National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) said that the changes proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in August 2020 were positive progress for the aircraft’s safety.

NTSB’s letter on September 17, 2020, also said that the suggested changes in pilot procedures were ‘generally consistent’ with the board’s recommendations.

The endorsement is particularly important for FAA, after NTSB slammed the authority in September 2019 for underestimating Boeing 737 Max risks during flight testing. At the time, the board also criticized the FAA for improperly certifying their aircraft with regard to human interface.

NTSB submitted the comments that endorsed the recommended changes during the 45-day public comment period that started with FAA’s proposal on August 3, 2020. 

After reviewing the comments, FAA will have to decide for the fixes to be approved or modified before the aircraft’s band can be lifted. If all goes smoothly, the Boeing 737 MAX could be ungrounded by the end of 2020.