FAA Updates on Boeing 737 MAX

Today, the FAA sent a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for a Boeing 737 MAX airworthiness directive (AD) (PDF ) to the Office of the Federal Register for publication. The NPRM proposes mandating a number of design changes to address an identified unsafe condition. When the NPRM publishes in the Federal Register, a 45 day public comment period will begin. The FAA is posting the NPRM on its website today to enable the public to begin review early.

The FAA will also be placing the Preliminary Summary of the FAA’s Review of the Boeing 737 MAX (PDF) in the docket to assist with the review of the proposed AD.

7/21/2020

FAA Statement

In the near future, the FAA plans to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for an Airworthiness Directive (AD) affecting the Boeing 737 MAX. In keeping with our commitment to remain transparent, the NPRM will provide 45 days for the public to comment on proposed design changes and crew procedures to mitigate the safety issues identified during the investigations that followed the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents.

The agency continues to follow a robust certification process. In addition to the standard FAA certification team, the 737 MAX Technical Advisory Board (TAB) continues to provide valuable review and consultation.

While the posting of the NPRM is an important milestone, a number of key steps remain. The remaining tasks include:

JOEB Validation & FSB Review – Final planning is underway for the FAA’s Flight Standardization Board (FSB) and the Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB) review of proposed training for flight crews, based on the design change and crew procedures. The results of this evaluation will be included in the updated Flight Standardization Board report, which will also be posted for public comment.

The JOEB will include regulators from Canada, Europe, and Brazil and will evaluate minimum pilot training requirements. The FSB will issue a draft report for public comment addressing the findings of the JOEB.

Final FSB Report – The FAA will publish a final FSB report after reviewing and addressing public comments.

Final Design Documentation and TAB Report – The FAA will review Boeing’s final design documentation to evaluate compliance with all FAA regulations. The multi-agency Technical Advisory Board will also review the final Boeing submission and issue a final report prior to a final determination of compliance by the FAA.

CANIC & AD – The FAA will issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) providing notice of pending significant safety actions and will publish a final Airworthiness Directive (AD) that addresses the known issues for grounding. The AD will advise operators of required corrective actions before aircraft may re-enter commercial service.

FAA Rescinds Grounding Order – This marks the official ungrounding of the aircraft, pending completion by operators of the work specified in the AD, along with any required training.

Certificates of Airworthiness – The FAA will retain its authority to issue airworthiness certificates and export certificates for all new 737 MAX airplanes manufactured since the grounding. The FAA will perform in-person, individual reviews of these aircraft.

Operator Training Programs – The FAA will review and approve training programs for all Part 121 operators.

The FAA will not speculate when the work will be completed. The agency continues to follow a deliberate process and will take the time it needs to thoroughly review Boeing’s work. We will lift the grounding order only after FAA safety experts are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards.

7/1/2020

FAA Statement on 737 MAX Certification Flights

The FAA and Boeing today completed the certification flight tests on the Boeing 737 MAX. During three days of testing this week, FAA pilots and engineers evaluated Boeing’s proposed changes in connection with the automated flight control system on the aircraft. While completion of the flights is an important milestone, a number of key tasks remain, including evaluating the data gathered during these flights. The agency is following a deliberate process and will take the time it needs to thoroughly review Boeing’s work. We will lift the grounding order only after FAA safety experts are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards.

The remaining tasks include:

JOEB Validation & FSB Review – The FAA’s Flight Standardization Board (FSB) and the Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB) which includes international partners from Canada, Europe, and Brazil will evaluate minimum pilot training requirements.  The FSB will issue a draft report for public comment addressing the findings of the FSB and JOEB.

Final FSB Report – The FAA will publish a final FSB report after reviewing and addressing public comments.

Final Design Documentation and TAB Report – The FAA will review Boeing’s final design documentation in order to evaluate compliance with all FAA regulations.  The multi-agency Technical Advisory Board (TAB) will also review the final Boeing submission and issue a final report prior to a final determination of compliance by the FAA.

CANIC & AD – The FAA will issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) providing notice of pending significant safety actions and will publish an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that addresses the known issues for grounding. The AD will advise operators of required corrective actions before aircraft may re-enter commercial service.

FAA Rescinds Grounding Order – This marks the official ungrounding of the aircraft, pending completion by operators of the work specified in the AD, along with any required training.

Certificates of Airworthiness – The FAA will retain its authority to issue airworthiness certificates and export certificates for all new 737 MAX airplanes manufactured since the grounding.  The FAA will perform in-person, individual reviews of these aircraft.

Operator Training Programs – The FAA will review and approve training programs for all part 121 operators.

6/29/2020

FAA Statement on Certification Flights

The FAA and Boeing are conducting a series of certification flights this week to evaluate Boeing’s proposed changes to the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX. The aircraft departed from Boeing Field in Seattle at 9:55 a.m. Pacific Time today for the first round of testing. The flight is expected to take several hours.

The certification flights are expected to take approximately three days. They will include a wide array of flight maneuvers and emergency procedures to assess whether the changes meet FAA certification standards. The tests are being conducted by test pilots and engineers from the FAA and Boeing.

While the certification flights are an important milestone, a number of key tasks remain. The FAA is following a deliberate process and will take the time it needs to thoroughly review Boeing’s work. We will lift the grounding order only after we are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards.

1/16/2020

Statement from FAA Administrator Steve Dickson on the Special Committee’s report on aircraft certification

The FAA’s first priority is safety, and we are committed to a philosophy of continuous improvement. We welcome and appreciate the Special Committee’s insights and recommendations. I was pleased to see that the committee recommended we advance the use of Safety Management Systems throughout all sectors of the aviation industry. The agency will carefully consider the committee’s work, along with the recommendations identified in various investigative reports and other analyses, as we take steps to enhance our aircraft certification processes.

1/10/2020

FAA Statement on Emails

The FAA reviewed the most recent 737 MAX-related documents submitted by Boeing for the purpose of identifying any safety implications. Our experts determined that nothing in the submission pointed to any safety risks that were not already identified as part of the ongoing review of proposed modifications to the aircraft.

The FAA maintains a rigorous process for qualifying flight simulators. Upon reviewing the records for the specific simulator mentioned in the documents, the agency determined that piece of equipment has been evaluated and qualified three times in the last six months. Any potential safety deficiencies identified in the documents have been addressed.

While the tone and content of some of the language contained in the documents is disappointing, the FAA remains focused on following a thorough process for returning the Boeing 737 MAX to passenger service. We continue to work with other international aviation safety regulators to review the proposed changes to the aircraft. Our first priority is safety, and we have set no timeframe for when the work will be completed.

10/25/2019

FAA Statement on Lion Air Flight 610 Accident Report

The FAA’s first priority is always safety. The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee’s accident report on Lion Air Flight 610 is a sober reminder to us of the importance of that mission, and we again express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were lost in that tragic accident.

We welcome the recommendations from this report and will carefully consider these and all other recommendations as we continue our review of the proposed changes to the Boeing 737 MAX. The FAA is committed to ensuring that the lessons learned from the losses of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 will result in an even greater level of safety globally.

The FAA continues to review Boeing’s proposed changes to the 737 MAX. As we have previously stated, the aircraft will return to service only after the FAA determines it is safe.

10/18/2019

FAA Statement

Late yesterday, Boeing alerted the Department of Transportation to the existence of instant messages between two Boeing employees, characterizing certain communications with the FAA during the original certification of the 737 MAX in 2016. Boeing explained to the Department that it had discovered this document some months ago.

The Department immediately brought this document to the attention of both FAA leadership and the Department’s Inspector General.

The FAA finds the substance of the document concerning. The FAA is also disappointed that Boeing did not bring this document to our attention immediately upon its discovery. The FAA is reviewing this information to determine what action is appropriate.

The FAA has shared this document with the appropriate Congressional committees and plans to provide additional related documents today.

The FAA is following a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the Boeing 737 MAX to passenger service. The agency will lift the grounding order only after we have determined the aircraft is safe.

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Read the letter (PDF) FAA Administrator Steve Dickson sent to Boeing.

10/11/2019

FAA Administrator Dickson is reviewing every recommendation and will take appropriate action.

Statement from FAA Administrator Steve Dickson:

I thank Chairman Chris Hart and the Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) members for their unvarnished and independent review (PDF) of the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX.

As FAA Administrator, I will review every recommendation and take appropriate action.

Today’s unprecedented U.S. safety record was built on the willingness of aviation professionals to embrace hard lessons and to seek continuous improvement. We welcome this scrutiny and are confident that our openness to these efforts will further bolster aviation safety worldwide. The accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia are a somber reminder that the FAA and our international regulatory partners must strive to constantly strengthen aviation safety.

9/26/2019

FAA welcomes and appreciates NTSB's recommendations.

The FAA’s first priority is safety. We welcome and appreciate the NTSB’s recommendations. The agency will carefully review these and all other recommendations as we continue our review of the proposed changes to the Boeing 737 MAX. The FAA is committed to a philosophy of continuous improvement. The lessons learned from the investigations into the tragic accidents of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 will be a springboard to an even greater level of safety.

9/23/2019

FAA and Technical Experts Meet with Safety Regulators to Continue Discussions on Boeing 737 Max

MONTREAL — The Federal Aviation Administration and a team of technical experts met today with safety regulators from around the world to discuss the continuing efforts to return the Boeing 737 MAX jetliner to service.

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson and Deputy Administrator Dan Elwell delivered opening remarks to more than 50 invited officials, all of whom will play a role in clearing the aircraft for further flight in their respective nations.

Ali Bahrami, the FAA’s Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, provided details on the FAA’s many activities to certify the aircraft since the group of regulators first met four months ago in Fort Worth, Texas. A senior Boeing Co. executive provided a technical briefing on the company’s efforts to address the safety regulators’ shared concerns.

During the meeting, Administrator Dickson pledged that the FAA would continue to share information about the FAA’s activities to ensure the proposed changes to the automated flight control system on the 737 MAX meet certification standards. “In the name of continuous improvement, we welcome feedback from our fellow civil aviation authorities, the aviation industry and the important independent reviews of the MAX and the FAA’s certification process,” Dickson said.

Dickson told the group that the last few months have made it clear that, in the mind of the traveling public, aviation safety recognizes no borders. “Travelers demand the same high level of safety no matter where they fly,” he said. “It is up to us as aviation regulators to deliver on this shared responsibility.”

The FAA continues to follow a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the aircraft to passenger service. The FAA has a transparent and collaborative relationship with other civil aviation authorities as we continue our review of changes to software on the Boeing 737 MAX. Our first priority is safety, and we have set no timeframe for when the work will be completed. Each government will make its own decision to return the aircraft to service, based on a thorough safety assessment.

8/30/2019

Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) Panel to Deliver Findings in Coming Weeks.

The Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) panel is taking additional time to finish documenting its work. We expect the group to submit its observations, findings, and recommendations in the coming weeks.

Chaired by former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Christopher A. Hart, the JATR is comprised of technical safety experts from nine civil aviation authorities worldwide, as well as the FAA and NASA. The team received extensive overviews and engaged in subsequent discussions about the design, certification, regulations, compliance, training, and Organization Designation Authorization activities associated with the 737 MAX.

The JATR’s focus on the certification of the aircraft is separate from the ongoing efforts to safely return the aircraft to flight. The FAA continues to follow a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the aircraft to passenger service. While the agency’s certification processes are well-established and have consistently produced safe aircraft designs, we welcome the scrutiny from these experts and look forward to their findings.

We will carefully review all recommendations and will incorporate any changes that would improve our certification activities.

6/26/2019 4:45 p.m. Update

FAA Statement

The FAA is following a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the Boeing 737 Max to passenger service. The FAA will lift the aircraft’s prohibition order when we deem it is safe to do so. We continue to evaluate Boeing’s software modification to the MCAS and we are still developing necessary training requirements. We also are  responding to recommendations received from the Technical Advisory Board (TAB). The TAB is an independent review panel we have asked to review our work regarding 737 Max return to service.

On the most recent issue, the FAA’s process is designed to discover and highlight potential risks. The FAA recently found a potential risk that Boeing must mitigate.

6/2/2019 Update

FAA Statement

Boeing has informed the FAA that certain 737NG and 737MAX leading edge slat tracks may have been improperly manufactured and may not meet all applicable regulatory requirements for strength and durability.

Following an investigation conducted by Boeing and the FAA Certificate Management Office (CMO), we have determined that up to 148 parts manufactured by a Boeing sub-tier supplier are affected. Boeing has identified groups of both 737NG and 737MAX airplane serial numbers on which these suspect parts may have been installed. 32 NG and 33 MAX are affected in the U.S. Affected worldwide fleet are 133 NG and 179 MAX aircraft.

The affected parts may be susceptible to premature failure or cracks resulting from the improper manufacturing process. Although a complete failure of a leading edge slat track would not result in the loss of the aircraft, a risk remains that a failed part could lead to aircraft damage in flight.

The FAA will issue an Airworthiness Directive to mandate Boeing's service actions to identify and remove the discrepant parts from service. Operators of affected aircraft are required to perform this action within 10 days. The FAA today also alerted international civil aviation authorities of this condition and required actions.

5/23/2019 Update

FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell's Closing Remarks at Directorates General Meeting

Thanks for joining us.  Today’s meeting was both comprehensive and constructive.  While the tragic circumstances that brought all of us together might be considered extraordinary—there is nothing extraordinary about the level of commitment to safety shared by all of us.  Our sense of mission—that makes aviation the safest form of transportation—runs strong and deep, and binds all of us.  If not in one meeting in Ft.  Worth, we are comparing notes in symposiums around the world, we’re in web-based conferences, or we simply pick up the phone.  

So, let me give you a short recap of what we covered today:

How the FAA responded to the MAX accidents and how we’re supporting the two international accident investigations

How we plan to certify Boeing’s MCAS changes and how we’ve been sharing information with all the regulators here.

The latest status on the Technical Advisory Board, or TAB, which is reviewing Boeing’s MCAS software update and system safety assessment. As you know, the TAB is tasked with identifying any issues where further investigation is recommended before we approve the MCAS design change.

Details of the Boeing’s proposed changes to the MAX – both to the flight control system and pilot training

A review of the technical steps and sequence of events that we anticipate would be involved in ungrounding the MAX fleet here in the United States

A discussion of international considerations for returning the MAX to service outside the United States

What happens next is that, here in the U.S., we await Boeing’s completed for changes to the MAX. Once received we perform our final risk assessments and analyses, taking into account findings of the TAB and any information we receive from our international counterparts. We’ll also take part in test flights of a modified 737 MAX and weigh all the information together before making the decision to return the aircraft to service.

Internationally, each country has to make its own decisions, but the FAA will make available to our counterparts all that we have learned, all that we have done, and all of our assistance under our International Civil Aviation Organization commitments.

As all of us work through this rigorous process, we will continue to be transparent and exchange all that we know and all that we do –to strengthen the public’s confidence that the aircraft will meet the highest safety standards.

5/22/2019 Update

FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell's Opening Remarks at Directorates General Meeting

Good afternoon and welcome to the FAA’s Southwest Regional office here in Fort Worth. As you know, tomorrow we’ll be meeting with dozens of regulators from across the globe to discuss our ongoing efforts aimed at getting the Boeing 737 MAX back into service.

We’ll be sharing with them the safety analysis that will form the basis for our return-to-service decision process here in the United States, and we’ll offer the FAA’s assistance in helping them with their individual decisions on returning the aircraft to service in their countries. We’ll also welcome their feedback to help us with our shared goal of keeping aviation’s safety record the envy of other transportation modes.

The FAA and our colleagues around the world know that the success of the global aviation system rests squarely on our shared commitment of safety and our common understanding of what it takes to achieve it. It’s because we have a common framework through the International Civil Aviation Organization for how we design, build and operate airliners.

Under that framework, The State of Design – which is the United States for the MAX – has the obligation to provide all States that operate an aircraft with the information that assures its safe operation. For the MAX, Boeing has not yet submitted its final request to change the MCAS, but we can share what information we do have to contribute to our safety evaluations.

So that’s what we’ll do tomorrow – explain our understanding of the risks that need to be addressed, the steps we propose to address those risks, and how we’ll propose to bring the 737 MAX back to service. And let me be very clear about that – the FAA will return the 737 MAX to service in the United States only when we determine based on facts and technical data that it is safe to do so.

We’ll also discuss how making the entire process transparent toward strengthening public confidence after two accidents. We all want travelers to have the highest confidence in the aviation system when they fly.

Once the meeting is completed tomorrow afternoon, we’ll brief you again on the events of the day.

I’ll take your questions now.

5/3/2019 3:00pm Update

This week, the Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) team held its first meeting to review the FAA’s certification of the Boeing 737 MAX’s automated flight control system. Chaired by former NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart, the JATR is comprised of technical safety experts from 9 civil aviation authorities worldwide, including the FAA, as well as from NASA.  

The team received extensive overviews and engaged in subsequent discussions about the design, certification, regulations, compliance, training, and Organization Designation Authorization program associated with the 737 MAX. Over the next few months, JATR participants will take a comprehensive look at the FAA’s certification of the aircraft’s automated flight control system. Each participant will individually provide the FAA with findings regarding the adequacy of the certification process and any recommendations to improve the process.  

The JATR is separate from and not required to approve enhancements for the return of the 737 MAX to service. The team concluded an initial, substantive week of gathering information and planning its next meetings.

5/3/2019 1:45pm Update

Supplemental FAA letter to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Wicker available here (PDF: https://www.faa.gov/news/media/Elwell_to_Wicker_Boeing737Max.pdf  ).

4/29/2019 12:30pm Update

The FAA has convened today’s initial Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) meeting as it evaluates aspects of the original certification of the Boeing 737 MAX’s automated flight control system. This gathering of international civilian aviation authorities and safety technical experts represents the best spirit of cooperation and collaboration that have contributed to aviation’s strong safety record. All participants are committed to a single safety mission, and will not rest where aviation’s safety record is concerned. We expect the JATR to engage in a free and candid discussion that exchanges information and improves future processes. Their work is not a prerequisite for the 737 MAX to return to service. The FAA will continue to share its technical experience and knowledge to support the international aviation community and, specifically over the next three months, the JATR participants.           

4/19/2019 3:00pm Update

Experts from nine civil aviation authorities have confirmed they will participate in the Boeing 737 MAX Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) that the FAA established earlier this month. The JATR team will conduct a comprehensive review of the certification of the aircraft’s automated flight control system.

The JATR is chaired by former NTSB Chairman Chris Hart and comprised of a team of experts from the FAA, NASA and international aviation authorities. The team will evaluate aspects of the 737 MAX automated flight control system, including its design and pilots’ interaction with the system, to determine its compliance with all applicable regulations and to identify future enhancements that might be needed.   

The team is scheduled to first meet on April 29 and its work is expected to take 90 days.

Confirmed participants include:

Australia     

Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)

Brazil          

Agencia Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC)

Canada       

Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA)

China                                     

Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)

European Union                     

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

Japan                                      

Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB)

Indonesia                               

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

Singapore       

Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)        

United Arab Emirates           

General Civil Aviation Authority (UAE GCAA)

4/16/2019 4:15pm Update

The FAA today posted a draft report  from the Boeing 737 MAX Flight Standardization Board. The FSB reviewed only the training aspects related to software enhancements to the aircraft. The report is open to public comment for 14 days. After that, the FAA will review those comments before making a final assessment. Boeing Co. is still expected in the coming weeks to submit the final software package for certification.

4/12/19 4:20pm Update

FAA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX

The FAA convened a meeting today, April 12, at the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters with safety representatives of the three U.S.-based commercial airlines that have the Boeing 737 MAX in their fleets, as well as the pilot unions for those airlines.   

The approximately 3-hour meeting opened with remarks from Acting Administrator Dan Elwell and covered three major agenda items:  a review of the publicly available preliminary findings of the investigations into the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents; an overview of the anticipated software enhancements to the MCAS system; and, an overview of pilot training.  Each presentation corresponding to the agenda, delivered by FAA subject matter experts, allowed for an open exchange between all participants.

In his opening remarks, Elwell characterized the meeting as a listening session for the FAA to hear from the participants for a fuller understanding of the safety issues presented by the Boeing 737 MAX.   Elwell said that he wanted to know what operators and pilots of the 737 MAX think as the agency evaluates what needs to be done before the FAA makes a decision to return the aircraft to service.  Elwell emphasized that the same level of transparency, dialog, and all available tools that have created aviation’s incomparable safety record also will apply to the FAA’s ongoing review of the aircraft’s return to service.  Elwell said that the participant’s operational perspective is critical input as the agency welcomes scrutiny on how it can do better.  As the meeting concluded, Elwell committed to the participants that the agency values transparency on its work toward the FAA’s decisions related to the aircraft.

4/4/19 6:10pm Update

FAA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX

FAA letter to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Wicker available here (PDF).

4/4/19 8:30am Update

FAA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX

The investigation by Ethiopian authorities remains ongoing, with the participation of the FAA and the NTSB. We continue to work toward a full understanding of all aspects of this accident. As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action.

4/2/19 4:00pm Update

FAA Establishes Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) for Boeing 737 MAX

The FAA is establishing a Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR). Chaired by former NTSB Chairman Chris Hart and comprised of a team of experts from the FAA, NASA and international aviation authorities, the JATR will conduct a comprehensive review of the certification of the automated flight control system on the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The JATR team will evaluate aspects of the 737 MAX automated flight control system, including its design and pilots’ interaction with the system, to determine its compliance with all applicable regulations and to identify future enhancements that might be needed.   

4/1/19 4:00pm Update

FAA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX Software Update

The FAA expects to receive Boeing’s final package of its software enhancement over the coming weeks for FAA approval. Time is needed for additional work by Boeing as the result of an ongoing review of the 737 MAX Flight Control System to ensure that Boeing has identified and appropriately addressed all pertinent issues. Upon receipt, the FAA will subject Boeing’s completed submission to a rigorous safety review. The FAA will not approve the software for installation until the agency is satisfied with the submission.

3/20/19 5:00pm Update

Update on FAA's Continued Operational Safety Activities Related to the Boeing 737 MAX Fleet

FAA issues new Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (PDF) on Boeing 737 MAX.

3/13/19 3:00pm Update

Statement from the FAA on Ethiopian Airlines

The FAA is ordering the temporary grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft (PDF) operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory. The agency made this decision as a result of the data gathering process and new evidence collected at the site and analyzed today. This evidence, together with newly refined satellite data available to FAA this morning, led to this decision.

The grounding will remain in effect pending further investigation, including examination of information from the aircraft’s flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. An FAA team is in Ethiopia assisting the NTSB as parties to the investigation of the Flight 302 accident. The agency will continue to investigate.

3/12/19 6:10pm Update

Statement from Acting FAA Administrator Daniel K. Elwell

The FAA continues to review extensively all available data and aggregate safety performance from operators and pilots of the Boeing 737 MAX. Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft. Nor have other civil aviation authorities provided data to us that would warrant action. In the course of our urgent review of data on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, if any issues affecting the continued airworthiness of the aircraft are identified, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action.

3/11/19 6:00pm Update

The FAA has issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification (PDF) to the International Community (CANIC) related to the Boeing 737-8 and Boeing 737-9 (737 MAX) fleet.

3/11/19 3:15pm Update

An FAA team is on-site with the NTSB in its investigation of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. We are collecting data and keeping in contact with international civil aviation authorities as information becomes available.Today, the FAA will issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) for Boeing 737 MAX operators. The FAA continuously assesses and oversees the safety performance of U.S. commercial aircraft.  If we identify an issue that affects safety, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action.

Page last modified: August 03, 2020 2:15:23 PM EDT

Resources:WhiteHouse, Youtube, FAA, MaximUS Aviation, Boeing Co 
Yahoo, Fox News, and wikipedia
catch4all.com, Sandra Englund,August 8th, 2020