737 Max pilots need new simulator training, Hudson hero ‘Sully’ tells Congress

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot famous for safely landing a plane on the Hudson River in 2009, told Congress that pilots of the troubled Boeing 737 MAX planes should get new simulator training.

Sully was testifying in front of a congressional panel on Wednesday about Boeing Max safety, and also criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) system of approving new aircraft.

“Our current system of aircraft design and certification has failed us,” he said. 

Sully has previously lambasted Boeing for being more focused on protecting its product than on the people who use it.

Since October 2018, two deadly crashes involving the 737 MAX have killed 346 people. Sullenberger gained international fame, and a movie deal, after he safely landed an Airbus jet on New York’s Hudson River without any casualties.

The House aviation subcommittee is gathering information from several pilots as part of an investigation into whether the plane will be allowed to fly again. No one from Boeing is expected to testify, and the panel has already heard from acting FAA administrator Daniel Elwell and Robert Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Daniel Carey, president of the pilots’ union at American Airlines, also testified Wednesday, and said Boeing made two major mistakes – the first in its design of the 737, and the second in not telling pilots about the new software. Carey added that the latter was Boeing’s attempt to minimize pilot-training costs for their customer airlines.

Boeing engineers have been making software changes since the plane was grounded internationally three months ago over the crashes. They are expected to demonstrate their new system to government safety officials soon in the hope the FAA will once again certify the plane for flight.