China’s aviation regulators has told airlines it is satisfied with changes Boeing has proposed for its 737 MAX aircraft, Reuters reported, a sign it could be closer to certifying the jet to fly again.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has asked airlines to give feedback on a proposed airworthiness directive for the 737 MAX by November 26, 2021, Reuters reported on November 14, 2021, citing a document from the regulator.
According to Reuters, the CAAC believes the design changes Boeing has proposed to software and display systems could remove the unsafe situations that led to the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes. The proposed airworthiness directive gives information on procedures for pilots to follow in case of problems similar to those that caused the accidents.
Getting approval to fly again in China would be a major boost for Boeing. The country is one of the last major countries not to have recertified the 737 MAX to fly again.
China was the first country to ground the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in 2019 after the two deadly crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia claimed 346 lives.
Major aviation regulators such as the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), or Transport Canada (TC), have already reapproved the commercial use of the 737 MAX.
