Aviation

Boeing Found Guilty; Accepts Responsibility for Crashes Killing Over 300 People

In a significant development, Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and pay a fine of $243.6 million to resolve an investigation into two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced this resolution in a court filing on July 7. This deal helps the embattled aerospace company avoid a potentially damaging public trial as it seeks to recover from a series of safety and manufacturing issues.

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According to the document filed in the Northern District Court of Texas, both parties are working to finalize the terms of the plea agreement. They have requested the judge to delay scheduling a trial, anticipating that the deal will be made public by filing it with the court by July 19.

This agreement addresses only Boeing’s misconduct prior to the crashes, which tragically claimed the lives of all 346 passengers and crew members aboard two new boeing insight accelerator MAX jets. It does not grant Boeing immunity for other incidents, such as the panel that detached from a MAX jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, according to a Justice Department official.

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As part of the agreement, Boeing will undergo a three-year period of independent monitoring of its safety and quality protocols. Additionally, they are required to invest at least $455 million in strengthening their compliance and safety programs.

Additionally, Boeing committed to reporting any suspected breaches of fraud laws by staff members in their interactions with foreign or domestic authorities, regulators, or airline customers, as well as collaborating with the DoJ on any relevant investigations.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.