Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealth22
Like Ducay said, it sounds sketchy, but it doesn't matter if you're talking about Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer, or any of the car manufacturers.
If a certain feature is not required by law and isn't critical, the manufacturer can and will make it optional if they can make a buck off of it, especially if all it takes is a software setting to disable an extra display reading. It's not just Boeing, any aircraft manufacturer will do this.
And perhaps even worse, airlines, or low cost carriers in particular, want the airplanes to come as cheap as possible, because they don't have the deep pockets that the big airlines do.
If a low cost carrier can save $100,000 per plane by leaving a couple of optional features on the table, that's $5 million on an order of 50 aircraft, which could mean money to spend on something else, or a lease payment on plane #51. It's a slippery slope, for sure.
|
Has WestJet commented on their decision to not purchase the AOA indicator? Do they still consider themselves a low-cost carrier? I thought they had changed philosophies somewhat away from the low-cost thing. Regardless, I wish they optioned the aircraft with all the safety gear. I have a WestJet MasterCard and we fly on them whenever we go anywhere...I've lost some confidence in them over all this.
Globe and Mail article discussing where WestJet admits they didn't get the AOA indicator.
Quote:
Air Canada spokeswoman Isabelle Arthur said the country’s largest airline purchased both safety features for its fleet of 24 Max 8 planes.
However, WestJet spokeswoman Morgan Bell said the Calgary-based airline’s 13 Max 8 planes are not configured with the angle of attack indicators.
|