Trump grounds Boeing 737 MAX planes

Just one day after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said its data "provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft," President Donald Trump last week ordered all Boeing 737 MAX airliners grounded. The U.S. action came after dozens of other countries around the world banned the use of the aircraft not long after Ethiopia Airlines Flight 302 crashed killing all 157 people on board. It was the second fatal accident involving that Boeing model in less than five months. Investigators are looking into the anti-stalling software and maneuvering system on the planes.

Class discussion: Why did the United States wait to ground the 737 MAX planes? The FAA is supposed to promote and regulate air travel. Is it possible for it to be both a booster and a cop? Some pilots complained that they were not informed or trained about Boeing’s new anti-stalling system suspected in the crashes. Do you think very large corporations like Boeing have too much influence over government regulators? Do you feel safer traveling on an airplane or in car? Which is actually the safer way to travel?

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