FAA announces possible certification flight for Boeing 737 MAX in coming weeks

After discovering a new software issue with the 737 MAX related to a warning light, Boeing said the issue will not further delay the plane’s return to flight.

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Stephen Dickson, announced Thursday that a certification flight for the grounded 737 MAX could happen as soon as the next few weeks.

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“Once we get past the certification flight, and the data that comes out of the certification flight, the steps from there on … are more predictable, in terms of they’re just fewer variables,” Dickson said. “But we’ve got to get to those points before we’re willing to predict anything.”

According to Boeing’s website, the FAA certification flight test is the third of five key milestones that must be completed before the plane can return to service.

Boeing shares rose nearly 4 percent following this news.

“Our highest priority is ensuring the 737 MAX is safe and meets all regulatory requirements before it returns to service,” Boeing said in a statement on Jan. 17.

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The 737 MAX has been grounded worldwide since March 2019 following two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. The most recent estimate for putting the plane back in the air is mid-2020.

“Our highest priority is ensuring the 737 MAX is safe and meets all regulatory requirements before it returns to service,” Boeing said in a statement on Jan. 17.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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