Government issues immediate alarm regarding potential engine smoke emission in Boeing 737 MAX aircraft cabins and cockpits.
Boeing 737 MAX engines face a potential threat, as federal regulators sound the alarm over smoke-filled cockpits and cabins.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a dramatic warning about the risk of smoke seeping into airplane cabins or cockpits due to malfunctioning engines, specifically the CFM International LEAP-1B engine. This concern is related to damage to the engine's oil system, which could allow hot oil to infiltrate the airplane's ventilation system, posing a choking hazard for pilots [1][2][3][4].
The NTSB's dire warnings are inspired by two harrowing incidents on Southwest Airlines flights, where the engines malfunctioned after bird strikes and spewed smoke into the cabins. In one incident, a Boeing 737-8 filled with "acrid white smoke" shortly after takeoff from New Orleans, La. The cloud was so thick that the captain struggled to glimpse the instrument panel in the cockpit, the NTSB said [1]. Another flight in March 2023 experienced a similar ordeal, as a bird strike damaged the engine, allowing fog to pervade the passenger cabin shortly after departing Havana, Cuba. Fortunately, both flights necessitated emergency landings, but there were no injuries [1].
In light of these events, the NTSB is urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to scrutinize LEAP-1A and LEAP-1C engines to determine if they share the same vulnerabilities. The NTSB is also gravely concerned that flight crews lack awareness of this smoke hazard and may not know how to respond effectively [1]. To alleviate this concern, the agency advocates that the FAA requires operators, like Boeing, to alert crews about the smoke risk.
Fortunately, Boeing has already restructured its flight manuals for pilots to detail preventative measures against smoke infiltrating the cockpit or cabin. In response to the NTSB's recommendations, Boeing states, "CFM International and Boeing have been working on a software design update. We support the NTSB’s recommendation" [1]. GE Aerospace, which owns CFM International, concurs with the NTSB's proposals and assures that the necessary work is already underway [1].
In summary, the NTSB has issued urgent safety recommendations to address the risk of smoke permeating the cabins or cockpits of Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo aircraft due to potential damage to the CFM International LEAP-1B engine's oil system. The main solutions the NTSB proposes include software updates to the engine control system to prevent oil system damage and smoke ingress, enhanced pilot training, and increased awareness about this hazard [1]. The NTSB's recommendations serve to safeguard passengers and flight crews from the dangers associated with smoke inhalation during critical flight phases, such as takeoff or landing.
The NTSB's recommendations for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extend beyond Boeing 737 MAX, as they also urge scrutiny of LEAP-1A and LEAP-1C engines used in the aerospace industry, particularly in airplanes like the Airbus A320neo. The finance sector, with companies like GE Aerospace (owners of CFM International), are already taking steps to address the potential threat to the aviation industry posed by smoke-filled cockpits and cabins, as they work on necessary updates to their engine control systems.
