Boeing 737 max update: FAA’s actions on the MAx are showing positive progress and the Boeing Company is working well for re-certification.
The U.S. air accident investigator NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) said the safety upgrades and newer changes in the faulty Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are showing positive progress. This progress could help the American aircraft manufacturer to obtain certification for returning the grounded B737 MAX into service again.
The U.S. aviation regulatory body Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) approved operating changes for the Boeing 737 MAX update and the NTSB released comments during a 45-day public comment period. These changes and comments were made to pave the way to lift the restriction on the jet.
The B737 MAX aircraft were grounded worldwide 18-months ago after two fatal crashes killing 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Both the crashes occurred in a similar manner due to which it raised questions about FAA certification of the MAX series aircraft.
The crash victims’ families are demanding more depth analysis and full aerodynamic review of the Boeing 737 MAX update. They have claimed the investigators have failed to address the main problem of the MAX aircraft which is inherent aerodynamic instability. A Boeing spokesperson, however, refused to comment on this issue.
The families are insisting the MCAS and other software updates won’t address the core problem of B737 MAX instead it might create more additional glitches. Besides, they are urging for a complete aerodynamic analysis and evaluation to understand the aircraft’s pitch-up tendency and a crew alert system.
In both the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, the pilots of Boeing 737 MAX struggled to regain control after the aircraft was forcefully pushed down due to the error in the MCAS flight control system. The erroneous data generated from a single angle-of-attack airflow sensor resulted in an error in the MCAS system.
NTSB said the FAA’s instruction and actions on the MCAS were showing positive progress and the Boeing Company is working well for re-certification. Previously, the NTSB who was involved in both crash investigations criticized Boeing and the FAA for failing to address the issues in the Boeing 737 MAX jets.
Not only the FAA but the foreign regulators are also evaluating the Boeing 737 MAX update features and are also analyzing the new pilot training procedures.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) also completed test flights of the Boeing 737 MAX that took place in Vancouver, Canada. Transport Canada, a federal institution for transportation policies and programs conducted test flights for MAX jet.
The test flight report will be analyzed in London-Gatwick next week. EASA is working continuously with FAA and the Boeing Company to support the return of the MAX aircraft to service as soon as possible.
The proposed Boeing 737 MAX update suggested by FAA for the MAX aircraft include Flight Computer System Software Update, Flight Manual Update, Updated training modules for pilots, and other safety updates. The Boeing Company based in Seattle is working tirelessly to sort out all the glitches of its MAX aircraft and bring it back into service. Recently, the company also informed it secured the first order for the MAX jet in a period of nine months. Moreover, some other clients have also shown interest in re-ordering the aircraft as there is a higher probability of re-certification.
The company will have to face tough tests for re-certification because the foreign aviation regulatory agencies may impose strict requirements. Travelers and aviation enthusiasts are optimistic about flying with 737 MAX again only in case the aircraft addresses all the existing issues and gets certified globally.
Aviation critics and experts however have suggested all the authorities to work delicately on solving every issue of MAX aircraft rather than hustling for the re-certification.
