FAA Chief Casts Doubt on August Timetable for 737 Max's Return to the Skies

The aviation world's eyes are on Fort Worth, where U.S. and global regulators will meet behind closed doors Thursday to discuss if the Boeing 737 Max is safe to return to the skies.Federal Aviation Administration acting administrator Dan Elwell, speaking with reporters Wednesday in Fort Worth, said much work remains before the aircraft can be recertified, casting doubts on an August timetable targeted by U.S. carriers such as Southwest Airlines and American Airlines."If it takes a year to find everything we need to give us the confidence to lift the order, then so be it," Elwell said. "We will not lift the prohibition until it's safe to do so."Boeing has yet to deliver its software update to the FAA that addresses a flight control system problem identified in two fatal crashes that led to the Max's worldwide grounding in March, Elwell said. And an additional four weeks is being added to the timeline for what Elwell described as a "non-advocate" review process."We have done a very extensive review," said Ali Bahrami, FAA associate administrator for aviation safety. The U.S. aviation regulator will share those details with 50 global regulatory bodies attending Thursday's meeting.Elwell said the goal is to give countries the information they require to make their own decisions about the aircraft to "show the world that the world still talks to each other." "It is, and it would be, improper for this to be a consensus decision," he said. "The FAA follows a process... that is robust, rigorous and we leave no stone unturned," Elwell said.He acknowledged that public confidence may be shaken right now, but that when the FAA approves it for flight the public will be ready. "I'm not worried about public confidence because I'm not worried about the future of aviation safety."The FAA was reluctant to confirm that the MCAS system played a role in the accidents involving 737 Max jets, citing an ongoing investigation."MCAS was involved in both flights, but that's the limit of the link," Elwell said.Industry analysts expect the meeting to will mark the beginning of intensified discussions about software fixes intended to put the troubled aircraft back into service. It comes a little over two months after a 737 Max operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 157 people. That followed an earlier crash in Indonesia that killed 189 passengers and crew.The crashes put a harsh spotlight on Boeing's safety measures and the FAA's scrutiny in certifying the Max for service.Boeing's two biggest customers for the Max -- Dallas-based Southwest Airlines and Fort Worth-based American Airlines -- have removed the planes from their flight schedules into August, missing most of the busy summer travel season expected to break records this year.With a software update designed to fix flight control systems blamed in the Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes all but completed, according to Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer is expected to turn its attention to rebuilding public trust in the aircraft worldwide.Doug Parker, chief executive officer of Fort Worth-based American Airlines, which has 24 Max jets in its fleet, expressed uncertainty in an interview with NBC that "any amount of marketing" could calm the public's fears about flying on the jets.Boeing faces multiple lawsuits, one of which was filed by the former inspector general of the Department of Transportation and accuses the aircraft manufacturer of repeatedly concealing design flaws for decades and blaming pilots after crashes. It also has been sued by the survivors of an U.S. passenger on the Ethiopian Airlines crash.  Continue reading...