FAA chief to personally test new Max 737 software

The recently appointed head of the US Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, plans to climb into a flight simulator to test software updates for the Boeing 737 Max jet's anti-stall system when he visits the company in Seattle this week, a move one analyst called "theater".

Stephen Dickson, named to head the regulatory agency in August, said he plans to test the Max's newly configured software and stressed that there is no schedule for getting the grounded jetliner back in the air.

"I can guarantee you that the airplane will not be flying again until I'm satisfied that it is the safest plane out there," said Dickson, a former US Air Force and commercial pilot who told CNBC that he is qualified to fly the Boeing 737."I can tell you that I will not allow this airplane to fly unless I would fly it myself and put my own family on it," he said.