Boeing drops request for MAX 7 waiver from safety rule

NEW YORK — Boeing said on Monday it dropped a request for an exemption from US safety rules for a new 737 MAX aircraft in a shift following a flight emergency earlier this month.

The US planemaker had sought a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration relating to an engine anti-icing system for the 737 MAX 7, the smallest of the MAX family, which has yet to be certified.

"We have informed the FAA that we are withdrawing our request for a time-limited exemption relating to the engine inlet deicing system on the 737-7," the company said on Monday night.

Deicing is a critical maintenance process of removing snow, ice and frost from an aircraft's surface.

Boeing's exemption request had been slammed last week by Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois as a "bold face attempt to put profits over the safety of the flying public with the MAX 7".

Duckworth met on Thursday with Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun to discuss safety issues following the Jan 5 Alaska Airlines incident, which she called "horrific".

In that incident, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was forced to make an emergency landing after a panel on the fuselage blew out.

While nobody was seriously injured, US safety inspectors have said the incident could have been catastrophic.

The incident is expected to slow down the FAA certification of the 737 MAX 7 and the 737 MAX 10, likely hitting Boeing's profitability.

Agencies Via Xinhua