How do you solve a problem like the Boeing 737 MAX? The answer may be simpler than you think. At least, according to US President Donald Trump, who thinks it could be as easy as renaming the aircraft.
President Trump was the one who originally issued an order which globally grounded the Boeing 737 MAX after the second deadly crash of the type in March. This followed a number of aviation authorities and airlines grounding the aircraft themselves in the days leading up to the ban. The aircraft has now been grounded for over a month.
Why was the aircraft grounded?
The Boeing 737 MAX was originally grounded following two fatal accidents with striking similarities. The decision was taken to ground the aircraft as a design flaw with the aircraft was feared. This isn't the first time the Boeing 737 has suffered a design flaw. The first incident saw Lion Air flight 610 plummet into the sea shortly after take off. In this first incident, 189 lives were lost.
The second incident saw another aircraft crash under similar circumstances. Ethiopian ET302 crashed into the ground shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa airport in Ethiopia. This accident saw 157 lives lost. In total, the aircraft's accidents have claimed 346 lives.
The solution?
There is a way to make the Boeing 737 MAX great again, and Donald Trump knows how. The solution requires the aircraft to be 'fixed' and rebranded. However, this would have to be accompanied by a wealth of new features.
What do I know about branding, maybe nothing (but I did become President!), but if I were Boeing, I would FIX the Boeing 737 MAX, add some additional great features, & REBRAND the plane with a new name.No product has suffered like this one. But again, what the hell do I know?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
President Trump also qualifies himself to be involved in making the Boeing 737 MAX great by stating that becoming President means that he knows all about branding.
Boeing's solution
Boeing is currently working on a software update for the 737 MAX. The new software is designed to address the issue with the MCAS system which has contributed to the two accidents to date. Around 100 test flights of the new software have taken place so far. Following the software update, Boeing will need to approach the FAA to have the flight ban lifted.
This will not be enough for overseas operators and authorities, however, as some including EASA wish to test the aircraft themselves before granting it permission to fly. It is currently hard to give an exact estimate of when the aircraft will begin flying again.
Do you think Trump can make the Boeing 737 MAX great again? Let us know in the comments down below!