The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States of America has given the green light for the resumption of commercial operations of Boeing B737-8s and B737-9s. With this development, airlines that are under the FAA’s jurisdiction, including those in the U.S., may now take the necessary steps to resume service and for Boeing to begin making deliveries.
“We will never forget the lives lost in the two tragic accidents that led to the decision to suspend operations. These events and the lessons we have learned as a result have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity,” according to David Calhoun, Chief Executive Officer of The Boeing Company.
Throughout the past 20 months, Boeing has worked closely with airlines, providing them with detailed recommendations regarding long-term storage and ensuring their input as part of the effort to safely return the airplanes to service.
Based on an Airworthiness Directive issued by the FAA — the requirements U.S. carriers must meet before they can resume service — includes the installation of software enhancements, completing wire separation modifications, conducting pilot training, and accomplishing thorough de-preservation activities that will ensure the airplanes are ready for service.
“The FAA’s directive is an important milestone. We will continue to work with regulators around the world and our customers to return the airplane back into service worldwide,” said Stan Deal, President & Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
In addition to changes made to the airplane and pilot training, Boeing has taken three (03) important steps to strengthen its focus on safety and quality:
- Organizational Alignment: More than 50,000 engineers have been brought together in a single organization that includes a new Product & Services Safety unit, unifying safety responsibilities across the company.
- Cultural Focus: Engineers have been further empowered to improve safety and quality. The company is identifying, diagnosing, and resolving issues with a higher level of transparency and immediacy.
- Process Enhancements: By adopting next-generation design processes, the company is enabling greater levels of first-time quality.