Boeing may ask Congress to extend Max 10 exemption from safety rule |
Multiple sources within the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and Congress say the jetmaker may not get the largest 737 Max variant, the Max 10, through FAA certification in time to hit a crucial deadline that if missed would trigger a new tighter safety requirement — from which Boeing wants an exemption.
Missing the year-end deadline could mean having to substantially revamp the Max 10 cockpit systems, a redesign of the aging 737 flight deck that the company previously declared impractical.
While Boeing’s lobbyists have not yet officially asked for congressional action, they will likely request a legislative amendment that extends the deadline past Dec. 31, according to a company insider.
That would allow the Max 10, like previous Max models, to be certified without meeting the latest safety standard that governs the design of cockpit crew alerts that warn pilots of some system malfunction during flight.
Boeing has been lobbying Congress, expressing concern about the schedule for the FAA’s certification of Max 10, which is the process of clearing it as safe to fly passengers.
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In the meantime, an FAA safety engineer said the agency is “pulling people from other projects to come help” on Max 10 certification and ensure the FAA isn’t blamed for delaying the process.
“They are scrambling,” said the FAA engineer, who asked for anonymity to protect his job.
Boeing has informed some airlines of the pending problem, including Max 10 launch customer United Airlines, which has more than 250 Max 10s on order.
If Boeing missed the deadline and was compelled to upgrade the Max 10 flight deck, its crew alerting system would operate differently from that of the Max 8 and 9 models. Assuming that can be done, it would necessitate separate pilot training for the Max 10, an expense the airlines don’t want.
In an interview, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., who chairs the Senate committee that helped draft the FAA reform law, indicated that — provided the FAA approves it — she’s inclined to grant an extension for Boeing.
“If they would like more time, this is an FAA decision,” Cantwell said. “If the FAA says yes, we need another six months, give them six months. If everybody was in agreement, I would change the date.”
She said the FAA should complete a full system safety assessment, including weighing whether making the Max 10 cockpit different from the other Max models might increase the risk for airlines with mixed fleets.
“Safety first. We’re not going to hurry. We’re not going to be rushed,” Cantwell said. “I need the FAA to lead. I want to hear from them that that’s what they think is the safest way to go.”
The FAA in an emailed statement said it cannot discuss specific details about the Max 10’s certification.
“Nor will we speculate about any actions the applicant (Boeing) might take with respect to…
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