Boeing delays submission of Max update to FAA
Boeing will submit to the Federal Aviation Administration in the coming weeks a software update for its Max fleet intended to help address issues thought to have led to the recent crashes involving the aircraft, according to the agency.
“Time is needed for additional work by Boeing as a result of an ongoing review of the 737 MAX Flight Control System to ensure that Boeing has identified and appropriately addressed all pertinent issues,” the FAA said on Monday. “The FAA will not approve the software for installation until the agency is satisfied with the submission.”
The U.S., China, the U.K. and a slew of other countries have all grounded the planes – the newest generation of Boeing’s wildly popular 737 jets – after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airline crashes, leading to flight cancellations for customers on carriers like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
While Boeing was reportedly aiming to soon submit its update, the delayed timeline could weigh on both the Chicago-based manufacturer's earnings and the airlines that fly the Max – particularly foreign carriers whose countries are likely to conduct their own reviews of the new software after the FAA.
A Boeing spokeswoman did not immediately respond to request for comment.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA | THE BOEING CO. | 167.22 | +0.41 | +0.25% |
The company previously demoed the software update for 200 airline pilots and regulators. In a statement at the time, Boeing said it has been “working diligently and in close cooperation with the FAA on the software update."
“We are taking a comprehensive and careful approach to design, develop and test the software that will ultimately lead to certification,” it said.
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As of February 2019, Boeing had shipped 376 of 4,636 orders for the Max jets.