Toward that end, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recently been calling for immediate retrofits to the engines of Boeing 737 Max airplanes. These changes are meant to prevent smoke from infiltrating the cockpit and cabin following a series of safety warnings. Recent incidents resulting from bird strikes have sparked concerns over air safety measures. As a result, there has been a growing and strong demand for action. The Boeing 737 Max has been under a microscope since two catastrophic crashes. One of these accidents took place in Indonesia in 2018, while the other occurred in Ethiopia in 2019, claiming 346 lives.
In response to these catastrophic events, Boeing grounded its 737 Max jets worldwide and redesigned certain systems within the aircraft. Safety experts are continuing to press for further changes towards improving the safety of passengers. Smoke in the cockpit The NTSB began sounding the alarm on the hazards of infiltrating smoke no later than 2005. They noted that pilots flying planes with CFM LEAP-1B engines must be made highly cognizant of such risks.
Due to airflow dynamics at the different nacelle positions, this effect multiplies in severity on the Boeing 737 Max. The left engine provides air to the cockpit while the right engine provides air to the passenger cabin. This design creates a scenario where smoke from a bird strike can rapidly deploy throughout the aircraft cabin. This leaves the crew and passengers extremely exposed. In a recent incident involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max, smoke filled the cabin shortly after a bird strike occurred in Havana.
As experts have cited, smoke can fill the cabin in just a few seconds, risking panic by passengers who can’t see their way out. Pilots can manually shut off airflow from the engines to stop smoke from getting in. Short-term changes to improve engine performance on a near-term basis are suggested.
Boeing has begun acknowledging these red flags. They are aggressively working with CFM, the engine manufacturer, to create a software patch that will automatically fix the issue and prevent smoke from coming into the cabin following a bird strike. CFM has committed to enhancing the capability of this critical system in accordance with NTSB recommendations, stating, “aligned with the NTSB’s recommendations and the work is already underway, in close partnership with our airframers, to enhance the capability of this important system.”
In recent weeks, Boeing has shifted its focus to engine modifications following a stressful period. The defense contractor entered an agreement with the Department of Justice to forgo criminal prosecution for the company’s role in misleading U.S. regulators about 737 Max safety concerns. This settlement has not silenced public outcry or reduced the urgency to fix these issues.
John Cox, an aviation safety consultant, remarked on the situation: “This is a case of an unintended consequence of a new and innovative safety idea where if the fan gets unbalanced that this is a way to alleviate the load and thereby doing less damage to the engine, the engine pylon, all of that.”
The industry is now looking with anticipation toward the next round of updates. CFM hopes to have the new software ready for release by the first quarter of next year. Effectively and quickly addressing these modifications will be essential for maintaining regulatory compliance. It would begin to restore public confidence in Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft.
