Has Boeing Looked at the Flight Data from the Ethiopian Airlines Crash?
Thousands of dollars were spent on recovering the flight recorders, transporting, decoding, and ensuring their credibility. Over the years, as everyone forgets and calms down, no significant action is taken. This raises the question: why does a partnership between Boeing and insurance companies prevent them from transmitting flight data and cockpit recordings live to ground in real-time? In an era where an economy class passenger can transmit videos from a crashed flight to the ground, it is puzzling that advanced technology is not utilized more effectively.
The Process of Decoding Flight Data
The flight data recorders (FDR) and cockpit voice recorders (CVR) from the Ethiopian Airlines crash were sent to Germany first. However, Germany did not have the necessary systems to read the FDR from the Boeing 737 MAX model. The data was then transferred to France, where the expertise exists to read the MAX boxes. The French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA) has extracted the data and passed it back to the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority (ECAA).
Despite the BEA's extraction of the data, it has not been fully decoded. The ECAA did not trust the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform the readout, and their relationship with the BEA is also strained. It is unclear whether Boeing has been fully briefed on the available data and whether they have been invited to participate in the investigation as a key partner.
The Role of Partnerships
The partnership between Boeing and insurance companies is crucial, yet it raises questions about the transparency and timely sharing of crucial information. Boeing would be expected to be a party to the investigation, given their expertise in the aircraft model involved. The French BEA, which has been given the lead role in the investigation, would pass the decrypted data to Boeing, as they possess the necessary technical expertise to analyze it.
The Technological Gap
However, the current technological landscape allows for real-time transmission of cockpit recordings to the ground. In modern aircraft, economy-class passengers can even transmit videos from a crashed flight to the ground. This raises the question of why advanced communication technologies are not leveraged to improve the efficiency and reliability of the investigation process.
Boeing and other stakeholders involved in the aircraft industry should consider modernizing the communication systems to ensure that crucial data is transmitted in real-time, allowing for a faster and more efficient analysis of flight data. This could significantly improve the investigation process and ultimately lead to better safety measures and regulatory frameworks.
Conclusion
The crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 is a stark reminder of the importance of timely and accurate data analysis in aviation safety investigations. While partnerships between Boeing and relevant authorities are crucial, the current processes are slow and may not fully utilize available technological advancements. By embracing real-time data transmission and leveraging advanced communication technology, the industry can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of crash investigations, leading to better safety outcomes for all.
Keywords: Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines, Flight Data Decoding, Crash Investigation, Partnerships