It will likely be more than a month before Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are cleared for flight after the FAA announced it will be weeks before Boeing finishes testing its proposed software update. Boeing had earlier said it hoped to submit the proposal to the FAA this week but has put that off. “Time is needed for additional work by Boeing as the result of an ongoing review of the737MAXFlight Control System to ensure that Boeing has identified and appropriately addressed all pertinent issues,” FAA spokesman Greg Martin said in a statement. Boeing said it will take the time necessary to “do it right” with the update and offered no insight on a potential timeline.
Although Boeing could have its plan ready by the end of the month, it’s not clear how long it will take the FAA to test and vet the upgrade. The FAA has said it intends to conduct a thorough review of the software update, which will link the two angle of attack sensors for redundancy and limit the influence of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which is a stall-prevention system installed to counter the aircraft’s increased tendency to pitch up in low-speed, flaps-up manual flight. After the update is accepted, it’s likely MAX crews will have to be trained. More than 350 aircraft are grounded worldwide, forcing airlines to adjust schedules and reduce frequency on some routes to minimize potential disruption. Southwest is building its April and May schedules without its MAXes. Air Canada has leased additional aircraft until July 1 at least.
