Boeing working towards FAA Certification Flight of 737 Max Aircraft

Boeing is working towards Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification flights of its trouble-torn 737 Max aircraft where pilots of the US aviation regulator will conduct flight (s) of the final updated software on board the aircraft.

The US based airplane manufacturer has listed five milestones it has to complete before the 737 Max is cleared for by the FAA.

“Boeing and the FAA successfully concluded the first of these milestones this past week, and are now working towards the FAA line pilots evaluation and the FAA certification flight test,” the company said in a statement Monday.

The five milestones are:

1. FAA eCab Simulator Certification Session: A multi-day eCab simulator evaluation with the FAA to ensure the overall software system performs its intended function, both normally and in the presence of system failures.

2. FAA Line Pilots Crew Workload Evaluation: A separate, multi-day simulator session with airline pilots to assess human factors and crew workload under various test conditions.

3. FAA Certification Flight Test: FAA pilots will conduct a certification flight(s) of the final updated software.

4. Boeing Final Submittal to the FAA: After completion of the FAA certification flight, Boeing will submit the final certification deliverables and artifacts to the FAA to support software certification.

5. Joint Operational Evaluation Board (JOEB) Simulator Training Evaluation: The Joint Operational Evaluation Board (JOEB), a multi-regulatory body, conducts a multi-day simulator session with global regulatory pilots to validate training requirements. Following the simulator session, the Flight Standardization Board will release a report for a public comment period, followed by final approval of the training.

“At each step of this process Boeing has worked closely with the FAA and other regulators. We’re providing detailed documentation, had them fly in the simulators, and helped them understand our logic and the design for the new procedures, software and proposed training material to ensure that they are completely satisfied as to the airplane’s safety. The FAA and other regulatory authorities will ultimately determine return to service in each relevant jurisdiction. This may include a phased approach and timing may vary by jurisdiction,” the company said.