Boeing 737 Max returns to US skies with first commercial flight on American Airlines
was recertified.
American Airlines’ Flight 718, the first commercial 737 Max flight by a major U.S. airline since its recertification on Nov. 18, departed from Miami shortly before 10:30 a.m. ET and is scheduled to arrive at New York LaGuardia a little early at 1:18 p.m. ET.
The airline has one of the largest 737 Max fleets in the U.S., with 24 planes at the time of the aircraft’s grounding in March 2019.
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said at the time of recertification that the Dallas-based carrier, which had 34 of the planes at the time of the grounding, doesn’t anticipate putting the 737 Max on the schedule before Spring 2021. The airline confirmed to USA TODAY on Monday that the plane is not on its 2021 schedule yet.
Nov. 18 recertification, it has not been flown on any commercial flights in the U.S. since March 2019.
Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency greenlit the plane’s return about a week after the FAA decision. On Dec. 9, GOL Linhas Aereas airline became the first airline to fly it commercially, according to flight-tracking site FlightRadar24.
The European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency has not recertified the plane yet but said it expects to make its decision in mid-January.
EASA director Patrick Ky, told the BBC that he is “certain” it is safe and that EASA “left no stone unturned” in its review.
In October 2018, a 737 Max operated by Lion Air plunged into the Java Sea minutes after takeoff in Indonesia, killing all 189 aboard. Then, five months later as concerns over its Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) were being voiced, an Ethiopian Airlines jet with 157 passengers and crew crashed six minutes into its flight from Addis Ababa.
The FAA and it counterparts around the world grounded all 387 of the aircraft in service following the two crashes.
were not qualified to do so.
Meanwhile, Boeing was peppered by a series of disclosures that painted a dark picture of serious errors in development of the 737 Max that had been rushed to compete with a similar plane being developed by archrival Airbus. The inquiry uncovered flaws in MCAS and efforts within Boeing to deceive regulators and its airline customers about the jetliner. By December 2019, CEO Dennis Muilenburg resigned.
Many of the shortcomings were detailed in a report from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in September. It said Boeing test pilots identified MCAS problems as early as 2012, including a finding that it took 10 seconds to deal with an uncommanded activation. The problem was considered potentially “catastrophic,” the report said.
There were also logistical obstacles to overcome.
Airlines had to retrain all 737 Max pilots but there weren’t enough flight simulators to accommodate them. And as recertification neared completion, pilots’ unions complained that the new, improved manual was too confusing and could lead to errors in an emergency.
American’s 737 Max FAQ page said pilots’ retraining included simulator time, computer and classroom-based training, all of which gave them an “improved understanding of 737 Max flight control systems and reinforce their technical knowledge of associated flight deck effects and operational procedures.”
The planes also had to be removed from storage after 21 months. In its FAQ about the 737 Max’s return, American noted that it continued maintenance on all of the dormant planes, including checks of their engines and auxiliary power units, flight controls and other key systems as well as maintaining their tires and fuel tanks.
In the same document, American assured uneasy customers, saying that any passenger who did not want to fly on a 737 Max had the choice of being rebooked on the next available aircraft at no charge, adjusting their itinerary or canceling and getting a flight credit.
The airline also said that it has made the booking process more transparent, making it easier to tell if they flight they are considering is on a 737 Max. In addition, passengers whose flights are moved to a 737 Max will be notified through the American Airlines mobile app within 72 hours of departure and if anyone doesn’t want to fly will be re-accommodated on another aircraft.
Contributing: Chris Woodyard, Dawn Gilbertson
