President Trump, an avid promoter of Boeing aircraft, said Tuesday in the wake of two horrific Boeing crashes that jetliners “are becoming far too complex to fly.”
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Albert Einstein to be my pilot,” Mr. Trump tweeted. “I want great flying professionals that are allowed to easily and quickly take control of a plane!”
His tweets, which didn’t mention Boeing by name, came after an Ethiopian Airlines crash Sunday of a Boeing 737 MAX that killed all 157 persons aboard. At least six countries, including the United Kingdom and China, and 20 airlines have grounded the plane.
The president, who announced a large Boeing deal with Vietnam during a summit two weeks ago, suggested that too much technology in the cockpit is dangerous.
“Split second decisions are needed, and the complexity creates danger,” Mr. Trump tweeted. “All of this for great cost yet very little gain.”
He lamented, “Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT. I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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