How Boeing Design Helped flydubai Plane Despite Losing 32,000 Feet Per Minute
A Boeing 737 Max flight operated by flydubai survived a near-catastrophic incident involving a cockpit altercation and a rapid, near-vertical descent. The aircraft's design and structural redundancy are credited with preventing a crash despite significant damage to the rudder.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the critical role of aviation engineering and safety redundancies in surviving extreme, non-standard flight conditions.
The aftermath of the near-catastrophic FlyDubai flight that miraculously ended with a safe landing has largely focused on the desperate fight between the two pilots and the heroic effort by passengers and a reserve crew to stabilize the plunging jetliner. But the performance of the aircraft itself also appears to have defied the odds, given the Boeing Co. 737 Max plummeted almost vertically at one point as the two men battled for control of the cockpit. The plane eventually touched down in Saudi Arabia, despite the breakneck maneuvers that seemed to damage some parts of the aircraft, drawing online praise of Boeing's design from US President Donald Trump.
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