Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration took a major step toward returning the troubled 737 MAX to full operation today with the first of a series of flights aimed at recertifying the jet in the wake of two catastrophic crashes.
Hundreds of 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide since the crashes, which occurred shortly after takeoff in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia in March 2019. The combined death toll was 346 passengers and crew.
Investigators traced the primary cause to a software system that was meant to keep the plane from stalling under severe conditions, but was found to force the plane into a steep dive during the two fatal flights.
Boeing revised the automatic control software, known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System or MCAS, and built in additional safeguards. The company also addressed other safety issues and training issues that came to light during the investigation.
Along the way, there have been numerous congressional hearings into Boeing’s lapses. The company’s CEO and the head of Boeing Commercial Airplanes have both been replaced, primarily due to the 737 MAX crashes and their repercussions.
Last year, Boeing’s net orders for commercial airplanes fell to a negative number for the first time in at least 20 years, and the company posted a net annual loss for the first time since 1997. Its stock price is less than half of what it was in March 2019.
Even if this week’s recertification flights are trouble-free, Boeing is still facing further regulatory review, followed by what’s likely to be a months-long ramp-up for airlines that were forced to put their 737 MAX planes in storage. Nevertheless, word that the flights have begun lifted Boeing’s share value as well as the broader market.
Flight tracking information indicated that the 737 MAX 7 being tested today took off from Seattle’s Boeing Field at 9:55 a.m. PT and conducted a series of maneuvers over central Washington state for a couple of hours before landing at Moses Lake’s airport, which Boeing typically uses as a base of operations for testing.
The second leg of the test flight began at 12:33 p.m. PT with a jaunt going as far south as Pendleton, Ore., and then returning to the vicinity of Moses Lake. The plane landed back at Boeing Field at 2:15 p.m.
Here’s the FAA’s statement about the certification flights:
“The FAA and Boeing are conducting a series of certification flights this week to evaluate Boeing’s proposed changes to the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX. The aircraft departed from Boeing Field in Seattle at 9:55 a.m. Pacific Time today for the first round of testing. The flight is expected to take several hours.
“The certification flights are expected to take approximately three days. They will include a wide array of flight maneuvers and emergency procedures to assess whether the changes meet FAA certification standards. The tests are being conducted by test pilots and engineers from the FAA and Boeing.
“While the certification flights are an important milestone, a number of key tasks remain. The FAA is following a deliberate process and will take the time it needs to thoroughly review Boeing’s work. We will lift the grounding order only after we are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards.”
Update for 4:05 p.m. PT June 29: We’ve updated this report with the plane’s landing back at Boeing Field. We’ve also corrected a wrong number for the 737 MAX.
