Boeing is planning to suspend the production of its 737 Max series planes in January. These are the 737 Max 8 planes that were involved in the two fatal crashes earlier in this year. This follows the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decision to continue its review of the planes next year.
The news comes over half a year since it was reported that the planes have completed their software update. As previously reported, the Boeing 737 Max update involves making the planes’ anti-stall systems compare data from both attack-of-angle (AOA) sensors. An AOA disagree light, which will give pilots a visual indicator of faulty sensors, was also supposed to be added. It was previously an optional extra.
It’s not clear if there is an end in sight for the suspension. According to CNBC, Boeing’s decision on this will depend regulators clearing the plane to fly again. That said, the company is not laying off workers at its Renton, Washington factory, which primarily produced the 737 Max planes. According to CNBC, some of the 12000 workers there will be reassigned for the time being.
CNBC also states that this decision by Boeing will present further problems for airlines. This will likely apply to those that have made deals to get the 737 Max 8 plane, which includes our national carrier, Malaysia Airlines (MAS).
We are reaching out to MAS and Boeing regarding the planes, and to what extent the suspension affects them.
(Source: CNBC)
