Boeing corrected the Boeing 737 MAX stabilization system

Boeing

completed the development of the corrected version of the stabilization system for
Boeing 737 MAX, the possible cause of the two accidents that occurred in recent months.

"Boeing has already finished with the necessary correction measures for the MAX," an industry source told AFP.

The entire 737 MAX fleet remains on shore more than ten days after the
The accident of one of these Ethiopian Airlines aircraft on March 10, which shows similarities with another Lion Air at the end of October in Indonesia.

Boeing was to introduce the fix to the three US airline customers of this aircraft (American Airlines, Southwest and United Airlines) as well as its pilots this Saturday in Renton, Washington (northwest), where the 737 MAX is badembled, as well than other industrial sources.

The American Airlines and Southwest pilots had planned to test the simulators on Saturday with the software update, they said. Contacted by AFP, Boeing has neither confirmed nor denied this information.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is among the authorities that will be directed "early next week" corrective and other modifications (manuals on board and pilot training) made by Boeing, said a government source.

Asked about the length of the certification process once the fix reached the authorities, the source said that nothing had been decided yet. The FAA, consulted by AFP, said it would make no comment.

"We have been working with all operators of the 737 MAX and we continue to hold meetings to share information about our plans to support the 737 MAX fleet," said a spokesman for the company.

A spokesman for United Airlines, which owns 14,737 MAX 9, confirmed the company's presence at Saturday's training session, in an email sent to AFP.

Southwest and its SWAPA pilot union sent experts from its pilot and training team to Boeing to review the documentation, a spokeswoman said. The airline has 34 copies of the 737 MAX 8.

The accidents of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines, which left a total
346 dead, safety concern for the 737 MAX 8 certification.

The first elements of the Lion Air investigation have highlighted a malfunction of the flight stabilization system called MCAS (System for Increasing Maneuvering Features).

The FAA had given Boeing until April to make the necessary changes to this essential system for the protection of the aircraft, and industrial sources told AFP that the update needed to be ready in ten days.

In addition to updating the enhanced version of the software, Boeing has also finalized the update of its training and instruction manuals to the pilot, sources said.

Boeing will be responsible for training pilots and organizing the flight schedule with 737 MAX airline customers, the company told AFP.

The costs of this training and the invoice for the development of the MCAS update will be borne by the manufacturer.

Boeing also decided that all of its aircraft would be equipped with a warning light signal, a feature up to now optional and paid, said Thursday at AFP an industry source.

Called "Disagreement Witness", this alarm signal is triggered if one or two MCAS System Angle of Attack (AOA) probes, which measure the stabilization angle, transmit erroneous information.

None of the two crashed devices were equipped with this device, an industrial source said.

Since the tragedy of Ethiopian Airlines, pressure on Boeing has intensified. The company's share price lost about 12% after this accident and more than $ 28,000 million in market capitalization evaporated.

The image of the manufacturer, which also manufactures combat aircraft and space equipment, has been seriously affected.

According to press reports, the Ministry of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the development of the 737 MAX, while the Ministry of Transportation has announced the launch of an audit on the certification of this aircraft.

On Wednesday, FAA officials, who authorized the flight in March 2017, are scheduled to appear before the Senate.

According to concordant sources, the regulator, which has offices in Boeing's factories, has entrusted much of the 737 MAX and MCAS certification, particularly to the constructor's employees, so that the linkage issues of that authority with The company will be raised at the hearing.