FAA in final stages of Boeing 737 Max review; could approve as early as Nov. 18

The US FAA is in the final stages of reviewing proposed changes to Boeing’s 737 Max and expects to complete the process in the “coming days,” the agency’s chief said Monday. Three sources briefed on the matter told Reuters the FAA is set to approve the plane’s ungrounding as early as Nov 18. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said that he expects “this process will be finished in the coming days, once the agency is satisfied that Boeing has addressed” safety issues involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. Boeing declined to comment. The ungrounding would be a vital step in a still-arduous path to recovery for Boeing, plunged into its worst-ever crisis by the crashes and the worldwide grounding of its best-selling plane in March 2019. “The FAA continues to engage with aviation authorities around the world as they prepare to validate our certification decision,” Dickson said. “As I have said many times before, the agency will take the time that it needs to thoroughly review the remaining work. Even though we are near the finish line, I will lift the grounding order only after our safety experts are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards.” Following the FAA green light, airlines must complete software updates and fresh pilot training, a process that will take at least 30 days, before the planes can return to the skies.<br/>