Viewer's Choice

[e-ore]

Thanks. The max airplanes have larger engines than previous models to increase range and fuel efficiencies. 737s sit low to the ground and to make the engines fit they install them a little farther forward and a little higher than on previous models. This creates different flight characteristics and the max has a tendency for the nose to go up compared to previous models. After takeoff, when the flaps are retracted an unintended raising of the nose will cause a speed loss and increase the possibility of a stall. The "MCAS" system is intended to compensate for pilots who are unaware of this, or forget that they are flying the new aircraft and rely on techniques used for the older models. These accidents remind of the Kegworth disaster.

"The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from London Heathrow Airport to Belfast International Airport, when a fan-blade broke in the left engine, disrupting the air conditioning and filling the flight deck with smoke. The pilots believed that this indicated a fault in the right engine, since earlier models of the 737 ventilated the flight-deck from the right, and they were unaware that the 400 used a different system. The crew mistakenly shut down the functioning engine, and pumped more fuel into the malfunctioning one, which burst into flames. Of the 126 people aboard, 47 died and 74 sustained serious injuries"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kegworth_air_disaster