Boeing 737 MAX certification extension not in current defense bill - sources

David Shepardson2 minute readOctober 11, 202212:55 PM CDTLast Updated an hour ago
WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate amendment to extend a December deadline for Boeing Co (BA.N) to win regulatory approval for the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 jetliners is not part of the latest version of an annual defense bill, according to sources and documents seen by Reuters.

Late last month, Republican Senator Roger Wicker proposed extending the deadline for the U.S. planemaker to win approval for the two new 737 variants until September 2024.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueUnless it gains an extension from Congress, Boeing must meet new modern cockpit-alerting requirements that could significantly delay the planes' entry into service. Wicker had sought to attach the measure to the version of the defense bill that was filed on Tuesday.

The requirements were adopted by Congress as part of certification reform passed after two fatal 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people and led to the bestselling plane's 20-month grounding.

Wicker, who is the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, did not immediately comment.

There are other opportunities to make changes to the defense bill and an extension could be potentially attached to other measures Congress will consider before the end of the year.

On Friday, the union representing about 10,000 Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) pilots told Reuters it supports the extension, while the Allied Pilots Association representing 15,000 American Airlines (AAL.O) pilots said it opposes it.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueBoth American and Southwest fly the MAX 8. Southwest has ordered 192 MAX 7 planes. Boeing has an estimated 1,000 orders and commitments for MAX 7 and 10s.

Boeing argues it is safer to have one common 737 cockpit alerting system. "A consistent operational experience across an airplane family is an industry best practice that benefits flight crews and the flying public by enhancing safety and reducing risk," Boeing said.

Reuters reported last week Boeing does not anticipate winning regulatory approval for the MAX 10 before next summer, according to a Federal Aviation Administration letter.

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Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Nick Zieminski

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

 

Good.

filler.

 

Fact is the MAX 8 and 9 have been certified with the current annunciation push button recall system and these planes will be built for the next umpteen years and be in service for the next 30-40 yrs. So it's not like it's preventing this method of safety alerting system for these airplanes. I frankly would hate to switch from a MAX 8 or 9 with one alert system (the default one found in all 737s) to a MAX 10 or 7 and then have an EICAS Airbus style. When stuff hits the fan, I'd rather have one uniform method of dealing with abnormalities. I actually see the MAX 8/9 certified one way, the MAX 7/10 certified the other way as a hindrance to safety.

 

I’d buy that if a modern EICAS wasn’t 100% monkey see, monkey do. You flip the switches it tells you to and it knows when you’ve done it. It’s probably going to be easier than typing in the Contra code and then flipping through your iPad.

 

I think the biggest problem for the airlines (not the pilots), is that it won’t get certified as a common type with an EICAS, which, in turn, makes it pretty useless for them.

If it did get a common type, the safety threat wouldn’t be flying the 7/10’s (the poster above is right - an EICAS is idiot proof), it would be going from that back to a 7 or 8. Some theoretical airline 10 years from now could be fly exclusively MAX-10’s then suddenly get a good deal leasing a few MAX 8’s. With a common type, the company could just toss the pilots a CBT and say “Don’t worry about it, this old alerting system is just the same”. That’s the scenario where I see a safety threat (if there is one).

 

The worst part of what you describe is that if you end up flying a few legs with EICAS, of course it will be a common type, you'll dread the next leg having to go back to the pachinko machine.

 

I still think that it will definitely be certified. There is just too much money, jobs, and political pressure on the table to ignore. In the event that the Max10 doesn’t get certified though, airlines will most likely get even more Max9’s at a discount while Boeing scraps the Max10 program. That’s political reasoning for you. Refuse to certify the Max10 for not having EICAS just to watch Boeing sell countless Max9’s without EICAS to replace previous Max10 orders.

 

I’ve flown the 320 family and now on the 737. I’d still rather it be either all an EICAS system or leave the current annunciator recall push button. Not jump between the two for the MAX 8/9 vs MAX 7/10. I personally hope all MAX 7/8/9/10 are certified the same way.

 

Heck, hasn't having a secondary cockpit barrier been a congressional mandate for the last 20yrs. See lots of planes produced since 9/11 without. "Safety" has its $$$ limits.

 

They will be same, or not at all. EICAS would require a new type rating, which is why BCA is hell bent on avoiding it.

I'd give good odds that the 10 gets CANX if .gov forces the EICAS issue.