Since shortly after the dawn of the jet age, the world has followed America's lead on aviation safety.
Now, in a remarkable rebuke, nations from the U.K. to Australia have rejected public reassurances from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and grounded Boeing's 737 Max 8. They have not only told their carriers not to fly the jets, they have in some cases prohibited the plane from flying through their airspace.
"I'm watching this unfold with an element of astonishment and bemusement," said Sandy Morris, an aerospace analyst at Jefferies International in London. "What we're looking at here is almost a rebellion against the FAA. It's the first time I've ever seen this happen."