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The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has declared that Boeing 737 Max 9 aircrafts that have undergone a recently implemented inspection procedure will be allowed to resume flying.
In early January, around 200 planes were unable to fly after a mid-air emergency occurred during an Alaska Airlines flight.
On January 5th, a plane departing from Portland, Oregon was forced to make an unscheduled landing due to a section of the plane, referred to as a door plug or fuselage plug, detaching and creating a large opening in the side of the aircraft.
Two additional occurrences have taken place since then. Last week, an Atlas Air flight encountered a fire engine while en route to Puerto Rico.
The nose wheel of a Delta Boeing 757 detached and rolled down a hill on Tuesday prior to takeoff. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft and placed on a different flight.
Despite these incidents, the FAA announced on Wednesday that it has authorized a procedure for examining and servicing grounded Max 9s in order for them to resume operations. However, the agency stated that it will not permit the planemaker to increase production of this particular model.
“We immediately halted the use of the Boeing 737-9 Max after the Portland incident and emphasized that the aircraft would not resume operation until it was deemed safe,” stated Mike Whitaker, the FAA Administrator.
“After conducting a thorough and improved evaluation over the course of a few weeks, our team is confident, along with the FAA, to move forward with the inspection and maintenance stage.”
According to Mr. Whitaker, even though the updated inspection procedures may allow certain planes to resume flying, Boeing will not be able to resume business as usual.
The speaker stated that they will not accept any requests from Boeing regarding increasing production or adding more production lines for the 737 Max until they are confident that the quality control problems that were found have been addressed.
After carefully examining data from 40 inspections of grounded aircraft, the FAA has endorsed a comprehensive and specific set of guidelines for inspection and maintenance.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also organized a Corrective Action Review Board (CARB), comprised of safety specialists, that carefully examined and authorized the inspection and maintenance procedure.
Following a meeting between Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and legislators on Capitol Hill, the FAA has made an announcement.
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After conducting thorough maintenance and inspection on each plane, the door plugs on the 737-9 Max will now adhere to the original design, ensuring safe operation.
The aircraft will remain inoperable until the process is finished and it has been verified that it meets the original design specifications.
The improved maintenance procedure will involve checking specific bolts, guide tracks, and fittings, conducting thorough visual inspections of the left and right mid-cabin exit door plugs and various associated parts, tightening fasteners, and addressing any damage or unusual issues.
The FAA’s declaration follows a meeting between Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and lawmakers on Capitol Hill regarding the recent concerning events.
Following a private meeting with senators, Mr. Calhoun informed reporters that he was in Washington with the intention of being transparent and addressing inquiries in light of the recent near-disaster during an Alaskan Airlines flight.
Source: independent.co.uk
