Boeing insists will share info from crash probe with clients

WASHINGTON: Boeing insisted it would share any information to emerge from an investigation into the crash of one of its newest planes in Indonesia last month, amid reports a telephone conference with its customers had been cancelled.

US media reported that the cancelled conference between Boeing and client companies was meant to address questions surrounding control systems on the Lion Air 737MAX.

Last month’s crash killed 189 people when Lion Air flight JT 610 plunged into the Java Sea on Oct 29, less than 20 minutes after leaving Jakarta on a routine flight to Pangkal Pinang. There were no survivors.

Media reports said Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg had sent a message to staff on Monday insisting that the company leadership had not concealed any information relating to the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) which was designed to prevent the aircraft stalling.

“I don’t have any additional comment on the memo,” the company’s spokesman said.

“The problem of the MAX is linked to its hybrid design,” an aeronautics expert, who asked not to be identified, said.

“Boeing had to make a number of choices, and above all compromises in the area of avionics and the flight command system during development of this plane,” he said.

The expert added the main problem with the MAX was the marriage of older and newer control systems which were installed to make it competitive with rival manufacturers. — AFP