In a recent interview with NBC Connecticut, Paul Slaboch, PhD, the director of aerospace engineering at the University of Hartford’s College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture, shed light on a scare involving an Alaska Airlines’ flight and the subsequent grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes.
The incident involved a Boeing 737 Max 9 airplane where the door came off mid-flight, prompting concerns about the safety of these aircraft. NBC CT interviewed Slaboch to gain insights into the incident and its implications for the aviation industry.
One of the key questions raised during the interview was about the plane continuing to fly despite decompression warning lights being on in the cockpit. Slaboch emphasized the seriousness with which these warnings are taken by maintenance crews, stating, "That's something that would have been taken very seriously, and the maintenance crews would have gone through the manuals to check those things out before things were deemed airworthy again."
When asked about the potential danger of passengers being sucked out of the plane at 16,000 feet, Slaboch explained the pressurization of the aircraft, highlighting that, "The plane is pressurized to about 8,000 feet, which is about the height of the Grand Canyon. People can still breathe there. Sixteen-thousand feet is twice as high, but the pressure differential isn't quite as high as it would be flying at 38,000 feet. While there were a few seconds of rapid depressurization, it was just a couple of seconds, and then the pressure equaled out,” he added.
The interviewer also delved into the broader implications for Boeing's quality control. Slaboch acknowledged Boeing's historical reputation for producing reliable aircraft but expressed uncertainty about the recent incidents, stating, "In general, their planes have been wonderful for decades. I'm not sure exactly what's going on internally, though, to have these kinds of incidents keep repeating."
The interview offered valuable insights into the technical aspects and safety considerations surrounding the Boeing 737 Max 9 planes. As the incident continues to be investigated, the aerospace industry has started raising questions about quality control procedures and the need for thorough checking to ensure passenger safety.