Boeing 737 MAX
737 Max is a 4th generation aircraft that has been manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA). It is a narrow-bodied airliner which succeeds 737 Next Generation type aircrafts. Boeing 737 MAX took its first flight on 29th January, 2016 and got Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) approval in March 2017.
Key Points
- All the Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts were grounded worldwide in March 2019 after the two fatal accidents involving Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302.
- Since then, Boeing was involved in re-engineering the aircraft to meet all safety requirements.
- In India, Spice Jet is the sole operator of Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts and all 13 number of 737 Max aircrafts in its fleet were grounded.
Boeing 737 Max gets FAA approval again
Recently, the USA’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has permitted the Boeing 737 Max aircrafts to fly, once all necessary repairs have been made. The approval to fly again comes after 20 months of grounding of the aircraft. The permission by FAA is only the first step for allowing 59 aircrafts spread across 32 countries to once again fly the 387 grounded planes. The FAA order will cover only US domestic flights for the 737 Max jets operated by American, United, and Southwest Airlines, 72 in total. However, so far only American Airlines added the aircrafts to the schedule. Flights to or within all other countries will need the approval of those nations’ aviation authorities.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
FAA is a governmental body and the transportation agency of the United States for regulating all aspects of civil aviation. It was formed in August, 1958 and is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Stephen Dickson is the present Administrator of FAA. Elaine L. Chao is the current U.S. Secretary of Transportation.