Boeing had said a couple of weeks ago that it would roll out a software update fix for the 737 Max jets which have been involved in fatal crashes merely five months apart. Earlier reports have suggested that the updates would improve safety features of the aircraft to ensure that such accidents never take place against. Boeing has now detailed its 737 Max software update fix.
Once the fix is installed, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) will now require data from both angle of attack sensors as opposed to activating based on data from just one sensor. If there’s a disagreement between both sensors of 5.5 degrees or more, the system won’t activate. The MCAS system will also reduce its input during an incident and won’t apply rigid input to the stabilizers that prevent the pilots from making their own inputs.
There have also been questions about the training provided to pilots about the new system Boeing has now developed a new PC-based training program which will help pilots better understand the MCAS system and teach them how to react when it kicks in. A safety feature which Boeing previously sold as an option to airlines will now be offered for free as well. It’s a disagree light which will notify the pilots that both angle of attack sensors are at odds with each other.
The Federal Aviation Administration now has to approve the fix and it will take considerable time after that for airlines to install it on their planes, get it tested by their pilots, and then train crews on the change. That’s in addition to tests that foreign airlines and regulators may want to run on their own before they allow the Boeing 737 Max to take to the skies once again. As of right now, all 737 Max planes remain grounded across the globe.