Boeing 737 MAX makes first public flight nearly 2 years after fatal crashes
Flying the MAX
Before flying the MAX, each American pilot is required to undertake a two-hour training course on a computer tablet, followed by an hour of flight simulator training, followed then by two hours with a colleague where pilots react to different flying scenarios.
Aside from some turbulence along the way, Wednesday's 50-minute flight to Tulsa proceeded uneventfully.
Boeing 737 MAX aeroplanes
The trip began with American flight attendants reviewing security procedures before distributing bottled water.
As he welcomed passengers, pilot Pete Gamble testified to the plane's safety and reliability.
"The systems changes, the scrutiny the airplanes are going through, plus the training that we've enforced, has really brought back the confidence level," Gamble told AFP after the flight.
"It needed to go through the scrutiny. It did."
Green light for Boeing 737 MAX
US authorities last month gave the green light for the plane to return to service after upgrades in the wake of the two calamities that killed 346 people.
Wednesday's promotional American Airlines voyage between Dallas, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma was intended to reassure the public before American resumes commercial service on the jet on December 29.
Safety cards in the pockets of the seats
Throughout, passengers donning face masks because of the coronavirus and separated by a seat due to social distancing measures betrayed no obvious anxiety.
The everyday passenger not steeped in aviation will see no obvious markers of the MAX. The safety cards in the pockets of the seats give only the numbers 737, though the wheel labels the jet as a "73-8x."
MAX cleared for service
All the aircraft must go through four days of intense work before being cleared for service.
Teams work 24 hours a day at a warehouse on two planes at a time to check the pressure on the tires, the hydraulic systems, the motors and other plane parts.
Staff also update software systems in the cockpit and modify plane cables.
All of these steps are mandated by the US Federal Aviation Administration, which last month authorized the plane to return to service under strict protocols.
Pilot testifieS to the plane's safety and reliability
The trip began with American flight attendants reviewing security procedures before distributing bottled water.
As he welcomed passengers, pilot Pete Gamble testified to the plane's safety and reliability.
"The systems changes, the scrutiny the airplanes are going through, plus the training that we've enforced, has really brought back the confidence level," Gamble told AFP after the flight.
"It needed to go through the scrutiny. It did."
'Safety is our number one priority'
American has said that all customers who buy tickets on the plane will be notified of flights employing the MAX. The carrier will provide alternative trips to passengers who don't want to fly on the plane.
"Safety is our number one priority," said American Chief Operating Officer David Seymour. "There are no exceptions."
Boeing 737 Max
Maintenance crews were on hand "to make sure that this aircraft is ready for your family, for my family, all of our loved ones, to get on board," said Erik Olund, who manages the maintenance base.
His teams neatly took care of the planes while they were grounded, with staff members checking the humidity in the plane's fuel tanks or installing pillows in the motors to prevent animals from getting in.
Pilots repeat the mantra: There is no risk to flying on the 737 MAX.
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