Boeing could take as long as 3 months to fix the latest software glitch on its 737 Max, discovered when a US govt pilot doing simulator tests experienced a lag in an emergency response because a computer chip was overwhelmed with data, people familiar with the matter said. The finding is what prompted Wednesday’s announcement by the FAA that it had detected a new safety issue on the plane, said a person familiar with the issue. The planemaker maintains that a software patch will be sufficient to address the issue. However, the FAA isn’t yet sure whether a more complex and expensive hardware fix will be required, said the person. Estimates for how long it will take to address the issue range from a few weeks to 3 months, the person said Thursday. <br/>
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A trade group representing hundreds of airlines is renewing its push for additional pilot training and coordination among global aviation regulators to ensure that the Boeing 737 Max is safe before it is allowed to fly again after 2 deadly crashes. If additional training is required, including the possible use of scarce MAX flight simulators, it could come at a tremendous cost to Boeing and further delay the plane's return. Airlines are already adjusting their schedules with the expectation that the plane will remain grounded for an extended period. Pilot training has emerged as a central part of fixing the plane. Boeing wants computer-based training, and FAA technical experts agree that would be sufficient. Others, however, believe pilots need to practice with the new Boeing software in flight simulators. <br/>
Airlines reinforced their call for air-safety regulators to cooperate on returning the Boeing 737 MAX plane to service and agreeing on common pilot-training requirements. Wednesday, IATA convened a meeting of MAX operators, regulators and others in Montreal about the way forward for the troubled plane. Some airlines and plane makers have worried that regulators around the world may not coordinate their efforts, potentially creating confusion for passengers. IATA DG Alexandre de Juniac said Thursday that coordinated regulatory action was important to restore public confidence. IATA also called for “alignment on additional training requirements for Boeing 737 MAX flight crew.” The FAA has indicated that it won’t require special MAX simulators sessions for pilots to clear them to operate the jetliner. <br/>
Pilots flying Boeing aircraft in recent years have reported flight-control problems they blamed on malfunctioning software -- not on the company’s maligned 737 Max jets, but widely used earlier versions of the plane that are still in the air. Commercial pilots flying Boeing’s NG, or “Next Generation,” models have registered concerns on a variety of computer problems through the Aviation Safety Reporting System, a database administered by NASA. In the past, 3 pilots on different flights reported a range of issues, including losing airspeed on take-off in some cases or the plane’s nose pitching downward without their command. The latest problem could produce an uncommanded dive similar to that experienced with MCAS, according to a person who requested anonymity. <br/>
Boeing is negotiating settlements with the families of dozens of victims of 2 crashes involving 737 MAX jetliners, while some plaintiffs’ attorneys push for a jury trial to air details of the accidents. The talks were disclosed during 2 court hearings in Chicago Thursday addressing more than 100 lawsuits filed against Boeing by families following the crashes. Potential settlements would add to Boeing’s costs from the accidents that analysts estimate could top US$3b and include compensation to airlines and disruption to its own production following a global grounding of the 737 MAX fleet that is now in its fourth month. Some plaintiffs’ lawyers in the 55 Ethiopian Airlines suits have said they want a full airing of the facts surrounding the accident before any deals are struck. <br/>
The UK and other EU govts are in breach of international obligations by failing to be open about their policies to tackle emissions from aviation, a coalition of NGOs has said. The group is lodging a formal complaint over the secrecy surrounding regulation of emissions from international flights, which they say allows the aviation industry to be a “climate laggard”. Last year, aviation emitted 895m tonnes of carbon dioxide – 2.4% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, according to Carbon Brief. If aviation were a country it would be the sixth biggest emitter in the world. But the UK and other EU govts are in breach of international obligations relating to the release of environmental information because they are failing to disclose details on cutting emissions, say the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation. <br/>
The EC has given the US a stern warning not to take any action against Air Italy that would prevent it flying to the US. A letter with the warning was sent from EC Mobility and Transport DG Henrik Hololei to US State Department under secretary, economic growth, energy and environment Manisha Singh. In it, Hololei uses unusually direct language to make clear that the EC “will take all steps necessary to defend the rights of the EU, its Member States and its air carriers” under the EU-US Open Skies agreement. The EC warning comes as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have joined forces in a campaign directed at challenging Air Italy’s flights to the US because Qatar Airways has a 49% stake in the Italian carrier. <br/>