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Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg out as 737 Max fallout continues
Following the months-long fallout from the two fatal 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg is stepping down from his position as the top executive at the aerospace manufacturer. Boeing announced the change in a press release on Monday. Muilenburg will be replaced by David Calhoun, the company's current chairman of the board, on January 13th, with CFO Greg Smith leading the company during the short interim period. From the wording in Boeing's press release, it sounds like Muilenburg resigned after it became clear that the board no longer had confidence in his leadership.
Boeing will freeze 737 Max production as FAA review carries on
As you've probably noticed, Boeing's flawed 737 Max still hasn't received the regulatory all-clear as 2019 draws to a close -- and that's now affecting manufacturing. Boeing said it will suspend 737 Max production in January now that the FAA expects its safety evaluation to continue in 2020. It's uncertain how long the freeze will last, but that's likely to hinge on when (and if) the aircraft is allowed to fly again. While airlines have ruled out using the 737 Max until March or later, there's no guarantee they'll be allowed to fly by then.
Air racing tournament unveils an all-electric sports aircraft
The electric aircraft seen to date have focused more on raw utility than thrill-seeking, but that's about to change very shortly. Air Race E, an air racing tournament backed by Airbus, has formally unveiled what it bills as the first electric race aircraft. The Condor Aviation-made White Lightning looks like a typical competitive single-seater, but packs an electric motor that can propel it to 300MPH while handling tight turns on a 3.1-mile circuit at just 33 feet off the ground.
Volocopter's massive utility drone can carry up to 440 pounds
While Volocopter's been busy working on its air taxis, it's also preparing to enter the utility drone market using a similar design. Much like the company's experimental 2X and upcoming VoloCity, the aptly-named VoloDrone announced today is yet another 18-rotor electric aircraft, which can be remote-controlled or set to a pre-planned route in autonomous mode. But instead of carrying passengers, the VoloDrone is designed to fit various types of cargo and equipment under its belly -- be it a box, an agricultural sprayer, a sling or disaster relief tools.
Air Force's X-37B space plane lands after record 780 days in orbit
There was no doubt that the US Air Force's X-37B was going to break its own record for time spent in orbit, but it's now clear by how much. The mysterious Boeing-made space plane has landed at Kennedy Space Center after 780 days in orbit, comfortably surpassing the earlier record of 717 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes. That's more than three times the 240 days originally expected from the reusable vehicle, which just finished its fifth mission.
Boeing messages hint staff may have misled FAA about 737 Max
There have already been signs that the 737 Max's fatal safety flaw may have stemmed from misunderstandings, and now investigators appear to have more tangible evidence of this. Boeing has confirmed to Reuters that it gave the FAA instant messages indicating that pilots may have misled regulators about the performance of the MCAS anti-stall technology linked to two deadly crashes. The company's then-serving chief technical pilot told another pilot that he had "basically lied" to the FAA about MCAS during the 737 Max's certification process, albeit "unknowingly." That's consistent with earlier New York Times claims that the chief technical pilot didn't fully understand the system.
Boeing may use two computers to fix 737 Max's latest flaw
Boeing may have a solution for the 737 Max flaw discovered in June. Both the AP and the Seattle Times claim the aircraft maker is developing new software that will take input from both of the aircraft's flight control computers to improve its reliability, rather than one at a time as it does today. This would both address the newer issue (more on that shortly) and increase the trustworthiness of the MCAS system whose fatal errors prompted the jet's grounding.
European regulators demand changes to 737 Max autopilot
It's not just American officials who think Boeing's 737 Max software needs more polish. A Bloomberg source said that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has told Boeing to make five changes to the airliner before it can return to service. They're mostly consistent with the FAA's requests, including improvements to the angle of attack sensors, training, manual trim controls and a software flaw linked to a lagging chip. However, the EU regulators also want Boeing to address a previously unmentioned issue with the autopilot failing to switch off in some emergencies -- it might not give pilots enough time to prevent a stall.
Aircraft lands itself truly autonomously for the first time
Many airliners can land automatically, but they don't really land autonomously -- the airport is guiding them in with a radio signal (the Instrument Landing System). And when many smaller airports don't have this feature, it's not even an option. Researchers at Technische Universität München might just make true autonomous landing a practical reality, though. They've successfully tested a system that uses a combination of computer vision and GPS to have the aircraft land itself.
Boeing teams with flying taxi startup Kitty Hawk on 'urban air mobility'
Two of the better-known names in flying taxi development are getting together. Boeing and Kitty Hawk have formed a partnership that will have the two foster "safe urban air mobility." While they're unsurprisingly keeping their exact plans under wraps, the team-up is described as mating Kitty Hawk's innovative side with Boeing's sheer size and experience in the aircraft business.
Paris may offer flying taxis to 2024 Olympics guests
You can be sure that transportation will be a nightmare for many people attending the 2024 Paris Olympics, but technology could make it slightly more bearable. Airbus, Aeroports de Paris and the Paris Transport Authority are exploring the feasibility of using autonomous flying taxis to carry visitors from Charles de Gaulle Airport into the city. When it takes roughly an hour to get into Paris using a bus or train, this could save valuable time that would be better spent finding your hotel and, you know, enjoying the Olympics.
American Airlines offers satellite WiFi to its entire mainline fleet
If you're relying on American Airlines for a summer trip, there's a good chance you'll have internet access most of the way. The company has finished deploying satellite-based internet access to the fleet of 700-plus narrowbody aircraft that mainly handle its domestic routes. Depending on where you're going, you'll have either Gogo 2Ku or ViaSat Ka connections providing speedier, more consistent WiFi than the ground solutions of old. American deployed satellite broadband to its widebody aircraft roughly a year earlier.
Boeing reportedly left engineers, officials unaware of 737 Max changes
Boeing's overestimation of the 737 Max's safety may have been prompted in part by a simple but dangerous problem: many of the people involved weren't aware of the changes. The New York Times has claimed that some engineers, testers and regulators were unaware Boeing had made the jet's MCAS anti-stall system far more aggressive. They operated on the assumption the technology relied on two sensors when it was using just one, and a "compartmentalized approach" to development left key engineers without a full understanding of how the system worked.
Skai could be the first fuel cell-powered flying taxi
Flying taxi designs are seemingly ubiquitous these days, but a startup is betting that its choice of powerplant could help it stand out. Alaka'i has unveiled Skai, a flying taxi that will run on hydrogen fuel cells (the first of its kind, the company claimed) you normally only see on the ground. The technology will reportedly allow Skai to fly for up to four hours with a 400-mile range, but without an environmental hit or long downtimes -- it can top up in less than 10 minutes. It will also carry up to five people or a maximum payload of 1,000lbs.
Bird strike may have triggered software issue in second 737 Max crash
Investigators might know what triggered the software panic aboard an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max before its fatal crash, and it could be something Boeing considered months earlier. Unnamed officials talking to the Wall Street Journal claim that US aviation overseers "increasingly believe" that a bird collision may have sent flawed sensor data, leading to the jet's anti-stall code automatically pushing the nose down. Black box recordings show that a sensor was "sheared off" or otherwise broken soon after takeoff, experts said.
The UK’s butt-shaped blimp could come back as an EV
The company behind the world's longest aircraft, Airlander 10, has been awarded more than £1 million ($1.3 million) to convert it into an all-electric vehicle. The test version of the slightly obscene-looking British blimp was retired back in January to make way for a production model, and it looks like said model will scrap combustion for a greener type of flight.
Stratolaunch completes the first flight of the world's largest airplane
Stratolaunch is making some history even as it scales back its ambitions -- the company has successfully flown the world's largest aircraft, the Scaled Composites Stratolaunch, for the first time. The dual-fuselage rocket hauler took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port soon after 10AM Eastern on April 13th and completed a roughly 2.5-hour journey, reaching a maximum altitude of 17,000 feet. It wasn't carrying a payload, but its trip is still a big deal for a machine that was first announced eight years ago and boasts an unprecedented 385-foot wingspan.
Boeing's 737 Max update is still 'weeks' away from FAA approval
It's going to be a long while before the FAA officially approves Boeing's 737 Max software update. The regulator said it expected the update to arrive in the "coming weeks," as Boeing needed extra time to guarantee that it had "identified and appropriately addressed" the problems that may have led to crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. After that, the FAA still intends to conduct a "rigorous safety review."
Boeing explains its 737 Max software update
Boeing has detailed its promised software update for 737 Max jets, and it largely matches up with the rumored safety improvements that could reduce the likelihood of a crash. The anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) will now compare the data from both of the 737's angle-of-attack sensors, rather than relying on one. If there's a disagreement of 5.5 degrees or more, MCAS won't kick in. The software will also reduce its input during an incident, and won't apply so much input to the stabilizers that the crew can't counteract it.
FAA 'tentatively' approves software fix for 737 Max jets
Boeing may be close to delivering its fix for the 737 Max's anti-stall system and preventing future tragedies. The Wall Street Journal has learned through documents and sources that the FAA has "tentatively" greenlit software and training updates pending some final simulation and real-world flight tests. They could make their way to airlines within a few weeks, according to the insiders, although there's still the possibility of last-minute revisions and changes to the timeline.
