Boeing recommended MCAS training to Brazil before Lion Air Accident:mindFly

Brazil civil aviation mandated MCAS training and checking for pilots, based on Boeing recommendation in Jan 2018. What prevented the Boeing company from doing the same for operators in the rest of the world is quite intriguing.

An operational evaluation was conducted by Brazil ANAC Aircraft Evaluation Group (GAA) in Miami, FL, USA, during October 2017, where the proposed differences training for the B-737-8MAX was evaluated, considering the B-737-800 as the base aircraft.

The objective of this report is to present the results from the operational evaluation of the B-737 series aircraft.

This Design Differences tables, from the Boeing 737-800 to the Boeing 737-8, were proposed by The Boeing Company and validated by ANAC. They list the minimum differences levels operators must use to conduct differences training, checking and currency of flight crew members.

The training and checking is level “B”. This means that aided instruction method has to be used by all operators. This could include Audiovisual presentation (AV) ,Tutorial computer based instruction (TCBI) or Stand-up instruction (SU). The checking methodology included Oral or written exam , Tutorial computer based instruction self-test (TCBI).

This level of knowledge enhancement and retention check is justified for an automatic and autonomous system installed on the aircraft which acts as a protection for an impending stall situation.

I guess that the Brazilian team was more thorough in their job since it was their first OEB after formation. Nevertheless a good job by the Brazilian ANAC GAA team.

The Operational Evaluation Board setup shows the maturity of the regulator and systematic management of change. While Brazil did it, had Indonesia also done the same it could have prevented the Lion Air accident.