Boeing Outlines Roadmap For January Return Of 737 Max

SEATTLE, WA — Boeing hopes to restart 737 Max airline deliveries in December and resume commercial service in January, according to the Associated Press. The aircraft have been grounded since March 2018, when regulators in the U.S. and abroad found similarities between two deadly crashes in five months. In a progress report released Monday, the embattled aerospace company listed five "key milestones" that must be met before the FAA will greenlight a return to service.

1. FAA eCab Simulator Cerficiation Session (Complete)
2. FAA Line Pilots Crew Workload Evaluation
3. FAA Certification Flight Test
4. Boeing Final Submittal to the FAA
5. Joint Operational Evaluation Board Simulator Training Evaluation

The Associated Press reports, even after the FAA approves training steps, airlines will likely need additional time to retrain pilots, and at least two airlines said they did not expect the Max to be back in service until early March.

According to the Seattle Times, a two-part software fix for the aircraft included an upgrade to a flight control system that activated improperly on both crashed flights. In a Monday press release, Boeing said the company was confident the updated 737 Max would be "one of the safest airplanes ever to fly."