FAA: no timetable to recertify Boeing MAX 737 aircraft

The head of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said there is no timetable to recertify the Boeing MAX 737 jet after he climbed into a flight simulator to test software updates for the jet's automated anti-stall system.

Stephen Dickson, a former Air Force pilot who has flown earlier versions of the 737 during his career at Delta Airlines, last week tested a version of the new software that's intended to give pilots more control over the anti-stall system that may have played a role in two MAX crashes that killed 346 passengers and crew. He declined to say how the updated anti-stall software performed.

But after an initial test that mimicked normal flight conditions, Dickson told The Associated Press, "The airplane handles very well from everything I can tell."

Dickson also toured a MAX assembly line near Seattle, Washington, and met with senior Boeing officials.

In a tweet, the FAA said Dickson's use of a flight simulator to test the new software underscored the "FAA's unwavering commitment to safely return the aircraft to service". But one analyst previously said Dickson's attempt to burnish the FAA's image and gain hands-on experience with the new software was "theater".

"At the margins, it's theater," Robert Mann, president of R.W. Mann & Co, an aviation consulting firm in Port Washington, New York, told China Daily. "Dickson has more experience in this area than his predecessor, and therefore it's understandable that he wants to get hands-on experience."

Boeing hasn't yet submitted its analysis of the software update to the FAA for review. The aircraft manufacturer hopes MAX jets will return to service in the fourth quarter of this year.

But Southwest Airlines, which operates more MAX flights than any other US airline, has canceled use of the jet through Jan 5. However, American Airlines has canceled MAX flights only through Nov 2.

MAX jets were grounded worldwide after crashes Oct 29, 2018, in Indonesia and March 10 in Ethiopia. China was the first nation to ground the 737 MAX.

Critics say the FAA damaged its reputation by relying on Boeing engineers when initially certifying the MAX. As a result, other regulatory agencies are unlikely to simply adopt the FAA's recertification of the plane.

Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said it may deny permission for MAX jets to fly into the nation's airspace even if its US counterpart approves the plane's return to commercial service.

CASA said it is working closely with other regulators, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Transport Canada. "Those views will be part of our thinking when we make a decision," a spokesman for the Australian regulator told the British newspaper the Guardian.

Australian airlines don't fly MAX jets, but Virgin has ordered 38, and Qantas has expressed an interest in purchasing the fuel-efficient plane.

The regulatory agencies in various nations may recertify MAX aircraft at different times, creating a staggered return to service for the plane. This could create scheduling problems on international routes, extend disruptions and limit airline revenue, analysts said.

Ryanair, a discount European carrier, said it has suspended payments to Boeing and expects delivery of new aircraft to slip into next year, possibly as late as March or April.