Stopped for over a year after two accidents that killed 346 people, the Boeing 737 MAX will remain grounded a little longer than expected. The certification flight of the device, originally planned for April in the United States, was postponed to May because of the disturbances caused by the coronavirus pandemic, two sources close to the file said on Tuesday.
They did not say, they warned, that this delay would have consequences on the schedule for the return to service of the 737 MAX supplied by Boeing. He expects a return to the sky in June from this plane, which concentrates more than two-thirds of its order book.
The limits of remote work
"We are still planning to return to service in mid-2020," said a spokesman for the aircraft manufacturer, refusing to comment on information about the certification flight. Contacted by AFP, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), the main air regulator in the United States, did not wish to speak on this issue either. "We are continuing to work," said a spokesperson.
Containment measures taken in the United States to stem the spread of Covid-19, a disease caused by the new coronavirus, prompted Boeing and FAA teams to work remotely. However, certain tasks, including theft, require physical contact, explained the sources.
It is traditionally at the end of the certification flight that the civil aviation authorities decide whether or not to authorize an aircraft to enter or resume service. In the case of the 737 MAX, it would mark the beginning of the end of a historic crisis, the bill of which amounts for the moment to more than 18 billion dollars for Boeing without counting the potential compensation of the families of the victims.
Requested $ 60 billion in government assistance
The aircraft manufacturer will also have to restore its reputation and regain the confidence of passengers. Boeing is working on a fix for the MCAS anti-stall system, involved in the two accidents - a 737 MAX by Ethiopian Airlines on March 10, 2019 and a 737 MAX by Lion Air on October 29, 2018.
It is also working to provide a solution to a fault detected on electric cables, while the authorities must determine the appropriate training for pilots. In addition to this impact on the 737 MAX, the coronavirus pandemic prompted Boeing to seek public assistance of $ 60 billion for it and its suppliers. The aircraft manufacturer was forced to temporarily cease all production of civil aircraft in the United States to comply with the containment measures.
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- Coronavirus
- Covid 19
- Boeing
- United States
- Aviation