjust speed to the car in front on the highway, etc. But if all that stuff fails, I can still drive the thing without crashing.
However, if the power assist on the steering and brakes fails, you may need considerable muscle strength to steer and stop the car.
I am sure that @busdriver11 can correct me, but my understanding is that pilot controls on a modern Airbus are suggestions to the computers on how to fly the plane.
I heard a recent report that the last pilots did turn off the system and still couldn’t stabilize the plane. Then they tried turning the system back on, but it still forced the nose down. This was overheard on a public TV playing the news so I don’t know if I missed something. Anyone have the whole story?
If they properly turned it off and still couldn’t control the plane, seems there’s a more major problem.
Just saw this next page… (sorry for missing it). Same thought as Post# 302. Any more recent info on what to make of it?
You probably know more about fly-by-wire than I do, as I do not fly modern Airbus airplanes, I fly the outdated models (that fly like good old fashioned airplanes). But it is my understanding that there are usually manual or hydraulic backups to fly-by-wire systems, thankfully.
Southwest grounds all MAXes until August:
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/southwest-removes-737-max-from-flight-schedule-until-august/
I got an email from Southwest with this info today. It stated that there will be some additional schedule disruptions and folks will be notified.
I haven’t yet heard from them, but I have short hop flights in May and July and I’m going to be very less than thrilled if either gets cancelled.
Yeah, that email is making me concerned again about my longer haul flights in May. With my folks in their mid-80s and one with mobility issues, I really don’t want to be moved to flights that aren’t nonstop. 
I’ve already been notified about a flight change in late May. Got it more than a week ago. So you might be okay. Flew SW yesterday on a long flight. No delays or issues, although every single seat was full.
I have a flight in 3.5 weeks and didn’t receive an email. I wonder why? I guess I’ll go check the flight schedule.
It looks like there could be some domino effect from that; some airlines that don’t have any MAX in service are also forced to reshuffle their schedule (gate availability?). Our summer flight on Alaska has been rescheduled twice. I do not recall that happening in the past. Thankfully, it is a non-stop.
Has anyone been rescheduled by American? We have flights to Costa Rica next month. I have read they will be rescheduling some flights but haven’t read how much notice they are giving people. Our hotel reservations become non-cancelable in a couple of weeks so I am concerned about last minute changes.
News today regarding a recorded exchange between American Airlines pilots and a Boeing employee in between the two Max 8 crashes. Boeing’s actions regarding this whole software rollout/update were obviously misguided, and some of the things this employee said are reprehensible.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/15/us/boeing-737-max-audio-meeting-with-pilots/index.html
SW has been our go-to airline out of our regional airport for many years due to both itinerary and price. Not this summer - for the first time in many years we booked on other airlines for family travel through the early fall. The reduction of itineraries due to the grounding of the Max 8s was notable.
@mamaedefamilia D17 uses both SW and Alaska to get back and forth to school. SW usually at beginning and end of year so she gets the two free bags when moving in and out. Like you, I couldn’t rely on SW for an upcoming flight.
S19 is graduating next week on Thurs morning from h.s. D17 has finals that week, actually moved her last one (scheduled for that Thurs of course) to a different section so she could fly home Wed after her last final. I went to book SW, which has a 4pm direct flight getting home at midnight, but then got worried due to all this news of cancellations, etc. that her flight might change and she’d either miss graduation or get put on an earlier flight that conflicted with her final. Begrudgingly I booked her on the only Alaska flight that works-a red eye that gets her home at 6:30am, just a few hours before S19’s graduation. And of course now I have to pay for her bags on top of that. ?
I’m hoping when she returns to school next January (she’s doing a fall study abroad), this mess will be somewhat sorted out. I love and prefer Alaska, but they only have one daily direct flight and the other flights have connections that don’t really make it a worthwhile alternative. SW has been a good backup plan but not now.
I flew Southwest yesterday…and also round trip in April. I have a flight booked in July also.
The itineraries most definitely were less options, but no issues booking or changed or canceled flights…yet.
My preferred departure times from our smaller airport no longer are on their itineraries…but oh well.
Mine are shorter flights…and none likely would have used the supermax anyway.