The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it will conduct scenario-based planning with Boeing before considering lifting the 38-aircraft monthly cap on 737 MAX production, Reuters reported Tuesday. The tabletop exercises, expected to be completed by the end of September, are designed to review potential challenges the manufacturer may face in ramping up output and to ensure continued progress on quality. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency and Boeing are developing the process to evaluate any future request for a production rate increase.
The production cap was introduced following a January 2024 emergency involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 that was missing four bolts. The situation led the FAA to impose unprecedented limits and increase in-person oversight for the company’s production efforts. Since then, Boeing has been tasked with implementing quality and safety enhancements across its Renton, Washington, facility. Bedford toured the site on Aug. 15, meeting with CEO Kelly Ortberg and reviewing initiatives aimed at stabilizing the supply chain and addressing production practices. Boeing has said it is confident it can reach 42 aircraft per month when conditions allow.
While Bedford praised Boeing’s progress, he cautioned that issues remain, including “traveled work,” where tasks are completed later than originally planned. “In general, good news, cautiously optimistic, but there’s still work to be done,” Bedford told Reuters. Boeing did not immediately comment on the FAA’s latest requirements. The agency in May extended by three years a program allowing Boeing to conduct certain inspections on its behalf, a move typically granted for five years.
0 replies