The 737 MAX has been grounded since March and is not likely to fly until next year.
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Topline: Boeing’s efforts to resume flights of the beleaguered 737 MAX could be further delayed after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced its discovery Wednesday of a safety issue the company is required to fix.
- The FAA found a data processing issue that could force the 737 MAX to dive in-flight, which pilots had difficulty recovering from in simulator tests, according to Bloomberg. This new issue is similar to the one responsible for two crashes since October 2018 that killed 346 people.
- Boeing shares fell 5% in premarket trading after the FAA released its statement on the issue.
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch reiterated its outlook that it expects the 737 MAX grounding to last for six to nine months.
- Boeing spokesperson Gordon Johnroe said, “The safety of our airplanes is Boeing’s highest priority. We are working closely with the FAA to safely return the MAX to service.”
Key background: The 737 MAX was grounded in March after its second deadly crash by aviation authorities across the globe. Boeing then began working on a fix for the software issue in question. Once completed, the FAA would need to recertify the 737 MAX before it could resume flight. On June 3, Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said the 737 MAX would fly “very soon,” pending FAA simulator tests. On June 19, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, who famously landed a crippled plane safely on New York’s Hudson River, testified before Congress that he also had difficulties with the 737 MAX simulator. He said the jet’s flight control system “was fatally flawed and should never have been approved.” The grounding has affected the busy summer travel season and forced U.S. airlines that purchased the jets (like United, American, and Southwestern) to cancel thousands of flights.
Related: Boeing’s 737 MAX Name Change Talk: What You Need To Know
