US: FAA outlines reforms planned after Boeing 737 Max missteps

The FAA released multiple steps it plans to take to change how it reviews aircraft designs, a process that was criticized after two fatal crashes on Boeing’s 737 Max. The agency is planning on updating regulations to require better internal safety systems at planemakers, avoid “undue pressure” of manufacturers over employees designated by the FAA to aid in certification and is reexamining how it assumes pilots will react to failures, the agency said in a report to the DoT Tuesday. The report is a response to a blue-ribbon panel’s review in January that found agency needed to update its practices. The 737 Max, Boeing’s best-selling jet, was grounded in March 2019 after a the second of two fatal crashes linked to automated safety system that drove down the nose due to a malfunction. The FAA said in a statement the blue-ribbon report had found its existing safety processes are generally sound, but they highlight areas where improvement is needed. “The FAA will work with a variety of partners throughout the aviation industry and international regulatory community to complete this work,” the agency said.<br/>