
Investigate the Boeing 737 MAX MCAS crisis with this 6-page STEM packet covering flight control logic, AoA sensors, trim force math, and aviation ethics.
Engage your middle and high school students with a comprehensive, hands-on deep dive into the most significant aviation safety crisis of the 21st century. This complete printable unit bridges aerospace engineering, physics, computer science, and engineering ethics to teach the 2018–2019 Boeing 737 MAX MCAS crises (Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302), Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) software logic, single Angle of Attack (AoA) sensor dependency, aerodynamic trim wheel forces, software flight control overrides, and aeronautical engineering safety ethics.
What’s Included in this 6-Page Unit Packet:
Page 1: Historical Case Study & Technical Breakdown – Full narrative of the 2018 and 2019 disasters, CFM LEAP-1B engine placement shifts, high Angle of Attack (AoA) aerodynamic stalls, MCAS automated nose-down trim commands, single-sensor failure points, pilot manual overrides, and comprehension check questions.
Page 2: Day in the Life Scenario Challenge – Roleplay assignment where students step into the shoes of a Flight Deck Systems Inspector analyzing real-time cockpit telemetry logs, faulty AoA vane readings (+20 degree discrepancy), repeated automated stabilizer trim activations, manual trim wheel jamming, and emergency flight control protocols.
Page 3: Hands-On Unplugged Simulation & Applied Math – Step-by-step math calculations comparing manual yoke column forces versus electric stabilizer trim authority, aerodynamic trim force multiplication at high airspeeds (knots), and repetitive 10-second MCAS activation nose-down pitch angles.
Page 4: Engineering Ethics & Workplace Dilemma – Critical thinking exercise exploring the omission of safety features from pilot training manuals versus speed to market, analyzing the decision to omit MCAS descriptions from pilot flight manuals to avoid simulator retraining costs, single-sensor system architectures, regulatory delegation (ODA), and aviation oversight reform.
Page 5: Redesign Brief & Innovation Lab – Creative blueprinting assignment where students design “Boeing 737 MAX Flight Control Architecture V-2,” incorporating dual-vane Angle of Attack voting logic, hardcoded software trim limits, pilot manual column override priority, and synthetic airspeed sensor cross-checks.
Page 6: Teacher Answer Key & Scoring Rubric – Complete answer key for all analytical questions and math calculations, along with a 10-point grading rubric for evaluating student blueprints on Page 5.
Teacher Benefits:
100% Print-Friendly Format: Clean text layout with zero dark background boxes or awkward formatting for easy editing and printing.
Multi-Day Classroom Value: Designed to cover 3 to 5 full class periods. Perfect for Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Physical Science, Computer Science, CTE electives, or emergency sub plans.
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