The FAA allegation that Boeing is "not following its own (development) process" is a huge red flag. Documented standard operating procedures ("SOPs") are the heart of a quality management system. Not following their own procedures is a fundamental breakdown in safety culture. It is truly frightening. Finding software defects during a flight test is another red flag that the software development process at Boeing or its contractors is severely flawed. If Boeing had a strong safety culture, Boeing itself would have been shocked that their "defect containment", the heart of a safety-significant software development process, allowed a software defect to go undetected all the way through ground-based unit, integration, and system test and go on to cause a serious nonconformance (the “uncommanded pitch event”) during a flight test. Boeing itself should have immediately halted the certification process while it does corrective and preventive action on its software development process.

(Written on 2021年 07月 02日)(Permalink)

One of my favorite SWA memories is boarding a flight that arrived late. The cabin was still being turned around by the crew as we came down the aisle. And there was the captain with a garbage bag, helping his cabin crew clean up the seats and gain back a few minutes of late time.

(Written on 2021年 06月 25日)(Permalink)

I lived and worked in France for years. Both flew and took the train. Here's a comparison for a short hop domestic trip, Paris city center to Nice city center, flying versus the TGV high speed train: Train: 1) short trip to the train station in the city 2) Walk through the station and hop on the train (down to a few seconds before departure) with your luggage. 3) 5 hour train trip (TGV delays are extremely rare) 4) Step off the train in city center with your luggage Air: 1) Longer trip to either Paris airport; both are well out of town 2) Check in and security, allowing enough time for frequent security delays 3) Wait to board 4) Boarding process 5) 1 hour flying time (not including any traffic delays for takeoff and landing) 6) De-plane 7) If checked baggage, wait for it 8) Transportation to city center. It was an easy decision for me.

(Written on 2021年 04月 16日)(Permalink)

Reminds me of an incident years ago with a commercial flight on a late night approach to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport in France. The crew apparently lined up on the bright sodium vapor lights of a main boulevard several miles from the airport. At about 1000 feet, the crew realized their mistake, aborted the landing, poured on the power, and then did a low altitude go-around, hedgehopping over the rooftops of downtown Nice, waking up and scaring the merde out of much of the city.

(Written on 2021年 04月 09日)(Permalink)

And also the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter probe due to an error in acceleration data between the JPL navigation team, who used metric distance units, and the probe designers at Lockheed that used English distance units.

(Written on 2021年 03月 26日)(Permalink)

An unbiased, objective assessment by a co-founder, CEO, and stock option holder of an autonomous flight startup company? I don't think so ...

(Written on 2021年 03月 26日)(Permalink)

What are the technical merits of Boeing's criticism? Did Boeing do a risk assessment? Does the severity of the risk include loss of the aircraft? Many safety-critical industries regularly trade information on hazards among competitors. In medical device design, this sharing of information is actually mandated by consensus standards that guide safe product development. We routinely incorporate lessons learned from other manufacturers in design mitigations that reduce risk and increase safety. I hope that Boeing is not dissuaded from performing this important role in safe aircraft design.

(Written on 2021年 03月 05日)(Permalink)

Mr. Bastian is free to run his airline the way his stockholders want. The flying public is free to choose the airline they want to fly with.

(Written on 2021年 02月 12日)(Permalink)

Skipping a checklist is not a "mistake". It is hazardous risk-taking with potentially catastrophic consequences. Northwest Flight 255, with a combined 29,000 hours in the cockpit, still haunts me.

(Written on 2021年 02月 05日)(Permalink)

Hugging my pig got me through this devastating news.

(Written on 2021年 01月 08日)(Permalink)