By David Shepardson
LONDON (Reuters) – Boeing (NYSE:)’s industrial airplane chief stated the planemaker has settled on the design to deal with an engine anti-ice system that has considerably delayed certification of the 737 MAX 7 and instructed a repair might be accomplished by subsequent 12 months.
The problem with the anti-ice system might result in it overheating and doubtlessly inflicting an engine failure. “We’re progressing on the engineering,” Stephanie Pope stated in a gathering with reporters.
Requested if the planemaker will conduct a flight take a look at later this 12 months and full the repair round early to mid-2025, Pope didn’t supply a proper prediction however stated she thought it might be round that point.
Boeing, below scrutiny over its security document after the mid-air blowout of a cabin panel on a brand new Alaska Airways MAX 9, in January withdrew a request it filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) final 12 months in search of an exemption from a security customary for the MAX 7 over the problem, which pushed potential certification into 2025 or later.
Senator Tammy Duckworth in January urged Boeing to desert the exemption request, saying the problem might “trigger the engine nacelle to interrupt aside and fall off. This might generate fuselage-penetrating particles, which might endanger passengers in window seats behind the wing.”
The FAA, which has repeatedly declined to place any timetable on approval, has stated it “will completely assessment any design Boeing submits.”
Boeing has stated there have been no security incidents noticed in MAX 8 and MAX 9 planes in service stemming from overheating within the engine inlet.
The planemaker issued steerage to airways in June 2023 to observe established procedures when utilizing the MAX’s engine anti-ice system to deal with potential overheating, and the FAA in August 2023 mandated the present process to show off the engine anti-ice system when it’s not wanted.
Southwest Airways (NYSE:), the MAX 7’s greatest purchaser, stated in January it not anticipated to take deliveries of the mannequin this 12 months.
Boeing has stated it should first win approval from the FAA for the MAX 7 earlier than it may get the bigger, better-selling MAX 10 licensed.