Boeing 737 Max inches closer to flying again

The grounded Boeing 737 Max moved another step closer toward flying again on Tuesday as US regulators said they would soon accept public comments on a roadmap to recertify the plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, said it would issue a proposed airworthiness directive for the Max, which has been grounded since March 2019 following two deadly crashes.

The listing published in the Federal Register will seek comments on suggested design changes and crew procedures "to mitigate the safety issues identified during the investigations that followed the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents", the FAA said.

The public comment period will be open for 45 days, suggesting that the 737 Max won't fly again until mid-October at the earliest.

The FAA statement moves the jet a step further on the recertification path after the agency on July 1 completed test flights on the plane.

While the FAA said the announcement is an "important milestone", the agency emphasized that recertifying the Max was not a done deal and that there were additional steps even after the public comment period is complete.

These include a final report reviewing and addressing public comments, and a review of Boeing's final design documentation. All Max aircraft manufactured since the crashes also will need to be personally inspected by FAA staff.

"The FAA will not speculate when the work will be completed. The agency continues to follow a deliberate process and will take the time it needs to thoroughly review Boeing's work," the FAA said.

"We will lift the grounding order only after FAA safety experts are satisfied that the aircraft meets certification standards."

Worldwide grounding

The Max has been grounded worldwide since March 13, 2019, following the Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people. That catastrophe came just a few months after the Lion Air Max accident that killed 189 people.

The Max's anti-stall flight system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, was partially to blame for both crashes, investigators said.

But other technical malfunctions, including one involving electrical wiring, were subsequently detected during the aircraft's modification process, slowing down its recertification.

The FAA, like Boeing, is under scrutiny over its role in the development of the Max, which has been sharply criticized by government auditors and on Capitol Hill.

In January, Boeing reported a loss of $636 million in 2019 compared with a profit of $10.46 billion in 2018－its first annual loss in more than 20 years. Boeing suspended dividends in March. Its CEO agreed to forgo pay this year.

Agencies contributed to this story.