This archive report was first published on 29 June 2020.
Boeing 737 MAX Recertification Flight Tests to Begin ¶
June 29, 2020 - Boeing's 737 MAX plane could begin key recertification flight tests as soon as Monday, a crucial step for the survival of a top-selling plane that has been grounded for more than a year following two fatal crashes.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that tests of the MAX could begin as early as Monday, evaluating Boeing's proposed changes to the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX.
According to the FAA, testing is expected to take several days and will include a wide array of flight maneuvers and emergency procedures to enable the agency to assess whether the changes meet FAA certification standards.
Boeing has been awaiting the green light from authorities to conduct test flights to prove the modifications provide maximum safety.
The MAX has been grounded globally since March 13, 2019, following an Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people. That catastrophe came just a few months after a Lion Air MAX crash that killed 189 people.
The 737 MAX accounts for more than two-thirds of Boeing's order book and is crucial to the mid-term survival of the manufacturer, which is suffering from the effects of the coronavirus crisis.
Additional modifications expected to be required by foreign aviation authorities could also add substantial costs to the MAX program.
