Book of the week: Flying Blind by Peter Robison
The Bloomberg journalist investigates the tragic failure of Boeing’s 737 Max plane

In October 2018, a Lion Air flight in Indonesia plummeted into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. Five months later, an Ethiopian Airlines flight ploughed into the ground outside Addis Ababa, killing 157.
There were striking similarities between the two crashes, said Roger Lowenstein in The Wall Street Journal. In both cases, the plane’s nose suddenly started dipping, causing the pilot to lose control. And each involved Boeing’s new 737 Max, the company’s “upgrade to its venerable 737”.
In Flying Blind: The 737 Max Tragedy and the Fall of Boeing, the Bloomberg journalist Peter Robison explains how Boeing brought an unsafe plane to market. The story he tells – of a company once renowned for its engineering excellence becoming in thrall to cost-cutting and short-term profits – is at once riveting and “disturbing”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The origins of the two crashes lay in Boeing’s “bitter battle” with Airbus for dominance of the short-haul market, said Michael Skapinker in the FT. For decades, the 737 had “kept the world aloft”, but by the 2010s the European manufacturer’s A320 was “seen by many airlines as superior”.
Since developing a complete replacement for the 737 would have cost an estimated $20bn, Boeing opted instead to retrofit its existing 737s with “bigger, more fuel-efficient engines” – a process that cost $2.5bn. But because the old plane’s wings were so low-slung, the engines had to be mounted in a forward position – which meant the plane had a tendency to tilt upwards in flight. To prevent this, Boeing installed a sensor-activated software system called MCAS, which would automatically “force the aircraft’s nose down”.
That might have been fine had pilots known how to respond when MCAS kicked in, said John Arlidge in The Sunday Times. But fearing that “expensive and disruptive” simulator training would put off airlines buying the 737 Max, Boeing persuaded regulators that “MCAS was not important enough to require new simulator training”. In the plane’s manual, the software was barely mentioned. The Lion Air pilots had no idea why the nose kept dipping.
Robison exposes the arrogance of Boeing’s top brass, who failed to act even when their employees raised doubts about the Max’s safety, said David Gelles in The New York Times. And he castigates the Federal Aviation Administration for effectively doing the manufacturer’s bidding. This is an “authoritative, gripping and finely detailed narrative that charts the decline of one of the great American companies”.
Penguin Business 336pp £20; The Week Bookshop £15.99
The Week Bookshop
To order this title or any other book in print, visit theweekbookshop.co.uk, or speak to a bookseller on 020-3176 3835. Opening times: Monday to Saturday 9am-5.30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Is Prince Harry owed protection?
Talking Point The Duke of Sussex claims he has been singled out for 'unjustified and inferior treatment' over decision to withdraw round-the-clock security
By The Week UK
-
Sudoku medium: April 20, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Crossword: April 20, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thriller
The Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
By The Week UK
-
6 must-see homes in Boston
Feature Featuring a factory-turned-loft in South Boston and a wraparound roof deck in South End
By The Week US
-
Cartier at the V&A: a 'dazzling' show
The Week Recommends A 'once-in-a-lifetime' display of the French jeweller's 'exquisite' objects
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
What is Free Speech?: a 'meticulous' look at the evolution of freedom of expression
The Week Recommends Fara Dabhoiwala provides both history and critique while 'correcting misconceptions'
By The Week UK
-
Rupert Gavin shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The theatre impresario picks works by Dan Jones, Annie Ernaux and Floella Benjamin
By The Week UK
-
What They Found: Sam Mendes's powerful debut documentary
The Week Recommends The Oscar-winning director's harrowing film features footage and first-hand accounts of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
By The Week UK
-
The Return: a 'lethally effective' Odyssey adaptation
The Week Recommends Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche reunite in Urberto Pasolini's 'emotionally gripping' drama
By The Week UK