https://www.npr.org/2019/12/17/788775642/boeing-will-temporarily-stop-making-its-737-max-jetliners
Production will stop in January. The jets were grounded after two crashes that killed nearly 350 people. Despite being grounded, Boeing continued cranking the planes out at its factory near Seattle.
(The interview had more good information, but at time of submission, the transcript wasn't available. There may be better articles out there.)
There are. Here's one:
Boeing will suspend 737 Max production in January at CNBC:
Boeing is planning to suspend production of its beleaguered 737 Max planes next month, the company said Monday, a drastic step after the Federal Aviation Administration said its review of the planes would continue into next year, dashing the manufacturer's forecast.
Boeing's decision to temporarily shut down production, made after months of a cash-draining global grounding of its best-selling aircraft, worsens one of the most severe crises in the history of the century-old manufacturer. It is ramping up pressure on CEO Dennis Muilenburg, whom the board stripped of his chairmanship in October as the crisis wore on.
The measure is set to ripple through the aerospace giant's supply chain and broader economy. It also presents further problems for airlines, which have lost hundreds of millions of dollars and canceled thousands of flights without the fuel-efficient planes in their fleets.
Boeing said it does not plan to lay off or furlough workers at the Renton, Washington, factory where the 737 Max is produced during the production pause. Some of the 12,000 workers there will be temporarily reassigned.
Previously:
Boeing's 737 Max Troubles Deepen, Taking Airlines, Suppliers With It
Review of 737 Max Certification Finds Fault With Boeing and F.A.A.
American Airlines Says It Will Resume Flights With Boeing’s 737 Max Jets in January
AP Sources: Boeing Changing 737 Max Software to Use 2 Computers
Boeing Falsified Records for 787 Jet Sold to Air Canada
Boeing Pledges $100M to Families of 737 Max Crash Victims
Capt. 'Sully' Sullenberger and Boeing 737 Max News
Boeing’s Own Test Pilots Lacked Key Details Of 737 Max Flight-Control System
Boeing CEO Defends 737 Max Flight Control System
Analysis: Why FAA-Approved Emergency Procedures Failed to Save ET302
Initial Findings Put Boeing's Software at Center of Ethiopian 737 Crash
Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max Flight Makes Emergency Landing (While Carrying No Passengers)
Airline Cancels $4.9 Billion Boeing 737 MAX Order; Doomed Planes Lacked Optional Safety Features
Pilot Who Hitched a Ride Saved Lion Air 737 Day Before Deadly Crash
DoJ Issues Subpoenas in 737 Max Investigation
Boeing 737 Max Aircraft Grounded in the U.S. and Dozens of Other Countries
Second 737 MAX8 Airplane Crash Reinforces Speculation on Flying System Problems
(Score: 4, Interesting) by barbara hudson on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:13PM (18 children)
The tires will have flat spots, hydraulic lines need to be purged of old lube and all seals checked to make sure that they're still flexible, etc. As long as it was supposed to be delivered this year, it was considered as sold inventory on the books. Not any more. This is going to mess up their accounting. Airlines are going to refuse to take old stock unless given sizeable discounts - and they are going to want their pound of flesh for losses from Boeing's screwups.
How long until KKR or some other vulture fund comes in with an offer to buy it and break it up? After this, the civil aviation business is a drag on their defence and space businesses.
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:28PM
It will end up being longer than a year.
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:33PM (11 children)
The only way I'd ride in one is if they were converted to standard 737's, or at the very least use a smaller engine so that the nacelles could be scooted back where they belong. They could probably sell all of those LEAP engines to a competitor (according to the Wikipedia Airbus and another manufacturer also use them) as spares.
Would probably hinder performance and efficiency while adding safety, would be a damn shame to let those shiny new airframes go to waste. But yeah, if they want to salvage the situation they're gonna have to redesign that bitch and re-name it something else. I wonder how easily they could be converted to 797s?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by c0lo on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:48PM (1 child)
Well, if you are prepared to pay, it can be arranged. So... how many retrofitted planes you said you want to buy? (grin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Wednesday December 18 2019, @05:32AM
Parked aircraft burn money just sitting still. I'll probably put in an expression of interest when they get to offering $US1M with each airframe...
It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by DannyB on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:52PM (4 children)
Move the wings from the side of fuselage to the top. Cool fashion statement AND gives plenty of room to hang even bigger engines! No special software needed. Engineers can be found who will sign off. Marketing can communicate how much safer the new design is because you can't bang your head on the wings when walking under to test if it is possible to get sucked into new engines. Landing gear tires can now be white wall or rainbow stripe. Cockpit upgrade to Windows 10. All set.
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday December 17 2019, @11:31PM (3 children)
I hope and pray that no cockpit has windows 10 as it's main operating system. The thought is truly horrifying.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday December 18 2019, @04:20PM (2 children)
Stick with XP which is "mature".
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
(Score: 1) by DECbot on Wednesday December 18 2019, @07:19PM (1 child)
I think you spelled 'manure' wrong.
cats~$ sudo chown -R us /home/base
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday December 18 2019, @10:53PM
(Score: 5, Funny) by Bot on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:55PM
You can convert them to 787, as the 3 can be painted into an 8 quite easily.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 18 2019, @01:28AM (1 child)
Just mount the engines on top of the wings. ;)
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Wednesday December 18 2019, @04:51AM
No, you'd ruin the balance. Put one on top and one underneath so it all evens out.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Wednesday December 18 2019, @06:32PM
I would very happily fly in one today. Because there ain't a 737 pilot who hasn't heard of the issue now and the situation is readily understood (unexpected loss of altitude with no other discernable cause) and therefore employ the temporary solution they had to fix the issue (wasn't it pull a breaker to disable the stabilizer trim, therefore cutting the ability of MCAS to control? More than one source has said the runaway stabilizer checklist cures the problem, anyway.) That said, making them go back and touch base for safety isn't a bad idea at all.
This sig for rent.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:54PM (2 children)
Airplanes aren't like cars, and airliners aren't like people. When you buy a plane, you aren't just buying a plane, you are buying a relationship. There is warranty, ongoing Operations and Maintenance work, and everything. If Boeing says the plane is good to use, then the airline is going to accept that; especially because if it doesn't work, Boeing is on the hook to fix it.
If your shiny new iPhone had a huge scratch on the back, people would complain and return it. If an industrial combine harvester had a big scratch along the side, the farm is going to shrug and say "that's annoying, oh well." Airlines are closer to the later than the former.
At worst, the airlines will have a few more contracts specifying exactly how much Boeing is assuring that the plane will work, and what they will pay back if it doesn't. (Excepting the recent damage to Boeing reputation, etc, etc, etc... that's a "don't trust Boeing" thing, though, not a "these aren't factory new planes" thing.)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by barbara hudson on Wednesday December 18 2019, @12:56AM
Oh well, back to the drawing board. Wonder how much of a hit they'll take for scrapping the entire run when customers say "we're canceling and suing ".
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Wednesday December 18 2019, @05:37AM
Boeing DID say it was good to use, and the airlines DID accept it. The amount of wriggling going on just says the hook (a) isn't big enough, and (b) hasn't been used enough times.
It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday December 17 2019, @09:57PM (1 child)
Ummm but isn't a plane basically rebuilt after x hours of use as it undergoes deep checks repairs and whatever? or was it only the good ol days?
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Wednesday December 18 2019, @05:44AM
Still goes on, but it costs a bit more than a car service...
It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.