According to the company, it will take approximately one year to resolve the engine problem on the Boeing 737 Max as they informed lawmakers.
Boeing informed legislators that the proposed solution for the engine problem affecting all 737 Max aircrafts will require a timeframe of up to one year, thus postponing the certification of the 737 Max 7 and Max 10 planes.
In written responses to
Inquiries from Senator Tammy Duckworth
In a statement obtained by CBS News, Boeing, under the leadership of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Safety Chair, has formed a team of technical professionals to promptly find a safe and satisfactory resolution to a potential problem with the 737 Max engine’s anti-ice system that may result in engine overheating and damage.
Previously, officials from Boeing had stated their goal of having a solution ready within a timeframe of nine to twelve months.
The door panel detached from an Alaska Airlines flight in midair in January.
NTSB/Handout via Reuters
cannot reword
Boeing is unable to rephrase the request made by Duckworth for the FAA to deny a safety waiver for the Max 7.withdrew the request
The company will delay the full certification of Max 7 or Max 10 until the issue has been resolved.
Duckworth was informed by the company that addressing the anti-ice issue will require complex efforts.
The company stated that even minor adjustments to the engine inlet can significantly affect the way air enters the engine, thus influencing its performance. Choosing the appropriate solution for the potential overheating problem will involve thoroughly considering safety and conformity implications for all systems involved.
737 Max 8 jets”
On Tuesday, the CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, announced that the carrier has directed Boeing to suspend production of the 737 Max 10 aircraft they have on order and instead allocate resources to producing 737 Max 8 jets.737 Max 9 planes.
During a J.P. Morgan investor conference, Kirby stated that it is difficult to predict the certification date for the Max 10. If, and when, the Max 10 is certified, we will switch back to using them. However, until that happens, the Max 10 is not an option for us.
Kirby confirmed that United is considering placing an order for A321neo aircraft from competitor Airbus. If an A321 order is made, it is probable that an order with Boeing would be cancelled.
Kirby expressed that if the deal is successful, further action will be taken, but if it fails, they will not proceed, resulting in an increase of Max 9s.
Due to the delays in certification of the 737 Max 7, Southwest Airlines is being affected. The company has disclosed that it will have to reduce its capacity plans for 2024 and reassess its projected earnings for the year. This is due to receiving fewer Max deliveries than initially anticipated. Southwest exclusively operates a fleet of 737s and had placed orders for numerous Max 7s.
Reuters/Mike Blake
The FAA released an Airworthiness Directive in August 2023 to resolve a problem found in the Max 8 and 9 aircrafts. This was prompted by a report which revealed that using engine anti-ice (EAI) in dry air for more than five minutes in certain environmental and operational conditions can lead to overheating of the engine inlet inner barrel beyond its material design limit, resulting in engine inlet inner barrel failure and significant damage to the engine inlet cowl.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given the green light to Boeing’s plan for addressing the issue on the current Max aircraft fleet, as Boeing works to develop a solution by May 2026. The FAA advised airlines to have pilots restrict the use of the anti-ice system to under five minutes until Boeing’s fix is implemented.
Although this problem has not yet happened during a flight, Boeing has concluded that it could potentially occur in certain weather conditions and, in a worst-case scenario, could lead to the detachment of components.
Spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, Captain Dennis Tajer, who represents American Airlines pilots, posted a photograph of a reminder he utilizes while operating a 737 Max. The note outlines the temporary procedures for the anti-icing system.
Captain Dennis Tajer
The 737 Max 7 is the smallest type among the four 737 Max options, while the Max 10 is the biggest. Boeing currently has a waiting list of over 4,000 737 Max planes.
The implementation of Boeing’s 737 Max series has been connected to numerous disastrous incidents, controversies, and near misses.
Two accidents involving the 737 Max 8 aircraft, one occurring in 2018 and the other in 2019, resulted in the grounding of all flights of this type. Further investigations revealed that these crashes, resulting in the loss of 346 lives, were caused by incorrect sensor readings that triggered the planes’ automated system to lower the nose of the aircraft.
After the second crash, the Max fleet was unable to operate for a few months. The Max 9 planes in the United States were also temporarily taken out of service again after the door panel incident in January.
Reuters/Lindsey Wasson
Kris Van Cleave
Source: cbsnews.com