The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has rescinded the order that paused commercial operations of Boeing 737-8s and 737-9s, which will enable airlines under the agency’s jurisdiction to resume service, as well as allow Boeing to deliver offerings.
"The lessons we have learned… have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity," said David Calhoun, chief executive officer of Boeing.
Boeing has worked with airlines to provide recommendations regarding long-term storage and ensure their input was part of the effort to safely return the airplanes to service.
An Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA has outlined the requirements that must be met before U.S. carriers can resume service, including installing software enhancements, completing wire separation modifications, conducting pilot training and accomplishing thorough de-preservation activities that will ensure the airplanes are ready for service.
Boeing has strengthened its organizational alignment, with more than 50 thousand engineers, a new Product & Services Safety unit and advanced safety responsibilities. The company is also identifying, diagnosing and resolving issues with a higher level of transparency and immediacy.
In addition, Boeing has made process enhancements by adopting next-generation design processes to enable greater levels of first-time quality.
"The FAA's directive is an important milestone," said Stan Deal, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We will continue to work with regulators around the world and our customers to return the airplane back into service worldwide."
