logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2019
17m 38s

The Price of Automating Aviation

Slate Podcasts
About this episode

This week, Boeing’s CEO Dennis Muilenburg appeared in front of Congress. He was there to answer questions about what his company knew, and when, before two 737 Max airplanes crashed and claimed the lives of 346 people. 


But beyond the planes’ technological failures is another key issue: the way pilots react when automated systems go wrong. 

 

Guest: Jon Ostrower, Editor in Chief of The Air Current 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Jul 6
How A.I. Lost (and Won) the Big Beautiful Debate
As the One Big Beautiful Bill bounced around Congress, one provision—the 10-year moratorium on states making laws to regulate artificial intelligence—fell out. But AI-fans don’t need to worry, there’s still plenty of industry support in the bill. Guest: Will Oremus, technology ne ... Show More
30m 55s
Jul 4
Rerun: Death of the Weather Forecast?
This episode was originally published on April 27, 2025. The Trump administration has already begun cutting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the U.S. National Weather Service. What’s the advantage to understanding the weather less? Guest: Daniel ... Show More
30m 24s
Jun 29
The FTC’s Merger Shakedown
Under a normal administration, a merger between two large advertising firms might attract the government’s interest for anti-monopoly reasons. Under this one, the Federal Trade Commission is creating conditions to…ensure that X still gets advertiser dollars? Guest: Kate Conger, t ... Show More
27m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
How Today’s Aircraft Accidents Could Make Future Planes Safer
In recent months, an Alaska Airlines jet lost a door plug mid-flight, and a Japan Airlines plane collided with another aircraft at an airport in Tokyo. Accidents like these are uncommon, but they could help engineers design safer airplanes. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as ... Show More
13m 19s
Nov 2019
The Trials and Tribulations of the 737 MAX
What happened with Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft and why did the CEO of the company appear before the US Congress? We learn about the flight control system that led to tragedy and the controversy surrounding it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com ... Show More
45m 47s
Jan 2024
Evening Edition: Boeing 737 MAX Planes Grounded After Door Flies Off
The Federal Aviation Administration Friday ordered the grounding of nearly two hundred of Boeing's 737 MAX planes worldwide after the door plug of an Alaska Airlines plane blew off mid-flight. Alaska and United Airlines both made the decision to ground all of their 737 MAX fleet ... Show More
14m 37s
Sep 2021
Ethiopian Airlines will fly the 737 MAX yet again despite deadly crash
Warning: This show has been marked as explicit This week we saw some of the most significant news about Boeing’s 737 MAX; Ethiopian Airlines has penned a deal with the planemaker to fly the jet yet again, after being involved in the deadly crash in 2019. In this episode of the Wo ... Show More
34m 38s
Mar 2024
Airbus Sees A320 Become the top-Selling Aircraft Ever
 Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. Bloomberg Businessweek Assistant Managing Editor Jim Ellis provides the details of the Businessweek story Boeing’s Struggles Give Airbus a Chance at Aviation Dominance. DoubleVerify CEO Mark Zagorski discusses ... Show More
35m 42s
Jul 2024
Future of Travel: How is Aviation Innovating?
Pivot’s special series on the future of travel wraps up with a last stop: planes. What exactly is happening with Boeing? How will AI play a role in aviation? And most importantly, what is everyone’s favorite, and least favorite airport? Kara and Scott discuss it all with Pete Mun ... Show More
39m 18s
Feb 2024
A Longtime Aerospace Analyst Questions Boeing's Future
Troubles at Boeing just keep piling up, along with existential questions about the company's future. Not only is Boeing enormously important to US manufacturing, but it's also a major defense contractor for the US government and a big employer, which means its fortunes are of int ... Show More
47m 55s