This archive report was first published on 29 June 2020.
June 29, 2020
Boeing's 737 MAX is on the cusp of a crucial moment in its journey back to commercial service. The aircraft, grounded since March 13, 2019, following two fatal crashes, is expected to take to the skies for test flights as early as Monday.
According to sources close to the case, the flight could take place as soon as Monday, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and global regulators closely monitoring the situation.
"We continue to work diligently on safely returning the 737 MAX to service. We defer to the FAA and global regulators on the process," a Boeing spokesperson told AFP.
The MAX has been at the center of a global aviation crisis, with the model's anti-stall flight system, the MCAS, partially to blame for both crashes. The subsequent detection of technical malfunctions, including one involving electrical wiring, has slowed down the recertification process.
Boeing has been awaiting the green light from authorities to conduct test flights to prove the modifications provide maximum safety. The company has planned three days of test flights, which will take off from Boeing Field, just outside Seattle, the manufacturer's birthplace in the northwestern US state of Washington.
The weather is difficult to predict, but forecasts show Monday will be partially cloudy, with little wind and a 10 percent chance of rain. An FAA pilot will be at the controls to test out the modifications conducted on the plane, and a Boeing test pilot will also be on board.
Boeing urgently needs to get the 737 MAX back in the air in order to pull itself out of a historic crisis. The aircraft accounts for more than two-thirds of the company's order book and is therefore crucial to the mid-term survival of the manufacturer.
