Boeing halts delivery of 737 MAX jets due to an electricity problem

Boeing confirmed today, Wednesday, a halt to delivery of its 737 MAX aircraft, after an electrical problem stopped part of its fleet from flying.

Reuters reported on April 16 that Boeing had stopped delivery of the 737 MAX single aisle aircraft after a problem with wiring designed to maintain safety in the event of an increase in voltage within the backup power control system.

The new problem comes months after the plane returned to service after a long safety ban caused by problems with computer design, and the ban lasted 20 months after two fatal accidents.

The US Federal Aviation Administration issued a new directive on Wednesday requiring Boeing to fix that defect before those aircraft can fly again.

And the administration announced last week that the problem affected 109 aircraft that Boeing delivered to airlines around the world.

But Boeing has yet to determine how many additional aircraft it has not received and that will need to be repaired.

Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said in an e-mail to employees that the company is "finalizing plans and documents with the Federal Aviation Administration to define the process needed for operators (of airlines) to be able to bring their aircraft back into service."

But he did not specify a date to solve this problem.

Boeing has delivered more than 85 737 MAX jets since most of the world's regulators lifted the ban it imposed on them after the two crashes.

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