Case $9-$Case $9-1$

Boeing$$s $737$ MAX Prepares to Fly Again

Boeing$$s $737$ series of planes is the best$-$selling commercial jetliner in history, with more than $10,000$ delivered worldwide over the past $50$ years, and is the workhorse of dozens of airlines. In $2011,$ in response to increasing pressure from Airbus, its major competitor, Boeing announced a new addition to the series, the $737$ MAX. Six years later, the MAX was put into service.

In October $2018,$ Indonesia$$s Lion Air Flight $610,$ a $737$ MAX, crashed. Five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight $302,$ also a MAX, crashed. A total of $346$ passengers and crew died in the two incidents. Subsequently, global aviation authorities grounded the $737$ MAX.

Investigations indicate that there were several factors and failures that caused the tragic crashes. But the immediate cause was the model$$s flight$-$control feature, specifically, the software called Maneuvering Control Augmentation System $($MCAS$).$ In the instance of both fatal crashes, MCAS erroneously engaged, forcing the planes$$ noses to point down, and the pilots were unable to regain control of the aircraft.

There is evidence that Boeing knew of the MCAS problems early on$.$ On October $17,2019,$ Boeing revealed it had turned over text messages between two of the company$$s test pilots sent in $2016,$ one of which described the MCAS$$s habit of engaging itself as $$egregious$.$ Later that month, as he appeared before two congressional committees, former CEO Dennis Muilenburg admitted Boeing knew of the test pilot concerns in early $2019.$

Then on January $10,2020,$ Boeing released a s$1$

Boeing$$s $737$ MAX Prepares to Fly Again

Boeing$$s $737$ series of planes is the best$-$selling commercial jetliner in history, with more than $10,000$ delivered worldwide over the past $50$ years, and is the workhorse of dozens of airlines. In $2011,$ in response to increasing pressure from Airbus, its major competitor, Boeing announced a new addition to the series, the $737$ MAX. Six years later, the MAX was put into service.

In October $2018,$ Indonesia$$s Lion Air Flight $610,$ a $737$ MAX, crashed. Five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight $302,$ also a MAX, crashed. A total of $346$ passengers and crew died in the two incidents. Subsequently, global aviation authorities grounded the $737$ MAX.

Investigations indicate that there were several factors and failures that caused the tragic crashes. But the immediate cause was the model$$s flight$-$control feature, specifically, the software called Maneuvering Control Augmentation System $($MCAS$).$ In the instance of both fatal crashes, MCAS erroneously engaged, forcing the planes$$ noses to point down, and the pilots were unable to regain control of the aircraft.

There is evidence that Boeing knew of the MCAS problems early on$.$ On October $17,2019,$ Boeing revealed it had turned over text messages between two of the company$$s test pilots sent in $2016,$ one of which described the MCAS$$s habit of engaging itself as $$egregious$.$ Later that month, as he appeared before two congressional committees, former CEO Dennis Muilenburg admitted Boeing knew of the test pilot concerns in early $2019.$

Then on January $10,2020,$ Boeing released a series of e$-$mails and instant messages to Congress in which Boeing employees discussed the $737$ MAX. Some expressed regret for the company$$s actions in getting the aircraft certified, while others openly discussed the $737$ MAX$$s flaws.

In May $2020,$ Boeing announced that production would begin again, with plans to build about $30$ jets per month in $2021$ and $57$ per month in $2022.$ The company has a backlog of about $4,550$ unfulfilled orders, signifying confidence within the airline industry that once the grounding is lifted, the plane will be reliable.

Southwest Airlines owns $34$ of the grounded jets, more than any other airline, with orders for another $48$ before $2022.$We$$re still wanting to get the MAX back into service,$$ Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told shareholders at the company$$s annual meeting in May $2020.$The MAX airplane is superior to the $[$older versions of the$]737$ that we$$re currently operating. It burns less fuel. It$$s an excellent airplane. And certainly in this environment, we would love to retire some of our older aircraft, avoid some expensive maintenance and a substitute with the newer airplanes.$$

Despite the fact that the COVID$-19$ pandemic had caused air travel to plummet worldwide, Boeing$$s May $2020$ announcement triggered an immediate jump of $3\mathrm{.}2$ percent in the corporation$$s stock price. And in August, as Boeing approached the final steps to recertification, it scored its first orders for new $737$ MAX jets of the year$\mathrm{.}30$

Questions

The Federal Aviation Administration certified the $737$ MAX as flight worthy in November $2020.$ Nevertheless, trust in its safety is slow to be restored. Consider the following:

What kinds of evidence or appeals will be most effective for the traveling public and airlines that are Boeing$$s customers?

What type of communication channels should Boeing use?