FAA Halts Boeing’s 737 Max Expansion, Clears Max 9 for Return to Service
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has made a significant decision regarding Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft production. While the FAA has halted Boeing’s planned expansion of its 737 Max production, it has given the green light for the Max 9 model to return to service in the coming days. This comes after a door plug blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight, causing concerns about the safety and quality control of Boeing’s aircraft.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker emphasized that this decision does not mean a return to business as usual for Boeing. The FAA will not approve any requests for production expansion or additional production lines until they are satisfied that the quality control issues have been resolved. This decision comes as Boeing has been working tirelessly to increase the output of its popular 737 Max aircraft to meet the demand from airlines in the post-Covid-19 era.
Boeing has expressed its commitment to cooperate fully with the FAA and follow their directions to strengthen safety and quality. However, this news has had a slight impact on Boeing’s stock, with shares down approximately 1% in after-hours trading following the FAA’s announcement.
In addition to clearing the Max 9 for return to service, the FAA has also approved inspection instructions for these aircraft. This approval was eagerly awaited by airlines as they needed to review their fleets and ensure the airworthiness of their planes before resuming operations.
The grounding of the 737 Max 9 planes occurred after a fuselage panel blew out during Flight 1282 departing from Portland, Oregon. This incident led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights by United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, the two U.S. carriers operating these planes. However, Alaska Airlines has announced that it will resume 737 Max 9 flights on Friday, gradually adding more planes as inspections are completed and each aircraft is deemed airworthy. United Airlines plans to return the planes to service starting on Sunday, according to a message from Chief Operating Officer Toby Enqvist.
The CEOs of both carriers have expressed frustration with Boeing following this incident, which is the latest in a series of manufacturing flaws on Boeing aircraft. The affected aircraft on the Alaska flight was delivered late last year, raising concerns about the quality control processes at Boeing’s production lines.
The FAA is currently conducting an investigation into Boeing’s production lines in light of the Alaska flight incident. Whitaker stated that the FAA will maintain a presence at Boeing’s factory until they are convinced that the quality assurance systems are functioning properly. The agency is adopting a “direct inspection” approach with Boeing to ensure compliance and safety.
While this decision allows the Max 9 to return to service, it is clear that Boeing still has work to do to regain full confidence in its aircraft. The FAA’s focus on quality control and safety is crucial to ensure the airworthiness of Boeing’s planes and the trust of both airlines and passengers.
