(TAN): Boeing 737 Max aircraft will remain grounded from passenger service until it receives approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other global regulators.
The company estimated the jet will not be cleared to fly until the middle of this year.
“…we are currently estimating that the ungrounding of the 737 MAX will begin during mid-2020. This updated estimate is informed by our experience to date with the certification process,” Boeing said in a statement.
The FAA, however, appeared to be in no rush to give the 737 Max a green signal, and instead stressed on ensuring all safety measures were in place first.
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“The agency is following a thorough, deliberate process to verify that all proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 Max meet the highest certification standards. We continue to work with other safety regulators to review Boeing’s work as the company conducts the required safety assessments and addresses all issues that arise during testing. We have set no timeframe for when the work will be completed,” FAA was quoted by USA Today as saying.
The troubled airplane has remained grounded since last March after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes killed 346 people on board. Boeing had admitted the crashes were caused by the automatic activation of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), an issue that could be fixed.
The company continued to produce the aircraft, at a reduced speed of 42 a month, even though it could not deliver them to customers, reports said. As a result, it reportedly has around 400 completed aircraft stationed in Washington and Texas, ready for delivery.
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Recently, Boeing put a temporary pause on the production of 737 Max aircraft for the first time since the issue started, as per reports. The company could not reportedly bear the cost of production indefinitely as it does not get paid unless the jets are delivered.
Boeing nevertheless said bringing the 737 Max back was its priority.
“Returning the MAX safely to service is our number one priority, and we are confident that will happen. We acknowledge and regret the continued difficulties that the grounding of the 737 MAX has presented to our customers, our regulators, our suppliers, and the flying public,” it signed off.
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