Topic: Ethiopian Airlines

The hosts express suspicion over the decision to send the Ethiopian Airlines black box to France for analysis, given the intense commercial rivalry between Boeing and Airbus. They discuss the technical nature of flight software, noting that modern aircraft like the 737 MAX are heavily dependent on computer overrides. A host recalls flying helicopters that ran on Windows NT 3.1, illustrating the "embedded" nature of aviation technology.

The FAA grounded the Boeing 737 MAX fleet following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, citing similarities to the earlier Lion Air disaster. New satellite tracking data and physical evidence from the crash site suggested a software-driven "angle of attack" issue. The grounding has significant economic implications for Boeing in its ongoing market war with European rival Airbus.

Dr. Mumbi reports on an African perspective regarding the Ethiopian Airlines crash, highlighting a U.S. State Department security alert issued days prior. The alert advised U.S. personnel to avoid Bole International Airport on the day of the crash. This timing has led to various conspiracy theories in the region regarding whether U.S. intelligence had prior knowledge of a potential incident.

An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed near Bishoftu shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. The incident raises urgent questions regarding the MAX 8's automated systems and the ongoing competitive struggle between Boeing and Airbus.