Almost two years after being immobilized on the ground following two accidents that killed 346 people in five months, the Boeing 737 MAX is preparing to return to the American sky, in an area hit hard by the pandemic due to the new coronavirus .
The United States authorized, Wednesday, November 18, the device of the American manufacturer to fly again, but several modifications will have to be carried out on the devices before they can be put back into service. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), the air regulator in the United States, also specifies in its press release that it still has to approve the training necessary for pilots before any flight of the Boeing 737 MAX.
The companies will also have to carry out maintenance work on the planes stationed on the tarmac of the airports for more than twenty months. As for planes stored at Boeing, they will need to be examined by an FAA inspector before being sent to customers. American Airlines has nevertheless already scheduled a flight at the end of December.
The 737 MAX, which was Boeing’s sales engine before its setbacks, will not immediately return to the global sky: the civil aviation authorities of other countries have decided to carry out their own own certifications.
“An important step”
This decision is a “Milestone”, reacted the aircraft manufacturer in a press release, assuring to be ready to work with regulators around the world for a rapid return to service. “These events and the lessons we learned from them reshaped our business and focused our attention more on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.”, added its CEO, David Calhoun, quoted in the press release.
With financially struggling airlines and sluggish traffic, Boeing lost a total of 393 orders in the first ten months of the year. He will nevertheless resume his deliveries, which will allow him to be paid and to replenish his coffers. The Seattle-based manufacturer currently has 450 aircraft in stock.