I’ve been brought up on the phrase, ‘If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going’.

The 737 MAX situation puts a real dent in that theory.

This article by The Air Current, via John Gruber, provides a well-written view of what has happened. Given my interest in lean manufacturing theory, I particularly like this quote:

The 737 assembly line in Renton, Wash. is a marvel of lean manufacturing. The line inches forward little-by-little as assembly proceeds. Born from Toyota’s production methods, the process is one of continual improvement. It’s what made the 737 the lifeblood of Boeing in the first place and why this crisis, taken to its most extreme, could threaten the company’s very existence. But the assembly line also comes with a tool called an Andon cord. The cord empowers all employees to pull it and stop the line if something is amiss or requires investigation and needs fixing. The rest of the world has already pulled it.