Originally Posted by
EyeKantEven
I blame it on the high bypass turbofans: The '73 was designed for straight pipes and has been fudged (quite successfully) since the Classic series. But these LEAP engines gave Airbus a HUGE advantage because there was room under the 320 wings for 'em. Those big-ass fans. The "-1B" engines themselves are a compromise vs the "-1A" -- (9:1 vs 11:1 bypass ratio).
The icing on the cake was the constraint that the MAX must be common type -- at all cost: clean sheet was not an option because of development time and another $10B or so in costs.
The huge enabler? The FAA delegating verification of certification requirements to Boeing. The hen guarding the foxhouse.
Boeing will either clean up its act out of pure survival instinct or they will be mainly a defense contractor. The idea that the FAA will provide appropriate oversight is laughable. Boeing to the FAA is akin to Pfizer and the FDA. Most government oversight bodies are corrupted by incompetent political appointees at the leadership levels.