Boeing CEO Mr. Dennis Muilenburg has said that his company will do everything possible to earn and re-earn the trust and confidence of its customers and the flying public in the weeks and months ahead. This, he stated, in his address of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Preliminary Report.
Mr. Muilenburg who expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident as well as the Lion Air Flight 610 accident stated that though “the full details of what happened in the two accidents will be issued by the government authorities in the final reports, but, with the release of the preliminary report of the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accident investigation, it’s apparent that in both flights, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, known as MCAS, activated in response to erroneous angle of attack information.”
To ensure unintended MCAS activation will not occur again, Boeing has developed and is planning to release a software update to MCAS and an associated comprehensive pilot training and supplementary education program for the 737 MAX.
He explained: “We’re taking a comprehensive, disciplined approach, and taking the time, to get the software update right. We’re nearing completion and anticipate its certification and implementation on the 737 MAX fleet worldwide in the weeks ahead. We regret the impact the grounding has had on our airline customers and their passengers.”
“Safety is our responsibility, and we own it. When the MAX returns to the skies, we’ve promised our airline customers and their passengers and crews that it will be as safe as any airplane ever to fly,” he assured.