Glassdogs
Expert Driver
I just got off the phone with a very close friend who is a pilot for American Airlines.
His aircraft of choice is the 737 and he flies the MAX aircraft frequently. According to him, there is virtually no difference in handling the aircraft while airborne. There are a few gauges/ displays that are in slightly different positions on the dashboard than the "standard "737. The MAX and the regular 737 are so similar that AA doesn't even have a different setup in the flight simulators.
My friend pointed out what he suspected the problem with the two crashes was. The Ethiopian Air's First Officer had a grand total of 200 total flight hours. You couldn't begin to even get a commercial license in the US with that little experience. The other crash had some similarly inexperienced airmen, too.
"Imagine driving on 285 during rush hour, steering the car with your knees and trying to spoon feed oatmeal to a crying kid in a baby seat next to you. That's what that Captain was going through."
His aircraft of choice is the 737 and he flies the MAX aircraft frequently. According to him, there is virtually no difference in handling the aircraft while airborne. There are a few gauges/ displays that are in slightly different positions on the dashboard than the "standard "737. The MAX and the regular 737 are so similar that AA doesn't even have a different setup in the flight simulators.
My friend pointed out what he suspected the problem with the two crashes was. The Ethiopian Air's First Officer had a grand total of 200 total flight hours. You couldn't begin to even get a commercial license in the US with that little experience. The other crash had some similarly inexperienced airmen, too.
"Imagine driving on 285 during rush hour, steering the car with your knees and trying to spoon feed oatmeal to a crying kid in a baby seat next to you. That's what that Captain was going through."