FAA gives Boeing 737 MAX the green light to fly again

The move will allow airlines that are under the FAA's jurisdiction, including those in the US, to take the steps necessary to resume service and Boeing to begin making deliveries.

Throughout the past 20 months since two deadly crashes, Boeing has worked closely with airlines, providing them with detailed recommendations regarding long-term storage and ensuring their input was part of the effort to safely return the airplanes to service.

An airworthiness directive issued by the FAA spells out the requirements that must be met before US 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.

"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."

In addition to changes made to the airplane and pilot training, Boeing has taken three important steps to strengthen its focus on safety and quality.

Organisational alignment: More than 50,000 engineers have been brought together in a single organisation 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.

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