The most recent setback for Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX aircraft happened on Friday when an Alaska Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing due to a blowout in a cabin panel.
A temporary grounding of specific aircraft was mandated by US officials for safety inspections. That's not as drastic as when all MAX-family aircraft were grounded globally over five years ago in response to two deadly disasters.
This is a timeline of current problems pertaining to Boeing's MAX aircraft:
OCTOBER 2018: All 189 persons on board a Lion Air MAX jet die in a crash in Indonesia.
NOVEMBER 2018: Following the Lion Air tragedy, the FAA and Boeing have stated that they are assessing whether the 737 MAX aircraft need software or design modifications.
MARCH 2019: All 157 persons aboard an Ethiopian Airlines MAX perish in a disaster. The United States Federal Aviation Administration is among the several aviation regulators to ground the MAX after China's aviation regulator did so first globally.
APRIL 2019: An international committee is assembled by the FAA to examine the 737 MAX's safety. Boeing reduces output by around 20% every month.
JULY 2019: Boeing reports its highest quarterly loss to date.
SEPTEMBER 2019: A permanent safety committee is established by Boeing's board of directors to supervise the company's aircraft development, production, and operation.
OCTOBER 2019: Kevin McAllister, the head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division, is let go.
DECEMBER 2020: Following the twin crashes, Dennis Muilenburg, the CEO, is fired by the corporation.
JANUARY 2020: Boeing halts production of the 737, the largest assembly-line stoppage in the company's history.
MAY 2020: Boeing has started producing 737 MAX aircraft again, but at a "low rate."
JUNE 2020: With regulators in charge, Boeing starts a series of protracted flight testing of its revised 737 MAX.
SEPTEMBER 2020: Following an 18-month study, a U.S. House of Representatives panel concluded that the FAA's oversight and certification were deficient, and Boeing had failed in both its design and development of the MAX as well as its transparency with the agency.
NOVEMBER 2020: The 737 MAX is able to take off again when the US FAA lifts the grounding order.
DECEMBER 2020: Congress enacts laws to change the FAA's certification process for new aircraft, requiring manufacturers to provide the agency with certain safety-critical data.
JANUARY 2021: The MAX's return to service in Europe has been approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
MARCH 2021: Major safety concerns with the MAX required to be "properly addressed" before performing flight tests, according to China's aviation authorities.
APRIL 2021: After some of the fleet was grounded due to electrical issues, Boeing stopped delivering the 737 MAX.
NOVEMBER 2021: A $237.5 million settlement with shareholders resolves legal disputes pertaining to the safety monitoring of the Boeing 737 MAX, involving current and former directors of the firm.
OCTOBER 2022: The FAA notifies Boeing that several important documents that were submitted for the 737 MAX 7 certification process are lacking information and that others require a reevaluation.
DECEMBER 2022: After vigorous lobbying by Boeing, Congress decides to postpone the deadline for new criteria for contemporary cockpit alarms resulting from the 2020 legislation.
APRIL 2023: Boeing suspends the delivery of a certain number of 737 MAX aircraft due to a recent supplier quality issue involving noncompliant equipment.
JULY 2023: The 737 MAX 7's initial delivery from Boeing will not occur until 2024.
AUGUST 2023: A fresh 737 MAX supplier quality issue that involves incorrectly drilled holes on the aft pressure bulkhead is discovered by Boeing.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Deliveries of Boeing 737 MAX reach their lowest points since August 2021.
DECEMBER 2023: China receives Boeing's first direct delivery of a 787 Dreamliner since 2019. This is anticipated to be a sign that China may resume accepting 737 MAX deliveries.
JANUARY 2024: A cabin panel blowout on a brand-new 737 MAX 9 aircraft forces an Alaskan Air flight to make an emergency landing. A few 737 MAX 9 aeroplanes are grounded by the US FAA for safety inspections.
(Source:www.reuters.com)
A temporary grounding of specific aircraft was mandated by US officials for safety inspections. That's not as drastic as when all MAX-family aircraft were grounded globally over five years ago in response to two deadly disasters.
This is a timeline of current problems pertaining to Boeing's MAX aircraft:
OCTOBER 2018: All 189 persons on board a Lion Air MAX jet die in a crash in Indonesia.
NOVEMBER 2018: Following the Lion Air tragedy, the FAA and Boeing have stated that they are assessing whether the 737 MAX aircraft need software or design modifications.
MARCH 2019: All 157 persons aboard an Ethiopian Airlines MAX perish in a disaster. The United States Federal Aviation Administration is among the several aviation regulators to ground the MAX after China's aviation regulator did so first globally.
APRIL 2019: An international committee is assembled by the FAA to examine the 737 MAX's safety. Boeing reduces output by around 20% every month.
JULY 2019: Boeing reports its highest quarterly loss to date.
SEPTEMBER 2019: A permanent safety committee is established by Boeing's board of directors to supervise the company's aircraft development, production, and operation.
OCTOBER 2019: Kevin McAllister, the head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division, is let go.
DECEMBER 2020: Following the twin crashes, Dennis Muilenburg, the CEO, is fired by the corporation.
JANUARY 2020: Boeing halts production of the 737, the largest assembly-line stoppage in the company's history.
MAY 2020: Boeing has started producing 737 MAX aircraft again, but at a "low rate."
JUNE 2020: With regulators in charge, Boeing starts a series of protracted flight testing of its revised 737 MAX.
SEPTEMBER 2020: Following an 18-month study, a U.S. House of Representatives panel concluded that the FAA's oversight and certification were deficient, and Boeing had failed in both its design and development of the MAX as well as its transparency with the agency.
NOVEMBER 2020: The 737 MAX is able to take off again when the US FAA lifts the grounding order.
DECEMBER 2020: Congress enacts laws to change the FAA's certification process for new aircraft, requiring manufacturers to provide the agency with certain safety-critical data.
JANUARY 2021: The MAX's return to service in Europe has been approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
MARCH 2021: Major safety concerns with the MAX required to be "properly addressed" before performing flight tests, according to China's aviation authorities.
APRIL 2021: After some of the fleet was grounded due to electrical issues, Boeing stopped delivering the 737 MAX.
NOVEMBER 2021: A $237.5 million settlement with shareholders resolves legal disputes pertaining to the safety monitoring of the Boeing 737 MAX, involving current and former directors of the firm.
OCTOBER 2022: The FAA notifies Boeing that several important documents that were submitted for the 737 MAX 7 certification process are lacking information and that others require a reevaluation.
DECEMBER 2022: After vigorous lobbying by Boeing, Congress decides to postpone the deadline for new criteria for contemporary cockpit alarms resulting from the 2020 legislation.
APRIL 2023: Boeing suspends the delivery of a certain number of 737 MAX aircraft due to a recent supplier quality issue involving noncompliant equipment.
JULY 2023: The 737 MAX 7's initial delivery from Boeing will not occur until 2024.
AUGUST 2023: A fresh 737 MAX supplier quality issue that involves incorrectly drilled holes on the aft pressure bulkhead is discovered by Boeing.
SEPTEMBER 2023: Deliveries of Boeing 737 MAX reach their lowest points since August 2021.
DECEMBER 2023: China receives Boeing's first direct delivery of a 787 Dreamliner since 2019. This is anticipated to be a sign that China may resume accepting 737 MAX deliveries.
JANUARY 2024: A cabin panel blowout on a brand-new 737 MAX 9 aircraft forces an Alaskan Air flight to make an emergency landing. A few 737 MAX 9 aeroplanes are grounded by the US FAA for safety inspections.
(Source:www.reuters.com)