The Boeing 737 Max jets remained grounded across the globe following two fatal crashes involving the plane in Indonesia and Ethiopia just five months apart. The jet’s new MCAS anti-stall system was reportedly the common denominator in both incidents and Boeing has since been working on a software fix which would make the system less aggressive and provide pilots with more control over it. The Federal Aviation Administration has been reviewing the fix and has said in its draft report that it’s “operationally suitable.”
The FAA’s draft report mentions that the software fix that Boeing has developed is operationally suitable. MCAS is the anti-stall software that’s present on these new jets. Boeing has been reprogramming the software so that the anti-stall functionality isn’t triggered based on faulty data.
This draft report was prepared by the FAA Flight Standardization Board which includes aviation experts, pilots, and engineers. It also recommends that 737 Max pilots undergo a computer-based training for a better understanding of the MCAS system.
A spokesperson for the FAA did tell Gizmodo that Boeing hasn’t formally submitted the software update as yet for the agency’s approval so it may take a while before its 737 Max jets take to the skies once again.