General Aviation Thread

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The 737-800 was part of the NG version so this is predating the MAX. An engine fire issue should be on either the airline or the Engine maker. The Engine on the NG is the CFM 56 series made by CFM the Franco American joint. That series is also used on any number of Airbus planes and the Boeing P8, E7 and other military versions of the 737 NG line.
The CFM56-7 is a reliable engine. Theoretically it is still possible that something from the intake or fuselage got ingested in the engine, but like you said it can be also be a problem caused by CFMI or the airline.


That again would be on South West airlines as they do the maintenance.
It can indeed be the case that someone forgot to close the engine cowlings properly during inspection.
But still it is not impossible that the Boeing lost it's engine cowling because cracks caused by a manufacturing problem.
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
"Boeing whistleblower allegations are confronting the company with claims that its 787 Dreamliner aircraft possess structural defects potentially leading to disintegration after thousands of flights."

This sounds really bad. Also for Boeing.



And because of extreme weather in Dubai, they all now have wet feet.
Dubai airport diverts arrival flights amid heavy rain and floods - YouTube

Intense Flooding Hits UAE, Dubai International Airport Diverts Flights | 10 News First - YouTube
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour tells the senate about Boeings manufacturing shortcuts and safety violations.

It's indeed unbelievable that one of the worldleaders of aviation totally doesn't care about quality and safety and only prioritize financial profits.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
"Boeing whistleblower allegations are confronting the company with claims that its 787 Dreamliner aircraft possess structural defects potentially leading to disintegration after thousands of flights."

This sounds really bad. Also for Boeing.
My wife & I flew home from Japan in a 787 two weeks ago . . . eeek!

Flew out in an A350, though.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
The problem is that even with the Issues Boeing has or rather because of the issues it’s hard to imagine that the Boeing board has people able to take the positions.
....
——————
Boeing is suffering a chain of issues that can be traced back to its plans to refresh its lineup from the late 1990s. The Sonic cruiser of 01 that died a stake in the heart and head taken off of 9/11 and the Airlines being more interested in economics than speed.
That lead to project Yellowstone. Of that the 787 though ultimately successful was a drag on the Boeing R&D. Its 3 years delay caused Boeing to move to the idea of launching 8/MAX (what airbus would call a NEO) series aircraft variants as they weren’t able to get to clean sheets.
Made worse as fabrication issues later created more problems. Boeing had been betting on technological solutions that were not ready for the 787 and are still on shaky ground.
All the while Airbus launched its counter NEOs so both airline makers more or less kept the same lineups with a single new type in the mix.

The counter factual Road not taken…

Had Boeing not sold off Spirit aero systems in 05 they might have had less issues on logistics and fabrication with more oversight into 787/Max.
Had Boeing not launched a complaint about the C series They not Airbus, might have a New 737 replacement already to slap a couple sevens on in line up. (They still might have had they not walked away.) Planes that could have taken the lower end of the MAX allowing more time to sort the MCAS.

Boeing’s issues with military contracts and the VC25B would still have happened. Boeing should have realized that starting with a set of used 747-8I and a contract that requires full certification by the FAA as a new aircraft would have lead to delays. As the whole aircraft would have to be taken apart and rewired plus redocumented as a new type, made worse by Covid and issues with the 787/777X/KC46.

KC46’s first issue was the USAF having asked for the wrong specifications on the boom requiring a redesign. Then compounded by poor management of assembly, poor design of the vision system and more. Plus the limited number of security cleared workers and the number of security required projects. Another set of issues errors made by Spirit (I seem to be harping on them when it seems like it’s really the way the two companies work together that’s the issue).
Basically issue after issue compounds and after a while the 737 Max line fell apart. Now those have to be rebuilt as bad habits and practices need to be removed.
One aspect that has hit the whole industry hard is that the new blood coming in isn’t as much or as skilled as the old blood that chose to walk away in the dark days of Covid.
...
Boeing's airliner problems are almost entirely self-inflicted: wasting money & design effort on Sonic Cruiser (an obviously flawed concept to my mind), picking a self-damaging fight with Bombardier over C-series, selling off Spirit then failing to oversee QC, etc.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
Boeing's airliner problems are almost entirely self-inflicted: wasting money & design effort on Sonic Cruiser (an obviously flawed concept to my mind), picking a self-damaging fight with Bombardier over C-series, selling off Spirit then failing to oversee QC, etc.
I think the other problem was the difficult 787 program, tons of money on development followed by expensive delays which soaked up available money for a clean sheet modern single aisle resulting in a revamp of the ancient 737. We know how that worked out. Might have been partially ok if they had left the engineers alone and away from the bean counters.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
Might have been partially ok if they had left the engineers alone and away from the bean counters.
That's the problem when the merger between MD and Boeing resulted with a company that should be dominate by Acquirer value not the other way around, which the Acquiree value then dominate the HQ. The result the new merger company follow MD manufacturing tradition that result patch up QC process in DC-10, instead more prepared QC on 747 ones.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
That's the problem when the merger between MD and Boeing resulted with a company that should be dominate by Acquirer value not the other way around, which the Acquiree value then dominate the HQ. The result the new merger company follow MD manufacturing tradition that result patch up QC process in DC-10, instead more prepared QC on 747 ones.
No doubt about it, MD was a serious infection that possibly could prove fatal to Boeing's commercial business albeit the defence division has problems as well. The US government will not allow the latter to fail, the defence MIC needs more players, not fewer.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Interesting 40 seconds of an expensive mistake.
A380 Pilot Destroys Nose Gear (youtube.com)

Same incident but from another angle.
A380 Landing Goes Wrong (youtube.com)

Recently filmed at London Heathrow.




And Air France - KLM suffers huge losses the first quarter of this year, E 480 million.
Many factors are the cause for it, like bad weather, international conflicts, lack of technicians and difficulties with the delivery of aircraft spareparts.
Air France-KLM boekt grootste verlies sinds coronacrisis: 480 miljoen (nos.nl)
Air France-KLM lijdt kwartaalverlies van bijna half miljard euro | Luchtvaartnieuws
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Boeing whistleblower Joshua Dean, who accused supplier of ignoring safety flaws in 737 Max production dies suddenly almost two months after airline's former quality control manager John Barnett took his own life.

What a coincidence. And such a convenience for Boeing, the first whistleblowers suddenly commits suicide without reason, and two months later another suddenly dies because of multiple deseases and infections at the same moment.



 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
One 737 Max crash, Boeing smeer Lion Air maintenance and training practices. When the second 737 Max crash in Ethiopia, Boeing PR also try to blame Ethiopian as part of our planes are good, but it is another airlines fault.

Now one whistle blower take suicide follow the second ones sudden death, as if Boeing other problems are have not been solved yet. If this happens in Russia or China, you can imagine much more medias already full speculation on force death conspiracy (not just daily mail).
 

Terran

Well-Known Member
I don’t think Boeing would consider this a convenience. First because right now every conspiracy theorist and half the media are going to go up their nose looking for proof that Boeing offed these guys.

Consider for a moment what it’s like being a whistleblower. Do you know how much stress they are under? The morality of the choice isn’t straightforward and almost no one is going to be buddy buddy here. They are burning bridges.
Now in the first case the guy even went so far as to claim that Boeing was going to Suicide him. That’s not the action of someone who isn’t under a tremendous amount of stress. It’s also interesting phrasing. It’s on the face of it a worry but at the same time it’s also potentially a sign of an individual who is having suicidal ideation.
I am not saying it’s not possible for him to have been killed in an orchestrated assassination but it’s highly unlikely.

On the second case. First he blew the Whistle on Spirit and then went to work for Boeing. He was a 45 year old male and working for a company that is under a ton of pressure having left a company where he burned a lot of bridges No doubt under pressure himself. He check marks multiple flags for a potential sudden coronary.
Just look at the photos they posted of the guy in the Daily mail article. The difference between age 44 and age 45. It looks more like the difference between 34 and 65.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
Seems the talk in media or those online's chats from what I gather, not about force suicide or assassination. However more to orchestrated pressure to whistle blower, in scaring others to come out.

Current practice at least in Financial Industry for Good Corporate Governance (GCG), in fact encourage whistle blowers atmosphere. This by many regulators in many countries, seeing as part of company GCG practices to build grass roots practices of check and recheck. When whistle blowers talk to media or external parties, it is also shown the top management failures to provide proper venue of internal employees control participation. Can also be seen increase practices to push down and silence any check and recheck participation from their grass roots lines.

Either way, I don't envy whoever want to be new Boeing CEO. He or She will have dounting tasks to not only rebuild reputation, but also rebuild cultures of Boeing.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group

Is Embrear trying to take opportunity with Boeing problem ? Off course they do. How difficult it is for Embrear enlarging their E Series design to enter 737, A320 and if include in that C919 and MC-21 class ? I'm not aero engineer, but I'm betting it will be very big endeavor.

Still it will be some kind of 'poetic' justice if Embrear able to pull this. Considering the one side treatment that Boeing giving them during last business deal hock up.

Talking with some Aero Financing specialists on South East and East Asia region, saying that increasingly 737 users looking for alternative. Problem with A320 long back log order like, even make some South East Asia airlines talking with COMAC. Something that unheard off just few years back. However considering Embrear increasing reputation of E Series, some enlarge version of E Series can be seriously consider for Single Aisle medium size and medium range market.

Despite double aisle sometimes take more attention in media or public attention, Airlines Industry actually still majority run by single aisle 737 and A320 families. Increase competition on that market, can increase chances to end the Duopoly. This basically will cost more to Boeing then Airbus, if that even happening.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
Biggest difference between E-jets & A320, B737, C919 & MC-21 is fuselage/cabin width. The E-jets are in a different category, obviously narrower. They can't really be scaled up to match the capacity of the others without a wider fuselage, which would imply new wings. Completely new airframe, in other words. So yes, a big endeavour.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Santiago Paredes who worked for Spirit AeroSystems in Kansas, told the BBC he often found up to 200 defects on parts being readied for shipping to Boeing.
He was nicknamed "showstopper" for slowing down production when he tried to tackle his concerns, he claimed.

Spirit said it "strongly disagree[d]" with the allegations. (But that is not really surprising)

But the emergency exit door plug which came off a brand new 737 Max shortly after take-off in January, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane was built by Spirit Aerosystems. According to investigators, the door had originally been fitted by Spirit, but had subsequently been removed by Boeing technicians to rectify faulty riveting.

Well, hopefully this whistleblower will not suddenly commit suicide or get strange diseases.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group


I honestly don't know how to think about this. Too much ambition ? considering C929 still in (if Chinese media rumours right) finalization of design ? Is Chinese Civilian Aero Industry ecosystems already able to support, or still need strong Western suppliers (which will going to be liability due to Geopolitical situation).

Still COMAC with this aim to be real contender agains the Duopoly. C919 vs 737 - A320, C929 vs 787 - A330 and C939 vs 777 - A350. Will US and EU Aero Industries willing to support China as contender against Boeing and Airbus? Business wise, they should be, as suppliers should welcome another player. Especially in Wide Bodies. However that's ideal Business world, which shown realities that Geopolitics in the end shown different direction.


Replacing western suppliers will not be easy, Russian Kommersant predict some weight tolls has to be taken by fully Russification MC-21. However at least they have to do that not only due to Geopolitics situation, but also if they're really want to build their own Aero Industry ecosystem chains.

Perhaps China and Russia should combine their chains. UAC told media when they are pulling out from CR929 program (thus make the program become only C929), they're hoping to continue in program as part of suppliers chain. Shown China and Russia do in talk for having engagement in Aero Industry supply chains.

Question will be in both of their ego. That's despite the reality of Geopolitics that should bring both of them closer, seems not as easy as it should be.
 

Terran

Well-Known Member
Comac has ambitions that’s clear and as long as the CCP is happy to throw money and resources at them they have a chance however it’s still a slim chance.
Boeing is having trouble but they and Airbus are the duopoly for a reason. By the time the C939 rolls out… hopefully by the time C929 enters production Boeing will have sorted its self and they will survive.
Airbus and Boeing have well established not just production capacity but maintenance and support. That’s a killer App Comac has yet to launch. Anywhere in the world save for Russia, North Korea and Iran or the world’s worst infrastructure and economies of the third world. A Boeing or an Airbus airliner can be serviced and repaired in all but the most extreme cases. Even Embraer or Bombardier the same deal. Comac can only be fixed in the Peoples Republic of China. They don’t have that external infrastructure and that’s going to hobble them for a long while.
This said the Comac C919 are loaded with western systems which gives them a potential advantage in getting global market share. Those can be fixed or replaced inside or outside China. However their performance is generally below the efficiency level of western counterparts. This being as the Chinese choice of engines the CFM Leap 1C was less than ideal.
It is known that the Chinese have their own engine and indigenous development projects underway. CCP leaders have at various points made it clear they want independent development of high skill products from the west and many have voiced the belief that eventually political issues will lead Comac to a sanctions list likely a U.S. one. (In fact as I wrote this a notification popped up on my screen of President Biden launching Tariffs against Chinese imports.) CFM is a joint venture between an American company GE and a French Safran Aircraft Engines, Collins aerospace a division of UTC another American company makes much of the Avionics of the avionics other American companies are manufacturing fuel systems, weather radars, black boxes… Chinese media claims 40% is imported some claim more due to “Joint ventures” in China between European and American companies.

The CR929 was supposed to be a three way joint venture combining Chinese Russian and would use a lot of western technology to create the real break into the Duopoly’s realm with a 787/A330 class airliner. However That Russian relationship may now be a nightmare due to the Ukraine invasion. UAC is claimed to still be a supplier mostly in fabrication of the wings but the 929’s initial projected launch date slipped and has been pushed back farther. The R in CR929 has been tossed out and the program seems increasingly to be reducing Russian influence. A C929 with extensive Russian components would likely fall under extensive sanctions and that’s assuming that the Russian Aviation Industry can handle wartime aircraft replacement, Russian military modernization, Western systems replacement, Makeshift western aircraft repairs, attempts at selling Russian air craft both civil/military to the few countries who still buy and Supply to Comac.
The Russians clearly still hope to try and keep part of Comac’s supply chain, they wanted more Russification of Comac.
They wanted more extensive control and integration of Russian systems into CR929 so as to “sanctions proof”. Something that would likely have resulted in an aircraft only able to be sold in China, Cuba, CAR, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela and again the few countries that still maintain strong Russo relations. It basically would have made CRIAC the joint venture for the CR929 just another arm of UAC. Rather the Chinese government seems to want to farther Sinonize Comac’s with work on their own engines and avionics. Though given the “40%” Chinese media claims for the C919 it’s hard to imagine the C929 being able to fly without some degree of western engineering

The C939. It’s easy to research and even CAD a new aircraft particularly now. It’s harder to take that to market. Comac’s C929 seems an excellent choice in terms of size and class for a new aircraft. The 787/A330 class is exceptionally popular and even with the problems Boeing has had they can’t not get orders for it. Despite only entering production in 07 Boeing has built over 1,100 of the type. Making it truly earn the name Dreamliner. Airbus’s A330 and A330NEO have done excellent as well. The size and class is flexible for an international widebody airliner. High volume short range or international flights can easily be accomplished by it. Well one could point to the 777 has having far more (~600) built than the 787 it’s also been in production for a much longer period of time (17 vs 29 year)
The C939 is more of a challenge. By the time it enters service it will face the Boeing 777-X series and the A350 if not an A350 NEO. The missions of the class fall into extremely high demand low supply slot airports or large volume cargo freight. That’s very specialized. Particularly with modern civil aviation where the high volume low slot airports often have smaller airports nearby that thanks to this demand are increasingly becoming equipped to accommodate newer long range narrow body if not shorter wide body types that bypass the need for said specialized aircraft. This is what basically killed the 747 and A380 class along with the efficiency of twin engines vs quads. Since both its competitors would be by that point pair for investments Comac C939 would be starting off on the back foot. With Airbus and Boeing having exceptionally deep rooted support infrastructure in Europe, North America, and the developed countries of Asia, Middle East, places that have the business and the money for new airliners Comac’s C939 will have a high risk and likely be trying to establish in the more risky markets internationally. Africa, less developed Asian countries, Latin America. Less developed nations of the Middle East. Places with less developed economies, less infrastructure and less access for capital to spend on new aircraft with highly speculative support infrastructure. Much like its predecessor the C919 and C929 planes it’s likely to have a high degree of western import involved but how much? And if that would ease some of those logistics is iffy.
Even if you argue that China alone can support the C929 and C939 many of the same trends in development come into play. The CCP has yet to meet an infrastructure project it hasn’t fallen in love with. They are building airports on top of airports… not literally obviously. This means that the justification of high demand low supply slots may not be as prevalent in the PRC either. Potentially making the business case for the C939 more to do with ego. Ego is generally a bad thing for business. With C929 not expected to fly now until 2030. Then the C939 would be ready when? Middle of the next decade?
Farther with Newbees into the airliner industry looking to disrupt by concepts like a return to Supersonic if not hypersonic and Blended wing aircraft airliners. If these take off they might to an asteroid strike and the C939 a Dinosaur.
 

John Fedup

The Bunker Group
@Terran A nice summary of the difficulties of challenging the duopoly for any potential challenger. Absolutely agree China's move away from Russian content is important for export success. Nevertheless, a Boeing collapse is the only realistic opportunity for Comac to be a big player IMHO. I just don't see any future American government allowing Boeing to fail even though they probably deserve it.
 
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