FAA chief sees 'straightforward' Boeing 737 MAX electrical fix

The head of the FAA told a US House panel that an electrical issue that grounded about 100 Boeing 737 MAX planes last month worldwide appeared to be a “pretty straightforward fix.” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson told the U.S. House Appropriations subcommittee overseeing transportation that he was fully confident in the safety of the MAX that returned to service after being grounded for 20 months following two fatal crashes in five months. “It is performing as well or better overall than any other airplane out there in the aviation system right now,” Dickson said. The FAA has daily meetings with Boeing to discuss the MAX’s performance, Dickson said. In February, the FAA said it was tracking all Boeing 737 MAX airplanes using satellite data under an agreement with air traffic surveillance firm Aireon. Reuters reported on May 4 that the FAA asked Boeing to supply fresh analysis showing numerous 737 MAX subsystems would not be affected by electrical grounding issues first flagged in three areas of the jet in April.<br/>