FAA clears path for Boeing Max 9 jets to fly, but blocks production expansion
The Max 9 jets must first pass an "inspection and maintenance process" before they can take to the skies
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More than a hundred Boeing 737 Max 9 jets that were grounded following a near-disaster onboard a recent Alaska Airlines flight have been cleared to resume flying following an inspection and maintenance process, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Wednesday.
The FAA also informed Boeing on Wednesday it will not grant any production expansion of the MAX, including the 737-9 MAX. This action comes on top of the FAA’s investigation and ramped-up oversight of Boeing and its suppliers.
The FAA also approved a thorough inspection and maintenance process that must be performed on each of the grounded 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft. Upon successful completion, the aircraft will be eligible to return to service.
"We grounded the Boeing 737-9 MAX within hours of the incident over Portland and made clear this aircraft would not go back into service until it was safe," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said. "The exhaustive, enhanced review our team completed after several weeks of information gathering gives me and the FAA confidence to proceed to the inspection and maintenance phase.
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Alaska Airlines N704AL is seen grounded in a hangar at Portland International Airport on January 9, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. NTSB investigators are continuing their inspection on the Alaska Airlines N704AL Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft following a midai (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Whitaker added that this still isn't a green light for Boeing.
"However, let me be clear: This won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing. We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737 MAX until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved."
Following the completion of the enhanced maintenance and inspection process on each aircraft, the door plugs on the 737-9 MAX will be in compliance with the original design which is safe to operate, the FAA said. Officials added that the aircraft will not operate until the process is complete and compliance with the original design is confirmed.
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The fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 Max, which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage, is seen during its investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board in Portland, Oregon, on Jan (NTSB/Handout via Reuters / Reuters Photos)
The FAA said this process will require an inspection of specific bolts, guide tracks and fittings, detailed visual inspections of left and right mid-cabin exit door plugs and dozens of associated components, retorquing fasteners, and correcting any damage or abnormal conditions.
"The quality assurance issues we have seen are unacceptable," said Whitaker said after the Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft was grounded in early January. "That is why we will have more boots on the ground closely scrutinizing and monitoring production and manufacturing activities."
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A plastic sheet covers an area of the fuselage of the Alaska Airlines N704AL Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft outside a hangar at Portland International Airport on January 8, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. NTSB investigators are continuing their inspection on th (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The FAA added that Boeing’s safety management processes and how they affect Boeing’s safety culture is also under review.