China suspends Boeing 737 Certificate of Airworthiness

China suspended a so-called certificate of airworthiness for the 737 Max airplane from Boeing Co. arguing that it must review a proposed change before determining whether the aircraft can fly safely after two recent accidents.

The measure raises the possibility that the Max stays far from the skies of China in case the authorities deem an inadequate solution for disaster-related software.

The decision was made in the face of the uncertainty surrounding the model and an anti-lock system that is the subject of an investigation into the crash of an Ethiopian aircraft Airlines on March 10, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. It will be reviewed once Boeing has detailed the changes.announced the agency.

The potential blow for Boeing comes a day after China placed an order of US $ 35 billion for the A320 series of Airbus SE, the world's biggest rival among the 737. The Asian nation has been one of the first to cancel flights of the narrow-body US model after the accident in Ethiopia showed similarities with the Air Max Lion in October, while Boeing was also involved in a commercial dispute in course.

"I suspect that all this has to do with the environment of greater openness between China and the United States," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace badyst at Teal Group. "Boeing is on the front line of this confrontation, Max just looks like a pawn."

US Department of Transportation Creates Commission to Verify Aircraft Certification, including an badessment of how the Federal Aviation Administration oversees the process. Meanwhile, Boeing is working this week with airlines and regulators to prepare a suspicious software update, called "Maneuverability Enhancement System," which faces increased scrutiny and challenges. possible criminal prosecution search