Boeing kept FAA in the dark on key 737 MAX design changes - U.S. IG report

Boeing failed to submit certification documents to the US FAA detailing changes to a key flight control system faulted in two fatal crashes, a long-awaited government report has found. The flight control system, known as MCAS, was “not an area of emphasis” because Boeing presented it to the FAA as a modification of the jet’s existing speed trim system, with limited range and use, according to the report. The 52-page report by the US DoT’s Office of Inspector General (IG), dated June 29 and set to be made public Wednesday, laid bare mistakes made by both the planemaker and FAA in the development and certification of Boeing’s top-selling aircraft. A Boeing spokesman said the company had taken steps to enhance safety and was committed to transparency. “When the MAX returns to service, it will be one of the most thoroughly scrutinized aircraft in history, and we have full confidence in its safety,” he said. The IG’s report is the latest of reports faulting the plane’s approval, while the Justice Department has an ongoing criminal investigation.<br/>