#Boeing 737 MAX 8

[liamhen5]

Navigating the Skies: Akasa Air's Boeing 737 MAX Fleet

Introduction: 

In the ever-evolving world of aviation, Akasa Air has emerged as a dynamic player, harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology to redefine air travel. At the heart of their strategy lies the Boeing 737 MAX series, with the MAX 8 currently in operation and the eagerly anticipated addition of the MAX 10 to their fleet. This comprehensive exploration delves into Akasa Air's utilization of the Boeing 737 MAX series, from its inception to its future prospects.

The Boeing 737 MAX: 

A Revolution in Air Travel The Boeing 737 MAX series represents a quantum leap in aircraft design, incorporating advanced technology to enhance performance, efficiency, and passenger comfort. With variants like the MAX 8 and MAX 10, Boeing offers airlines like Akasa Air unparalleled versatility to meet diverse operational needs.

Akasa Air's Strategic Fleet Expansion For Akasa Air, the decision to embrace the Boeing 737 MAX series aligns with its commitment to excellence and innovation. The MAX 8, renowned for its fuel efficiency and range, has become a cornerstone of Akasa Air's fleet, enabling the airline to optimize its operations and offer passengers a superior travel experience.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8: 

Engineered for Success As Akasa Air's workhorse, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 exemplifies the epitome of modern aviation. With its advanced aerodynamics and state-of-the-art LEAP engines, the MAX 8 delivers unmatched fuel efficiency and operational reliability, allowing Akasa Air to streamline its operations and reduce environmental impact.

Safety Challenges and Regulatory Compliance The Boeing 737 MAX series faced unprecedented scrutiny following tragic accidents attributed to the MCAS system. In response, Boeing implemented rigorous modifications and collaborated closely with regulatory authorities to ensure the aircraft's safe return to service. Akasa Air remained steadfast in its commitment to safety, implementing comprehensive training programs and adhering to stringent regulatory guidelines.

Restoring Passenger Confidence Central to Akasa Air's success is the trust and confidence of its passengers. In the aftermath of the Boeing 737 MAX grounding, the airline prioritized transparency and communication to reassure travelers of the aircraft's safety. By providing accurate information and implementing robust safety measures, Akasa Air reaffirmed its dedication to passenger well-being.

The Arrival of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 With the impending introduction of the Boeing 737 MAX 10, Akasa Air anticipates unlocking new possibilities for growth and expansion. The MAX 10's increased seating capacity and extended range offer the airline enhanced operational flexibility, enabling it to serve new markets and routes with greater efficiency.

Elevating the Passenger Experience Beyond performance and efficiency, the Boeing 737 MAX series enhances the passenger experience with its spacious cabin design, advanced entertainment systems, and ergonomic seating. Akasa Air leverages these features to create a comfortable and enjoyable journey for its discerning travelers, setting new standards for in-flight comfort.

Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility As environmental sustainability takes center stage in the aviation industry, the Boeing 737 MAX's fuel-efficient engines and reduced emissions align perfectly with Akasa Air's commitment to environmental stewardship. By operating these eco-friendly aircraft, the airline not only minimizes its carbon footprint but also sets an example for responsible aviation practices.

Conclusion: 

Charting a Course for Success In conclusion, Akasa Air's embrace of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 series exemplifies its forward-thinking approach to aviation. By leveraging the MAX 8 and eagerly anticipating the arrival of the MAX 10, the airline positions itself for sustained growth, operational excellence, and unparalleled passenger satisfaction. As Akasa Air continues to navigate the skies, its Boeing 737 MAX fleet serves as a beacon of innovation and a testament to the limitless possibilities of modern air travel.

[ispottedthatplane]

[unibrowzz]

Trying to follow the news today

Like watching a train derail and slam into a petrol station

[canuckus]

Lynx Air Boeing B-737-8 Max

[xtruss]

What Has Happened to Boeing Since the 737 Max Crashes

— By Priyanka Boghani and Kaela Malig | March 13, 2024

A still from "Boeing's Fatal Flaw," a new FRONTLINE Documentary with The New York Times.

Five years ago, 346 people were killed in two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max planes within the span of almost five months: first off the coast of Indonesia in October 2018 and then in Ethiopia in March 2019.

Boeing’s Fatal Flaw, a 2021 FRONTLINE investigation with The New York Times, examined how commercial pressures, flawed design and failed oversight contributed to those devastating tragedies and a catastrophic crisis at one of the world’s most iconic industrial names.

In recent months, Boeing has come under renewed scrutiny after a door-like panel on a Boeing 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines blew off just a few minutes after takeoff in January 2024. An updated version of our documentary examines the impact of this latest crisis.

“This was supposed to be one of the most highly scrutinized planes in the world. And here you are with another incident that was risking passengers’ lives,” the Times’ Sydney Ember says in the updated documentary.

Here we take a brief look at what has happened to Boeing since the deadly 2018 and 2019 crashes and the recent Alaska Airlines incident.

Change in Leadership

Dennis Muilenburg had been CEO of Boeing since 2015. In the aftermath of the crashes, he testified before U.S. Senate and House Committees in October 2019, acknowledging the fatal accidents happened “on my watch” and saying he and the company were accountable. He told the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, “If we knew back then what we know now, we would have grounded [the 737 Max] right after the first accident.”

Two months after the congressional hearings, on Dec. 23, 2019, Muilenburg was fired by Boeing. The company described the move as “necessary to restore confidence” in Boeing “as it works to repair relationships with regulators, customers, and all other stakeholders.”

David Calhoun stepped into the role of CEO in January 2020 and continues to fill the position.

A $2.5 Billion DOJ Settlement and Challenges

On Jan. 7, 2021, the Department of Justice announced that Boeing would pay a $2.5 billion settlement, resolving a DOJ charge that the company had conspired to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aircraft Evaluation Group.

The DOJ’s criminal investigation focused on the actions of two employees who Boeing said in court documents “deceived the FAA AEG” about the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) onboard the 737 Max — a system the DOJ said “may have played a role” in both 737 Max crashes. The DOJ said the employees’ “deception” led to information about MCAS being left out of a key document released by the FAA, as well as airplane manuals and pilot-training materials.

As Boeing’s Fatal Flaw recounts, congressional investigators found internal documents showing that, after Boeing realized the impact MCAS would have on pilot training and FAA certification, some Boeing employees suggested removing all references to MCAS from training manuals.

“Boeing’s employees chose the path of profit over candor by concealing material information from the FAA concerning the operation of its 737 Max airplane and engaging in an effort to cover up their deception,” said David P. Burns, the acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s criminal division when the settlement was announced.

The company entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ, in which Boeing agreed to pay a nearly $244 million fine, to set up a $500-million fund for the families of people who died in the two crashes, and to pay $1.77 billion to airlines that had been affected by the 20-month grounding of the 737 Max that began in March 2019.

Boeing also agreed to continue cooperating with the DOJ’s Fraud Section on “any ongoing or future investigations and prosecutions” and is required to report any alleged violation of fraud laws by Boeing employees when dealing with foreign or domestic agencies, regulators or airline customers.

Boeing declined FRONTLINE’s request to be interviewed for the documentary. In a statement, the company said safety is its top priority and it has worked closely with regulators, investigators and stakeholders “to implement changes that ensure accidents like these never happen again.”

Former Boeing Pilot Found Not Guilty for Fraud

In October 2021, a federal grand jury criminally indicted Mark Forkner, Boeing’s Former Chief Technical Pilot for the 737 Max Airplane, on fraud charges. Forkner, who became the first and so far only individual to face criminal charges after the two fatal crashes, was accused of providing “materially false, inaccurate and incomplete information” to FAA regulators about flight-control software involved in the 2018 and 2019 crashes. Forkner was later found not guilty of all charges in federal court.

Forkner declined to be interviewed for the documentary, but his lawyer told the Times that his communications with the FAA were honest and that “he would never jeopardize the safety of other pilots or their passengers.”

Lawsuits by Families of Crash Victims

By November 2019, Boeing was facing more than 150 lawsuits filed by families of people who had died in the two crashes — over 50 of the suits stemming from the Indonesian crash and about 100 from the crash in Ethiopia, according to the Associated Press’ review of federal court records.

In July 2020, Boeing told a U.S. federal court that claims related to 171 of the 189 people killed in the Indonesia crash were either partially or fully settled, although the settlements were not publicly disclosed.

As of June 2023, cases related to 68 passengers from the Ethiopian Airlines crash were pending.

The Grounding and Return of the 737 Max 8 and Max 9

In the days after the second 737 Max crashed in March 2019, regulators around the world — from China to the European Union and several other countries — grounded the plane. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration followed suit on March 13, 2019, after initially saying the planes were safe to fly.

When the FAA retested and approved the 737 Max 8 and Max 9, ending the grounding in November 2020, it required airlines to take the following steps before putting the planes back into service: installing new flight-control-computer and display-system software; incorporating revised flight-crew procedures; rerouting wiring; completing a test of the “angle of attack” sensor system, which had contributed to both the 2018 and 2019 crashes; and performing an operational readiness flight.

The FAA, in conjunction with aviation agencies from Canada, Brazil and the European Union, also concluded that pilots operating the 737 Max would need to complete special training. It is not clear who would pay for this additional training, which reversed one of Boeing’s original sales pitches to airlines for the 737 Max: that the plane would require minimal pilot training.

A December 2020 Senate committee report criticized Boeing and the FAA’s handling of the 737 Max recertification testing, saying that, based on whistleblower information and testimony, it appeared Boeing and FAA officials had “established a pre-determined outcome,” and that Boeing officials “inappropriately coached” test pilots in the MCAS simulator. The report alleged, “It appears, in this instance, FAA and Boeing were attempting to cover up important information that may have contributed to the 737 MAX tragedies.”

The FAA responded at the time, saying: “Working closely with other international regulators, the FAA conducted a thorough and deliberate review of the 737 Max.” The agency added it was “confident” the issues that led to the two crashes had been “addressed through the design changes required and independently approved by the FAA and its partners.”

“We have learned many hard lessons” from the crashes, Boeing said in its own statement at the time. The company said it took the committee’s findings seriously and would continue to review the report in full.

Following the Senate report, families of the 2019 Ethiopian crash victims wrote to the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation in a letter dated Dec. 22, 2020, and reviewed by Reuters, asking for the 737 Max approval to be rescinded and for an investigation to “determine whether the MAX recertification process was tainted.”

A Brazilian airline was the first to fly a 737 Max after regulators there followed the FAA in ungrounding the plane. On Dec. 29, 2020 — a week after the families’ letter — the 737 Max flew paying passengers in America for the first time after nearly two years of being grounded. A month later, Europe’s aviation authority also gave the 737 Max clearance to fly.

On Aug. 26, 2021, India lifted its ban on the 737 Max after “closely” monitoring the plane’s performance elsewhere and noting “no untoward reporting.” China, which was the first country to ground Max jets after the deadly crashes, resumed commercial flights with the model in January 2023.

The 737 Max 10

On June 18, 2021, Boeing’s new model 737 Max 10 took to the skies for its first flight. The Max 10 is larger than the Max 8, which was involved in the 2018 and 2019 crashes, and the Max 9. According to Boeing’s technical specs, the Max 10 is 14 feet longer than the Max 8 and can seat a maximum of 230 people, compared to the Max 8’s capacity of 210.

At the time of the test flight, Boeing was already working on additional safety features in the Max 10 requested by European regulators, according to Reuters.

“We’re going to take our time on this certification,” Stan Deal, who became president and CEO of Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes division in October 2019, said at the time of the Max 10’s first flight, according to The Seattle Times. “We’re committed to make further safety enhancements.”’

The FAA cleared the Max 10 to begin test flights, a step towards certification, last November.

Alaska Airlines Plane Incident

On January 5, an Alaska Airlines jet made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, after a portion of its fuselage blew out and left a door-sized hole in the side of the aircraft while it was around 16,000 feet in the sky. None of the 171 passengers and six crew members were seriously injured. The FAA temporarily grounded more than 170 Max 9 jets so they could be inspected.

In the aftermath, Boeing CEO David Calhoun has said, “Boeing is accountable for what happened.”

A Feb. 6 preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board said that the bolts meant to secure the door-like panel appeared to be missing before the flight.

Later the same month, the FAA released a long-awaited report that found that Boeing’s safety culture has been “inadequate” and “confusing.” The FAA gave Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan to address quality control issues.

The FAA conducted a six-week audit after the Alaska Airlines incident, and on March 4 said that it found Boeing had allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.

Boeing now faces legal trouble in relation to the Jan. 5 event, including lawsuits filed by passengers and shareholders.

On Feb. 21, Boeing told employees that Ed Clark, who led the 737 program since 2021, would be replaced. The memo announcing Clark’s departure and other changes said the company was focused “on ensuring that every airplane we deliver meets or exceeds all quality and safety requirements.”

The Justice Department has also begun a criminal investigation into Boeing in the aftermath of the Alaska Airlines incident, as reported first by The Wall Street Journal.

“Cultural change doesn’t happen overnight, especially at big corporations like this,” David Gelles, one of the Times reporters featured in Boeing’s Fatal Flaw, says. “If Boeing wants to get back to that place of grandeur where it was for so long one of the most important American companies, it’s going to take not four years, but it might take 14.”

[brightnshinythings]

From 2019

[unscharf-an-den-raendern]

Aus der Reihe "Unnützes Spatort-Wissen"

Die "private Maschine" ist dieses Flugzeug: Eine Boeing 737 Max 8, zum Zeitpunkt der Dreharbeiten geleased von der Charterfluggesellschaft SmartLynx Malta, momentan geleased von der türkischen Billigfluggesellschaft Anadolujet. Vermutlich "gecastet" weil es damals keine auffälligen Aufschriften hatte.

Fliegt momentan laut Flightradar24 für Turkish Airlines von Köln, Hannover, Stuttgart und Brüssel nach Istanbul. Bitte keine Sporttasche voller Geld mit an Bord nehmen.

[lithominium]

in your expert opinion, what is

The sexiest plane

The funniest plane

The least sexiest plane

The most likely to become sentient plane

The plane youd want to make in minecraft

1: Boeing 737 Max 8

2: be-200

3:boeing x32

4:F35 (it flew across the us without a pilot)

5: Id be happy to make anything in minecraft, idk i guess an RV-10A?

[runwayrunway]

i thought southwest was all 737s?? why does she look so stubby???

Southwest is all 737s, yes! It's wild how quickly the 737's reputation has changed because they used to be The stubby plane.

There are four 'generations' of 737 - original (100/200), Classic (300/400/500), Next Generation (600/700/800/900), and MAX (8M/9M/7M and 10M when those enter service). The first 737 model from all the way back in the 60s, the -100, looked like This:

(They only made 30 of them and they were basically all Lufthansa's, but I think NASA might still have one)

Because, you see, the 737 was intended to be strictly a short-range jet carrying small amounts of passengers and because of that it was absolutely teeny. It was actually meant to compete with planes as small as the Fokker F28, and in modern terms I'd compare it to something like an A318 or E170 (except far more limited in range). Original 737s operated routes you'd probably use props for today. They were literally made to take over on routes too small and low-capacity for the 727.

(Check out those weird stretched out nacelles - those are JT8Ds, and they're most prominently also used on the DC-9 but you can also find them on some 727s, some Caravelles, and one of my favorite obscure failed airliners, the Dassault Mercure. Get a long, little engine, they said. You can tell original 737s apart from Classics because those ones have regular(ish) engines.)

Then for some reason Boeing just kept stretching her?

737-200 of United Airlines | 737-300 (Classic) of LOT Polish Airlines

737-500 (Classic) of Southwest Airlines | 737-600 (Classic) of Air Algérie

737-700 (NG) of Southwest Airlines | 737-800 (NG) of Southwest Airlines

737 MAX 8 of Southwest Airlines

And now they're comparable to 757s, for some reason. I have a massive soft spot for the old stubby 737s. To me that's what a 737 is supposed to be. But the -800 was the most produced until the MAX 8, which I believe has similar numbers, so those are what people are most used to seeing if they grew up after the 727 era.

As for Southwest, they operated the 200, 300, and 500, and right now they operate the 700, 800, and MAX 8. They're planning to replace the 700s with MAX 7s, but those aren't getting built yet...so you got to see the 700, which, despite all the stretching, manages to hold onto some of the stubby glory the 800 and MAX lost. I think the Southwest livery looks extra good on her because of it 😊

[comeonamericawakeup]

Boeing is on course toward becoming one of America's greatest industrial tragedies, said AnthonyL. Velocci Jr. "With no one to blame but itself," Boeing has "all but destroyed its once-proud legacy of engineering excellence, public trust, confidence among customers and regulators, innovation, product-pioneering risk-taking, and any notion that its C-suite is capable" of effectively managing the organization. Gone is "what was once a cohesive workplace culture of rigor and discipline." Boeing's track record over the past seven years--after the FAA certified the 737 MAX 8 safe for flight operations in 2017-has involved "one egregious lapse of quality control after another." This week, Boeing said it will need to "rework" about 50 undelivered jets after mis-drilled holes were discovered on the fuselages. About a hundred 737 Max 9 jets were grounded for most of January after a door plug blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight. Following each incident, we hear management assurances that problems will get fixed.

When? And by whom? "It is hard to imagine a board of directors being more insidious and negligent." Institutional shareholders must demand a board overhaul to save Boeing from its "self-destructive course." Because if you think Boeing is "too big and too critical to the U.S. economy" to fail, think again.

THE WEEK February 16, 2024

If it’s Boeing, I’m not going. Certainly NOT the 737 Max.

[liamhen5]

A Closer Look at Akasa Air's Boeing 737 MAX Fleet

Introduction: 

Akasa Air, one of the emerging players in the aviation industry, has made significant strides with its modern fleet, prominently featuring the Boeing 737 MAX series. In particular, the airline has embraced the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and eagerly awaits the integration of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 into its operations. This article delves into the significance of these aircraft for Akasa Air, exploring their features, controversies, and the airline's strategy for leveraging them.

Evolution of the Boeing 737 MAX: 

The Boeing 737 MAX series represents a new era in aviation, with advanced technology aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency, range, and passenger comfort. The MAX 8, MAX 9, and MAX 10 variants offer airlines flexibility in configuring seating capacities while maintaining operational efficiency.

Akasa Air's Fleet Strategy: 

Akasa Air's decision to incorporate the Boeing 737 MAX series into its fleet aligns with its vision of modernizing operations and enhancing passenger experience. The airline's emphasis on fuel efficiency and cost-effectiveness makes the MAX series an ideal choice for its domestic and international routes.

Boeing 737 MAX 8: 

Cornerstone of Akasa Air's Fleet: The Boeing 737 MAX 8 serves as the cornerstone of Akasa Air's fleet, offering a balance of range and capacity suitable for its diverse route network. With its advanced aerodynamics and fuel-efficient engines, the MAX 8 enables Akasa Air to operate economically while reducing its carbon footprint.

Safety Concerns and Regulatory Challenges: 

The Boeing 737 MAX series faced unprecedented scrutiny following two fatal accidents attributed to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS). Consequently, global regulators grounded the aircraft, leading to extensive modifications and recertification processes. Akasa Air, like other operators, navigated through these challenges, prioritizing safety and compliance.

Restoring Confidence: 

Boeing 737 MAX 10 in Akasa Air's Approach: 

Amidst the safety concerns surrounding the Boeing 737 MAX, Akasa Air adopted a proactive approach to reassure passengers and stakeholders. The airline implemented comprehensive training programs for pilots, emphasized transparent communication, and collaborated closely with regulatory authorities to ensure adherence to safety protocols.

Integration of the Boeing 737 MAX 10:

 Akasa Air eagerly anticipates the integration of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 into its fleet, recognizing its potential to further optimize operational efficiency and enhance passenger comfort. With its increased seating capacity and extended range, the MAX 10 opens up new possibilities for the airline's route expansion plans.

Passenger Experience and Comfort: 

In addition to operational advantages, the Boeing 737 MAX series offers passengers a modern and comfortable travel experience. Enhanced cabin features, such as larger windows, mood lighting, and spacious overhead bins, contribute to a pleasant journey for Akasa Air's discerning travelers.

Environmental Sustainability: 

As sustainability becomes increasingly important in the aviation industry, the Boeing 737 MAX's fuel efficiency and reduced emissions align with Akasa Air's commitment to environmental stewardship. By operating these aircraft, the airline demonstrates its dedication to minimizing its carbon footprint and contributing to a greener future.

Conclusion: 

Akasa Air's investment in the Boeing 737 MAX series underscores its commitment to innovation, safety, and passenger satisfaction. Despite initial challenges, the airline remains optimistic about the future of its MAX fleet, leveraging these state-of-the-art aircraft to solidify its position in the competitive aviation market while prioritizing safety and sustainability.

In summary, the Boeing 737 MAX, particularly the MAX 8 and the upcoming MAX 10, plays a pivotal role in Akasa Air's growth strategy, offering a blend of efficiency, reliability, and passenger comfort that aligns with the airline's vision for the future of air travel.

[nocternalrandomness]

A new 2023 Boeing 737-8 Max crosses the taxiway bridge at Phoenix Sky Harbor during delivery

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Here are just two of the corporate giveaways hidden in the rushed, must-pass, end-of-year budget bill

Yesterday, Congress finally voted through the must-pass, end-of-year budget bill. As has become routine, this bill was stalled right until the final moment, so that Congressjerks could cram the 4,000-page, $1.7 trillion package with special favors for their donors, at the expense of the rest of the country.

This year’s budget package included a couple of especially egregious doozies, which were reported out for The American Prospect by Lee Harris (who covered a grotesque retirement giveaway for the ultra-rich) and Doraj Facundo (who covered a safety giveaway to Boeing and its lethal fleet of 737 Max airplanes).

Let’s start with the retirement scam. The budget bill includes Rep Richie Neal’s [DINO-MA] SECURE Act 2.0, which gives savers with retirement funds until age 75 to cash out their retirement savings — netting an extra three years of tax-free growth for the lucky, tiny minority with substantial retirement savings. This follows on Neal’s SECURE Act 1.0 of 2019, when the age was raised from 70.5 to 72.

The tax-exempt retirement savings account is a Carter-era bargain that replaced real pensions — ones that guaranteed that you wouldn’t starve or freeze to death when you retired — with accounts that let people gamble on the stock market, to be the suckers at Wall Street’s poker table:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/25/derechos-humanos/#are-there-no-poorhouses

The market-based gambler’s pension is a catastrophic failure. Half of Americans have no retirement savings. Of the half that have any savings, the vast majority have almost nothing saved:

https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scf/dataviz/scf/chart/#series:Retirement_Accounts;demographic:all;population:all;units:have

All in all, America has a $7 trillion retirement savings shortfall:

https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IB_19-16.pdf

But for a tiny minority of the ultra-rich, tax-free savings accounts like ROTH IRAs are a means of avoiding even the paltry capital gains tax that you have to pay if you own things for a living, rather than doing things for a living. Propublica’s IRS Files revealed how ghouls like Peter Thiel avoided tax on billions in “passive income” by abusing tax-free savings accounts that were supposed to benefit the “middle class”:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/26/wax-rothful/#thiels-gambit

Meanwhile, Social Security is crumbling, thanks to a sustained attack on it by the business lobby and its friends in both parties. Progressive Dems had sought to amend SECURE Act 2.0 by inserting some clauses to shore up Social Security, and none of these were included in the final bill.

One of the fixes that died was the Savings Penalty Elimination Act, introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown [D-OH] and Rob Portman [R-OH]. This act would have tweaked the means-testing for Supplemental Security Income, which supports 8m low-income disabled adults and kids. Right now, you can’t collect SSI if you have $2k in the bank, a limit that hasn’t been adjusted for inflation since the 1980s (adjusted for inflation, $2k in 1980 is $7226.00 in 2022).

The $2k savings cap means that you have to be substantially below the poverty level to receive $585/month in SSI assistance — this being the only source of income for the majority of SSI recipients. Means-testing is a self-immolating fetish for corporate Dems and in retrospect, this betrayal seems inevitable:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/05/03/utopia-of-rules/#in-triplicate

(Notice how no one proposes means-testing billionaires when they get PPP loans or hundreds of millions in IRS “refunds” — like Trump, who paid substantially less tax than you did:)

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/21/trump-income-tax-returns-detailed-in-new-report-.html

And it was a betrayal: progressive Dems bargained with Neal and co not to publicly condemn SECURE Act 2.0 if they could get some concessions for the 8 million poorest disabled people in America. In the end, Neal rug-pulled them. Of course he did! This is Richie Fucking Neal, the best friend the Trump tax giveaway ever had:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/13/youre-still-the-product/#richie-neal

As with everything Neal touches, this screws poor people in multiple ways. First, it leaves the SSI cap intact. But it also creates a giant unfunded liability in the federal budget. Technically, there’s no reason this should lead to cuts. The US Treasury can’t run out of dollars, and giveaways to the rich are only mildly inflationary, since rich people put their money in the bank and mostly spend it on buying politicians, not goods.

But because of the delusion that currency producers like the US Treasury have the same constraints as currency users like you and me, Congress will need to come up with “Pay Fors” in future budgets to “make up for” the money they’re giving to rich people with SECURE Act 2.0. Dollars to toenail clippings, they’ll do that by hacking away at the tattered remains of the US social safety net.

Fear not, you don’t need to be a desperately poor disabled person or child to get fucked over by late additions to a 4,000 page must-pass bill! If you can afford to get on an airplane, Congress has something for you, too!

Remember when Boeing (the monopoly US airplane manufacturer that squandered $43b on stock buybacks and had to borrow $14b from the US public to survive the pandemic) told the FAA that it could self-certify its 737 Max airplanes, and then killed hundreds and hundreds of people with its defective planes?

https://pluralistic.net/2020/03/12/boeing-crashes/#boeing

The 737 Max was unsafe for many reasons, but one glaring factor was the fact that Boeing sold some of its core safety as “extras” — like they were downloadable content for your Fortnite character — leading to multiple crashes in which all lives were lost:

https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-indonesia-accidents-ap-top-news-international-news-140576a8e9d4449eae646c8c479fdc3a

Boeing was forced to take the 737 Max out of service, but it eventually brought the plane back, “fixing” the problems by renaming the “737 Max” to the “737 8”:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/08/20/dubious-quantitative-residue/#737-8

Supposedly, Boeing has been diligently working on fixing the problems with its defective jets that can’t be addressed by a rebranding campaign. This wasn’t voluntary: the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act required Boeing — and every other manufacturer whose aircraft were certified by the FAA — to meet new minimum safety standards by December 27, 2022.

Every manufacturer met that deadline, except Boeing, and someone amended the budget bill to give the company three more years to meet these security standards. Critically, the new security measures, when they come, will be certified by an FAA that Republicans will control, thanks to the House changing hands.

https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/government-spending-bill-waives-aircraft-safety-deadline/

Boeing is slated to ship 1,000 new 737 Maxes, which will fetch $50b for the company. Many of these planes will fly directly over my house, which is on the approach path for Burbank airport. Southwest Air flies dozens of 737 Maxes right over my roof every single day.

As Facundo points out, the FAA can ill afford any more hits to its credibility. It was once the case that if the FAA certified an aircraft, every other country in the world would waive any further certification, so trusting were they of the FAA’s judgment. That is no longer the case: today, the European Aviation Safety Agency does its own aircraft testing, holding jets that enter EU airspace to a higher standard than the FAA does for US planes.

It’s just another reminder that the US doesn’t have “corporate criminals” because the US doesn’t have any meaningful enforcement for corporate crimes. In America, we love our companies like we love our billionaires: too big to fail and too big to jail:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/12/no-criminals-no-crimes/#get-out-of-jail-free-card

Image: Ryan Lee (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/190784293@N05/50862532686

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Henry Wadey (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flames_%2858765896%29.jpeg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[Image ID: A living room scene, featuring a sofa in the background and a sofa in the foreground. A man's hand reaches into the frame to lift up the corner of the sofa. A broom enters the frame to sweep a pile of dirt under the rug. Mixed in with the dirt are a crashed WWI biplane with Southwest Airlines livery, and an old lady in a rocking chair.]

[unrelaxing]

an incomplete media list from 26.03.2024 to literally today (25.05.2024)

I kind of fell off keeping track of my media consumption for a little while, so this is not going to be like my previous lists, and is more of a 'these are the ones I remember' list.

I watched a lot of documentaries until Netflix (the villain) kicked me out for not being the main account holder. Downfall: The Case Against Boeing is a 2022 documentary that caught my eye due to the whistleblower that supposedly killed himself while testifying against Boeing. The documentary is about two airplanes that crashed on late 2018 and early 2019, caused by an update that Boeing deliberately attempted to hide in order to sell their new 737 MAX to airlines.

MH370 The Plane That Disappeared is another plane crash documentary - this time trying to solve the mystery of what could have happened to a Malaysian Airlines flight that disappeared in 2014. It mostly goes into theories, because even today we don't really have any answers. YMMV in terms of said theories and whether or not it goes into crackpot conspiracy territory, but I think it's important to also state that some families of the deceased themselves think that things have been hidden from them and that it's not just people trying to make a big deal out of it.

Last Stop Larrimah. This one had me hooked. It's about a 70-year-old man that goes missing in a town with only 11 other people, all of whom hate each other. I feel like if that doesn't intrigue you, the documentary is not for you, because there is no other way to explain how quickly I clicked on this when I saw that synopsis. INCREDIBLY well made, as well, and managed to follow the subjects over a number of years.

Into The Deep: The Submarine Murder Case. I thought this was so unique for a true crime documentary because when the murder happens, a documentary was actually already being made on the murderer, due to the fact that he's an entrepreneur trying to build a rocket. The documentary has been called is an inadvertent "portrait of a killer", and it is super haunting.

Outside of documentaries, I watched the Spy x Family movie Spy x Family Code: White twice in cinemas, a solid 8/10. I listened to The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift (which I actually reviewed, 1/10). I also listened to Bewitched by Laufey, which was a really nice 50's Cinderella vibes album (7.5/10) and The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan, which took a while to grow on me, but did (6.5/10).

Also, I binge watched PBS Eons on YouTube, because pre-history has always had me on a chokehold.

Hopefully the upcoming month will have me reading more - I dove back into BBC Merlin fandom and Hetalia and as a result stopped reading for a hot minute. Luckily, I have weirdly strict top/bottom preferences for both fandoms that go against the popular fandom trend (it's likely my preferences are BECAUSE of the strong fandom trend, I can get petty like that... though it's more likely to do with who my favourite is not matching who fandom's favourite is because UNSPOKEN FANDOM RULE TENDS TO BE THAT PEOPLE'S FAVES = THE ONE WHO BOTTOMS WHICH PEOPLE SHOULD REALLY TALK ABOUT MORE) and I therefore am likely to run out fic super quickly or get impatient looking for fic that suits me, so! More books. PLUS, Hetalia fandom always gets me re-invigorated to read history stuff, and I actually bought some books from the vintage market today which I'm so excited about.

[canuckus]

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