“Boeing Has A BIG Problem” Richard Quest Unpacks Turbulence Death

Summary

In this transcript, CNN's Piers Morgan interviews aviation expert Richard Quest about recent turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight that tragically resulted in a passenger's death. They discuss the nature of turbulence, the limitations of aircraft systems in predicting its severity, and the broader implications for air safety. Quest emphasizes that while modern aircraft are sophisticated, turbulence detection is not foolproof, and he reassures that flying remains extremely safe despite recent incidents. The conversation also touches on Boeing's quality control issues and the importance of always fastening seat belts during flights.

Takeaways

• 🛫 The script discusses the current public perception of air travel safety, particularly concerning Boeing aircraft, following several incidents and whistleblower claims.
• 📉 A British man's death after a Singapore Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence highlights the potential dangers of flying, despite modern aircraft's advanced safety features.
• 🚀 Aviation expert Richard Quest explains that while the turbulence experienced on the Singapore Airlines flight was violent, it was not extreme in terms of altitude change, only several hundred feet.
• 🛑 The confusion around the incident stems from people mistaking a controlled descent to a lower flight level for part of the turbulence event.
• 🔍 Quest emphasizes that no plane has ever crashed due to turbulence alone, and the Singapore Airlines incident was unlikely to result in a plane crash despite the severity.
• 🌩️ Modern aircraft have sophisticated systems to detect weather patterns, but they cannot always predict the exact severity of turbulence within a storm.
• 🔧 Boeing is facing issues related to quality control, as evidenced by incidents like a door malfunction on an Alaska Airlines flight, which raises concerns about the company's commitment to safety.
• 👨‍💼 CEO changes and company statements about prioritizing safety are contrasted with incidents that suggest ongoing quality issues within Boeing.
• 👀 The media's focus on aviation incidents can sometimes amplify public concern, even though many issues are not systemic and have always occurred sporadically.
• ✈️ Despite recent incidents, air travel is statistically safer now than ever before, with a multitude of checks and processes in place from aircraft manufacturing to passenger boarding.
• 💺 The importance of keeping seat belts fastened during flights is underscored by the turbulence incident, as it can prevent injuries even during seemingly minor fluctuations in altitude.

Q & A

What concerns have been raised about Boeing's aircraft safety?

There have been a series of claims and whistleblowers raising concerns about the safety of Boeing's aircraft, including high-profile incidents like a door blowing off an Alaska Airlines flight in January.

What happened on the Singapore Airlines flight mentioned in the transcript?

The Singapore Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence, which resulted in a British man tragically dying of a suspected heart attack after the plane plunged 6,000 feet.

What is the significance of the vertical rate of ascent in the context of the Singapore Airlines flight turbulence?

The vertical rate of ascent is significant because it indicates how quickly the plane was being pummeled up and down, which was several hundred feet a minute in this case, making the turbulence particularly violent.

What was the actual height differential the Singapore Airlines flight experienced during the turbulence?

The actual height differential from bottom to top was about 400 feet, with the plane going from 37,000 feet up to 37,150 feet and then down to 36,700 feet.

Why can't modern aircraft detect the severity of turbulence like the incident on the Singapore Airlines flight?

Modern aircraft can detect the presence of a storm, but they cannot accurately gauge the ferocity within it. Radar can show weather patterns, but the intensity of turbulence cannot be fully assessed until the plane experiences it.

What is a 'ride report' and how does it relate to turbulence?

A ride report is information provided by pilots who have already flown through a weather system. It can help subsequent pilots understand the severity of turbulence that they might encounter.

What is the current belief about Boeing's safety and quality control?

Boeing is believed to have a significant problem with quality control. Past incidents, including the MAX crashes and other issues, suggest a systemic problem that needs to be addressed.

How does the media's portrayal of aviation incidents affect public perception?

The media's focus on incidents can create a perception of increased danger, even though many of these incidents were not systemic and were happening anyway. This can lead to unnecessary alarm and a skewed public perception of safety.

What is the general safety level of flying today compared to the past?

Flying is safer now than it has ever been, with the chance of an accident being extremely low. The focus should be on other factors such as air traffic control and pilot training in some parts of the world.

What advice does Richard Quest give regarding seat belts on flights?

Richard Quest advises always keeping your seat belt fastened while on a flight, even when sleeping, to avoid injuries from unexpected turbulence or sudden drops in altitude.

What was the context of the discussion about the MH370 flight disappearance?

The discussion about MH370 was in the context of trying to understand what happened to the flight that disappeared from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with the acknowledgment that the cause remains unknown.

Outlines

00:00

😨 Turbulence and Air Safety Concerns

This paragraph discusses the current climate of fear surrounding air travel, particularly concerning Boeing aircraft. It references several incidents that have raised safety concerns, such as a door blowing off an Alaska Airlines flight and a British man's death due to a heart attack following severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight. The conversation with aviation expert Richard Quest explores the nature of turbulence, explaining that while it can be violent, it is not typically the cause of plane crashes. The discussion also touches on the limitations of aircraft systems in detecting the severity of turbulence and the importance of pilot reports in understanding weather conditions.

05:00

🛩️ Boeing's Quality Control Issues

The second paragraph delves into the specific problems Boeing has been facing, with a focus on quality control. It contrasts the profit-seeking mentality that led to the MAX incident with the current emphasis on safety under CEO Calhoun. The discussion points out a recent incident where a door was improperly secured, highlighting a lapse in safety protocols. While acknowledging that modern aircraft are well-built and safe, the conversation raises concerns about the potential for small issues to indicate a larger problem within the company's mindset. It also emphasizes the importance of not just the aircraft's safety, but also the reliability of air traffic control and pilot training.

10:01

💺 The Importance of Seat Belts in Air Travel

This paragraph emphasizes the critical importance of keeping seat belts fastened during flights, using the metaphor of an egg in a bottle to illustrate what can happen to passengers who are not restrained during turbulence. The conversation between the hosts includes personal anecdotes and a demonstration of the potential dangers of not wearing seat belts. It also touches on the Singapore Airlines incident as a reminder of the consequences of not following safety guidelines and the need for passengers to be more conscientious about their own safety.

15:02

🎙️ Reflections on MH370 and the UK Election

The final paragraph wraps up the conversation with a look back at the mystery of flight MH370 and the hosts' past collaboration to understand the incident. It also includes a humorous take on the optics of a UK election announcement that took place in poor weather, suggesting that the conditions may have detracted from the intended message. The conversation ends with a light-hearted discussion about the ideal (and not-so-ideal) travel companions on long flights, with a memorable anecdote about unknowingly befriending a famous musician during a flight.

Keywords

💡Air Passenger

An air passenger refers to an individual who is traveling by airplane. In the context of the video, the term is used to discuss the safety concerns of individuals traveling by air, especially in light of recent incidents involving Boeing aircraft. The script mentions a British man who tragically died of a suspected heart attack after experiencing severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight, highlighting the fears and concerns of air passengers.

💡Boeing

Boeing is a major American aerospace company known for manufacturing airplanes and rockets. The script discusses several safety concerns and incidents related to Boeing aircraft, which have led to public apprehension about air travel. It also touches on the company's history with quality control issues and its impact on the perception of air safety.

💡Safety

Safety in this context refers to the security and well-being of passengers and the structural integrity of the aircraft during air travel. The script explores various incidents that have raised questions about the safety of air travel and specifically Boeing's aircraft, emphasizing the importance of safety as a core value for airlines and manufacturers.

💡Turbulence

Turbulence refers to the unsteady flow in an atmosphere, which can cause an aircraft to experience sudden and sometimes violent changes in altitude and attitude. The script describes an incident on a Singapore Airlines flight where severe turbulence led to a passenger's death, illustrating the potential dangers of this common but unpredictable phenomenon.

💡Whistleblowers

A whistleblower is a person who exposes wrongdoing, typically within an organization. The script mentions whistleblowers who have raised concerns about the safety of Boeing's aircraft, suggesting that there may be internal issues within the company that could affect the safety of its planes.

💡Quality Control

Quality control is a process by which entities oversee the quality of their products or services to ensure they meet certain standards. The script discusses Boeing's alleged issues with quality control, suggesting that lapses in this area may have contributed to the various safety incidents mentioned.

💡Vertical Rate of Ascent

The vertical rate of ascent refers to the speed at which an aircraft climbs vertically. In the script, this term is used to describe the intensity of the turbulence experienced on the Singapore Airlines flight, where the plane was 'pummeled up and down several hundred feet a minute,' indicating a very violent movement.

💡Autopilot

Autopilot is a system used in aircraft that enables them to fly automatically, without constant input from a human pilot. The script mentions a controlled descent on autopilot as part of the standard operating procedures during the turbulence incident, showing how modern aircraft rely on automated systems to maintain safe flight paths.

💡Ride Report

A ride report is a communication from pilots to air traffic control or other pilots about the conditions of their flight, including turbulence. The script suggests that one aspect of the investigation into the Singapore Airlines incident will be to determine if there were ride reports that could have warned of the severity of the turbulence.

💡FAA

The FAA stands for the Federal Aviation Administration, which is the United States' national aviation authority responsible for regulating civil aviation. The script refers to the FAA's involvement in incidents related to United Airlines and its role in ensuring air safety and addressing systemic issues.

💡MH370

MH370 refers to a Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The script mentions the ongoing mystery surrounding the disappearance of MH370, highlighting the complexities and challenges in aviation safety and incident investigations.

Highlights

Boeing has faced numerous claims regarding the safety of its aircraft.

Whistleblowers and high-profile incidents have raised public concern about air travel safety.

A British man died of a suspected heart attack after a Singapore Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence.

The turbulence caused the plane to ascend and descend several hundred feet at a rapid rate.

Despite the turbulence, the plane's movement was not extreme enough to cause structural failure.

Modern aircraft are equipped with sophisticated systems designed to detect turbulence.

Aircraft can receive 'ride reports' from pilots ahead to gauge the severity of turbulence.

Boeing has a significant problem with quality control, as evidenced by recent incidents.

The MAX incident was a result of profit-seeking over safety, according to documentation.

Boeing's new CEO has emphasized a shift towards prioritizing safety.

A recent incident where a door blew off mid-flight has cast doubt on Boeing's safety-first claims.

Despite concerns, air travel remains statistically safer than ever.

The media may be amplifying the perception of increased aviation safety issues.

Air traffic control, pilot training, and ancillary parts are bigger concerns than the aircraft itself.

Planes will not be modified in response to the recent turbulence incident as it was not preventable.

The importance of keeping seat belts fastened during flights, even during turbulence, was emphasized.

MH370's disappearance remains unsolved nearly a decade after the incident.

Transcripts

if you spend any time at all online at

the moment you'd be forgiven for

thinking it's a terrifying time to be an

air passenger Boeing in particular has

faced a slew of claims about the safety

of his aircraft several whistleblowers

have raised concerns a series of

high-profile incidents including a door

blowing off an Alaska airlin flight in

January have caused understandable

concern and yesterday a British man

tragic tragically died of a suspected

heart attack after a Singapore Airlines

flight hit severe turbulence and plunged

6,000 fet so should we be alarmed was

there one better to ask in CNN star an

aviation Mega brain Richard Quest who I

haven't spoken to in many years Richard

great to see you good to see you Piers

it's a fascinating story this one of the

Singapore flight because in essence it

could happen to any one of us that flies

there are no unique factors about this

case other than you have a plane that is

flying along and all of a sudden gets

hit by turbulence but what interesting

Piers is that the diff the the the

height that this plane went up and down

was not thousands of feet it was only

several hundred feet at each time but

the ferocity because of what's known as

the vertical rate of ascent that's what

was so powerful this plane was being

pummeled up and pummeled down several

hundred feet a minute and that's why it

was so difficult and ultimately what

what level did it go from and to by the

end of this right now this is where you

not that much the greatest differential

of feet seems to be about 300 so it goes

from

37,000 up to 37150 and then maybe down

to

36,700 right the confusion here appears

is people are confusing later on where

they see the plane descending to 31,000

ft but if you look at the chart that is

a controlled DEC

on autopilot and it's a continual

descent down to a lower level the actual

incident the differential is from bottom

to top is about 400 feet but it happens

aggressively it happens at a rate of

ascent of a th000 a minute and at a rate

of descent of 1500 a minute these are

very very violent movements but they're

just not that big no I thinkon is saying

that no plane has ever crashed from

turbulence

right correct it is the the plane is

built I mean let's take this incident

for instance there is absolutely zero

chance in my view that this incident was

ever going to cause the failure and

collapse and destruction of the plane

this was not that great a movement it

was a brutal movement it was violent but

it wasn't like the plane dropped 10,000

ft believe me if that had happened you'd

had a lot more dead bodies here's here's

my question clearly somebody died from a

heart attack it was obviously scary up

there and other people got injured but

here's my question I just assumed the

modern day aircraft are so sophisticated

now the systems they have why is it that

they would not be able to detect such

turbulence approaching because I'm told

they have all these built-in systems

which are specifically designed now to

actually detect when this stuff is there

so what happened there is a difference

between detecting the presence of the

storm and really understanding the

ferocity within it so yes they did see

that there was a weather pattern ahead

and it was obviously one that they could

not go around so they had to go through

or at least go back go you know skirt

the edges of but when this thing happens

what they can't tell you is just how bad

yes the Radar's got yellows and greens

and reds on it that will help them

understand it the best way actually is

what's known as a ride report which

comes from Pilots ahead of them and one

of the parts of the investigation will

be were there ride reports that told

them this was not very clever to be

going through it should they and one

other point peers um look at my office

just sort of vaguely behind you you can

see all the detroiters of the day now

imagine you're on the plane and they're

serving breakfast and suddenly you're

told well in a minute or two you're

going to hit this all of this is just

going to go up into the air and that's

why there's such a mess and those panels

by the way on the roof they're meant to

be opened and to taken down so somebody

hits it something opens it they fail all

the really serious stuff that controls

the aircraft is hidden way way down

beneath under the floor or in the walls

now there have been a lot of BOE related

incidents you know we've had Wheels

falling off we've had doors falling off

uh we've had whistleblowers coming

forward

to point out all sorts of flaws and

problems with the company and its

engines and so on and his aircraft what

is your belief about where the truth

lies does Boeing have a big problem if

it does what's causing

it yes is the short answer Boeing has a

big problem and the problem is one of

quality control let's go back to the max

incident the problem with the max

incident where where the the crashes of

the max incident wasn't quality it was

it was profit seeking over safety the

documentation is absolutely clear they

made mistakes in the way they designed

and the way they told Pilots about the

max but now take that as being your one

you then have Calhoun taking over as the

CEO and you have this two-year period

where he is telling us that everything

is changing things are getting better

safety safety safety safety first

nothing comes before safety and and then

right you have this door plug where four

plugs four screws are not put back on

and it not only blows the door out it

blows a hole a gigantic hole in Boeing's

argument that they are safety first

because For Crying Out Loud peers if

you're Safety First how do you not put

the four plugs back on the door why now

Michael O you know Michael of Ry yeah he

told me last year he said look we get

planes from Boeing and when we go

through them they're fine they're

perfectly safe but we find things that

aren't quite right right this isn't

being this isn't that something has been

left done blah blah nothing terribly

significant or serious but we fine we

have to put it right Alaska was an

egregious case of that and now boing

doesn't have um here's boing does not

have to convince me that it makes

brilliant bloody brilliant planes that

fly beautifully and are fuel efficient

it has to convince us all that it can

make those planes so that 6 months later

it doesn't have to go and repair them

you see my my parents don't fly at all

my mother's flown like once in 25 years

she's terrified of it I've never had any

problem I hate heights funny enough but

I've have no problem flying at all um

but I got to say the more of these

things that happen the more slightly

Twitchy you get and what you just said

is not massively reassuring because I

always think it's like if the little

things start to go wrong you always

assume that inevitably there's a mindset

issue that could lead to a bigger thing

going

wrong and that's exactly the sort of I

mean you're talking about Dog bikes baby

syndrome that we have in journalism you

have one incident and sudden you have

millions of incidents and they were

always happening all the time anyway but

suddenly you're seeing them all and this

is really I think where we in the media

have gone slightly a bit bit bit off

beam uh let's take United I mean United

has had a series of incidents but those

in were happening anyway and they

weren't that serious but it did raise

the question which is why the FAA got

involved and which is why United took

the measures that it did and which is

why United is now told yes you can take

new planes again you can carry on

expanding because there was nothing

systemic that's the word you need to

focus on and in Boeing's case there was

something systemic at Max arguably there

has been something systemic on quality

and that's what they have to address but

thank goodness there are a million and

one people and processes between when

the plane is handed over from Boe to the

airline to when you and I actually get

to sit on it and it starts to fly is it

safer to fly now than it's ever been do

you think just not withstanding all this

oh completely absolutely you got more

chance of being hit by lightning than

than than than an accident in a plane

absolutely I flew yesterday Riad to

London London to New York I'm flying

next week from somewhere else

I don't know I don't worry to be honest

to be honest P I do not worry about the

aircraft itself that I've seen Wings in

testing being sent to 45 50 degrees I've

seen just how wellb built the plane is

even if I mean ignoring the door blowing

off I worry more about air traffic

control I worry more about pilot

training in some cases in some parts of

the world and I worry about all the the

ancillary parts that make it but I do

not worry about the actual plane falling

apart it is the least of my problems and

this incident yesterday on this

Singapore Airlines flight as a result of

what happened as a result of the fact

somebody died are they going to be

modifying planes now to try and avoid

this recurring in the way that it did no

no they won't be because there's nothing

they could have done the man died

regretfully and and tragically uh

probably a heart attack what they will

be appear if I say to you and we've

known each other a while if I say to you

uh always keep your seat belt fastened

you immediately yawn and then here we go

apple pie motherhood and turn the light

turn the gas off if you're going away

from Chris if you're going away for

Christmas lag your pipes in Winter all

the usual

bromides right you think oh good here we

go again H Tell Me Something I Don't

Know But if I also give you the example

I'm just looking in my office if I can

find a suitable something to to

demonstrate let's take these things here

this is you on a plane now the plane

drops look what happens to you you go

down but the roof is here and you hit

the roof think of the egg in the bottle

put an egg in a bottle and shake it that

is you without a seat belt and there's

something plaz about passengers

particularly and I'm one of the worst

and I suspect you're up there too that

sort of fly frequently and with too cool

for seat belts I mean you know that's

for little old women at the front of the

plane whatever no I make sure now I

always fasten the belt and I keep it

Loosely fastened when I'm sleeping

because I don't want to be the egg in

the bottle that hits the roof of the

plane if we drop and and this thing

Singapore shows us you don't have to

drop much only a couple of hundred feet

I can't let you go without taking you

back to the last time we worked together

at CNN early 24 where for six

consecutive weeks night in night out as

I was hosting my my show Pi Morgan live

as it was then and you were my regular

guest through us at the aviation Guru

and we were trying to work out what the

hell had happened to that flight

MH370 from qua Lumpa to Beijing so my

question here nearly 10 years

later have we ever found out what

happened to that place no and I'm

looking for a copy of my book which is

somewhere here which I think I sent you

a copy of the no we haven't and that's

fascinating because you know people

people will tell me this happened that

happen we don't know just leave it at

that we don't know I have one question

for you peers if I may of course are you

excited at today's announcement on the

UK election it's interesting you know

what was really struck by is that uh you

know when things aren't going well for

you as a political leader and it just

when it rains it pours we would say

right as UK people and I watched Ry St

that came out came out number 10 door

and it was pouring with rain that's been

ghastly weather and they didn't have him

covered so he got absolutely soaked and

all I could think was the headline the

next day will be rather than rishy sunak

boldly goes for early election it's

going to be drowning Street you know

washed out washed out rishy you know

blah blah blah it'll all be rain and

soaking jokes and wet jokes that is not

a great optic all I could think I was

mesmerized not by the fact that was you

know July 4th which is Independence Day

has all his connotations for that and

it's a definitely a bold move by soon

that to do it but just as a former

newspaper editor the Glee I would have

felt at being able to immediately have a

big picture of this Dr WRA prime

minister with things can only get wetter

or whatever you want to say um that was

what struck me the Optics were

terrible which begs the question why on

Earth didn't they just move it inside

were they hoping to show was being man

who's like everybody else gets when it

you can't do it so I've got one question

for you before you go um and it's this

you fly a lot and you've already given

some insight into the ridiculous

schedule you have who is the person in

the world present company accepted who

you would least want to be finding

yourself sat next to on a long-term

longdistance

flight oh least want to least want to oh

that's easy that's easy wherever I'm

work working the CEO of the

company it's it's like being it's like

being you know the first time you're

invited to go on the corporate jet you

really think you've made it you're the

dogs butlocks and you really think oh

this is great and then you get to

realize you've got to sit on this bloody

plane and make polite conversation

without giving anything away to the CEO

wholy always gets the best seat out one

the front of the private jet so I love

sitting next to strangers and making

conversation and I love all of that and

I've perfected the art of saying you

will let me sleep now won't you do

forgive me not me go but um no the

person I would least like to spend 12

hours across the Pacific is the CEO I

once spent uh 10 hours flying from

London to Las Vegas on a Virgin Atlantic

Flight in one of their you know the pods

they used to do the in first class upper

class whatever they called it and there

was a very glamorous lady lying next to

me and we got on really well we started

having some drinks and laughs and talk

and we never actually got round to what

we both did and eventually she went to

sleep and one of the students came on

went you're getting on very well with

Shania I said Shania she went that's

that's Shania Twain I we'd be speaking

for three hours without me ever clocking

that she was at the time the biggest

country music star in the world on her

way to the Country Music Awards in Vegas

so you never know on a plane is my thing

you never know uh Richard great to catch

up with you thank you so much anytime P

anytime take care