The US aviation authority FAA is close to approving the modifications Boeing has made to its 737 MAX. That is what the FAA chief says against the Reuters news service. It is possible that the regulator will already agree to the changes on Wednesday, November 18.
Two 737 MAX aircraft crashed in 2018 and 2019. 346 people were killed. Since then, all aircraft of this type have been grounded worldwide, which has already cost Boeing billions of dollars.
The company has recently made adjustments to its aircraft and is now awaiting approval from the various aviation authorities. Last month it became clear that the European aviation regulator EASA is close to approving the changes. It is now clear that the American counterpart may also give a ‘go’ next week.
The device cannot take to the air immediately. Airlines using the device must first perform software updates and train pilots. This is expected to take at least thirty days.
The possible FAA approval would be good news for Boeing at a time when the company is in severe crisis. Not only is it suffering the consequences of the crashes of the MAX, but it is also severely affected by the corona pandemic.