The budget airline Ryanair said it expects the troubled Boeing 737 Max to fly again in the United States the next month or so. The airline executive said it planned to start taking delivery of the Max jets early next year.
The Boeing 737 Max aircraft has been grounded since March 2019 after encountering issues with the MCAS software that resulted in two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killing a total of 346 people. Ryanair had ordered 135 Max aircraft before the flight restriction.
Ryanair has hoped to receive the delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max in early 2021. The accident investigators found out serious faults in the flight control system that grounded all the Max aircraft resulting in a hefty loss for the Boeing Company.
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in coordination with Transport Canada, a federal institution for transportation policies and programs conducted various test flights recently for recertification. The U.S. air accident investigation board NTSB informed the software updates and improvements in the faulty Boeing 737 Max aircraft have shown a positive impression.
The FAA after conducting various test flights has invited comments and suggestions from the interested parties within 1 November 2020. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has not shown satisfaction as it has started its own testing programs and protocols. This European aviation regulatory body claimed the approval from the FAA will not automatically mean the jet is considered airworthy in Europe.
The Boeing Company began improvising the Boeing 737 Max control system and software after the FAA approved changes to be made. The changes were implemented in Flight Computer System Software, Flight Manual, and Flight Crew Training Protocols.
After some positive impression, the Boeing Company informed it secured the first order for the Max aircraft in a period of nine months.
Although the changes and improvements made by the Boeing Company are depicting the return of 737 Max aircraft, however, the famous pilot Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger has shown dissatisfaction over the fixes made by the company under the supervision of the FAA. He claimed the software updates and other changes are not enough for the safe return of the Max jets.
Capt. Sully is famous for safely landing Airbus A320 on New York City’s Hudson River in 2009 after encountering severe bird strikes that damaged both engines. The incident was quoted as ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ after Capt. Sully performed a perfect emergency landing in the Hudson River saving all 155 people on board. He became famous for his pilot skills, bravery, and aviation safety.
Sully said the aircraft requires more updates, modifications even if the FAA and other regulatory body ungrounds the aircraft. He further said the plane’s crew alerting system and angle of attack data system must be improvised importantly.
“People are going to fly on it and I will probably be one of them,” he added. “The updated Boeing 737 MAX will probably be as safe as the (previous model) 737 NG when they are done with it. But it’s not as good as it should be.”
Most of the aviation experts and critics have supported Capt. Sully saying the aviation regulatory agency and the aircraft manufacture must carefully sort out the issue instead of rushing for the comeback that could become costly and dangerous once again.
Boeing 737 Max may contain other problems except for MCAS software failure so, Capt. Sully along with other experts have urged more serious checks and test flights before returning the aircraft to the sky.
The American aircraft manufacturer Boeing has received new complications after it inspected production issues with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which could delay the deliveries. The company found out separate issues with the rear sections and the horizontal stabilizer of the iconic 787 Dreamliner jets.
ABOUT BOEING 737 MAX
The 737 MAX family is designed to offer the greatest flexibility, reliability and efficiency in the single-aisle market. Every airplane will feature the new Boeing Sky Interior, highlighted by modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness and larger pivoting overhead storage bins.
