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Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are seen in the company's factory in Renton, Washington State. By Jason Redmond (AFP / File)
The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are stranded worldwide after the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302, highlighting the aircraft safety certification and the close relations between Boeing and the authorities US.
Nearly 10 days later, what do we know?
What happened?
On 10 March, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed in the south-east of Addis Ababa, killing 157 people on board.
This was the second accident in five months of a 737 MAX, a product line to replace the 737 NG.
The first accident, involving a MAX 8 operated by Lion Air, occurred on October 29 in the Java Sea, Indonesia, and claimed the lives of 189 people.
The planes have been temporarily immobilized or banned from the airspace of the whole world.
Are the two accidents related?
Mourners in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, carry portraits of the victims of the crash of Ethiopian Airlines. By Samuel HABTAB (AFP) Both aircraft crashed shortly after take-off.
The Ethiopian Minister of Transport, Dagmawit Moges, said Sunday that a study of the flight data recorder extracted from the Ethiopian aircraft had shown "obvious similarities" with that of the Lion Air flight in Indonesia.
She added that the parallels would be "the subject of further study".
What did the investigators find?
In both cases, the surveys are still in progress and the results are not expected for several months.
The flight recorders extracted from the crash in Ethiopia were sent to France for badysis.
The preliminary results of the Lion Air accident revealed a possible malfunction of the aircraft stabilization system, designed to avoid stall, known as MCAS, or system of increasing maneuvering characteristics.
US pilots have also reported experiencing problems using the MCAS.
What does Boeing say?
The manufacturer expressed condolences to the families of the victims, sent staff to the scene of the accident and declared cooperation with the investigators.
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said the company is finalizing a MCAS software update and an update of flight manuals and pilot training.
The US Federal Aviation Administration gave the company until April to make these changes.
Sources close to the case told AFP that the patch should be ready by March 25 and last about two hours.
Boeing also suspended deliveries of 737 MAX aircraft, but continued to manufacture them.
Why such controversy?
A boy observes the investigators of the scientific police at the crash site of a Boeing 737 MAX of Ethiopian Airlines. By TONY KARUMBA (AFP) Since the crash of Ethiopian Airlines, questions have arisen about Boeing's links with the FAA, which has offices in the company's factories.
For a decade, the FAA has allowed automakers themselves to certify their aircraft.
FAA accredited Boeing employees have certified the MCAS system, sources say.
Critics say the aviation regulator has been too soft on Boeing, a major player in the US export economy whose aircraft are also involved in the ongoing trade talks between the states. United States and China.
What the US authorities say
The Department of Justice, as well as the Office of the Inspector General at the Ministry of Transportation, both opened investigations into how the 737 MAX was certified, according to media reports.
The investigation of the Department of Justice would be a criminal case.
The Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives is also considering an investigation and is calling on FAA officials to testify in public.
When will MAX fly again?
According to Richard Aboulafia, an aviation badyst at Teal Group, three months is the best scenario.
United Airlines is betting on this scenario after canceling flights that were to use 737 MAX 9 by the end of May.
In 2013, the 787 Dreamliner was grounded for four months due to battery problems.
What is Boeing's financial success?
The cost will depend on the cause of the accidents. If it's only a MCAS modification, the repair bill will be less than a billion dollars, according to Ken Herbert of Cannaccord Genuity.
That would be Boeing's $ 15 billion economy, after record revenues of more than $ 100 billion last year.
The company may still have to pay damages claimed by the clients or families of the victims.
Meanwhile, Boeing has already lost about $ 30 billion in market capitalization on Wall Street.
The company is also facing a logistical dilemma: where to store the 737 MAX aircraft as it continues to produce?
If grounding and airspace bans are maintained, can he continue to build the jets, knowing that he will be unable to deliver them?
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