Aviation

Lion Air crash: Cockpit voice recorder shows pilots’ search for fix

SAFETY INVESTIGATION INTO BOEING 737 MAX 8 ACCIDENT, REGISTERED ET-AVJ AND OPERATED BY ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES, ON 10/03/2019

Data from the FDR and CVR of flight ET302 of 10/03/19 has been transfered to the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau by BEA as part of the investigation process.

The Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau « extends its deep appreciation to the BEA and the French Authorities for their cooperation and support in recovering the FDR and CVR data. »

As part of the recovery process, correct data extraction from both the FDR and CVR was verified by the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau, BEA and NTSB. During the verification process of the FDR data, clear similarities were noted by the investigation team between Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 and Lion Air Flight 610, which will be the subject of further study during the investigation.

BEA wishes to thank the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau and the Ethiopian authorities as well for their trust.

The Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau intends to release a preliminary report within 30 days.

The Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the safety investigation. This communication is released in full coordination with this bureau.

Lion air crash details

The investigation into the crash, which killed all 189 people on board in October, has taken on new relevance as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other regulators grounded the model last week after a second deadly accident in Ethiopia.

Investigators examining the Indonesian crash are considering how a computer ordered the plane to dive in response to data from a faulty sensor and whether the pilots had enough training to respond appropriately to the emergency, among other factors.

The pilots of a doomed Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX (stock photo) scoured a handbook as they struggled to understand why the jet was lurching downwards – but ran out of time before it hit the water, three people with knowledge of the cockpit voice recorder contents said

It is the first time the voice recorder contents from the Lion Air flight have been made public. The three sources discussed them on condition of anonymity.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.