Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg faces a second day of questions Wednesday from US&nbsp;lawmakers on its now grounded 737 MAX after sharp criticism at a Senate hearing Tuesday.

US&nbsp;Representative Peter DeFazio, who heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which will hear from Muilenburg on Wednesday, said in a written statement that the committee's lengthy investigation into the MAX has turned up significant questions about Boeing's decision-making.

"Something went drastically wrong, a total of 346 people died, and we have a duty to fix it," DeFazio will say in his opening statement.

DeFazio said the panel is aware of "at least one case where a Boeing manager implored the then-vice president and general manager of the 737 programme&nbsp;to shut down the 737 MAX production line because of safety concerns." Boeing did not comment Tuesday on the allegation.

Muilenburg told reporters on Wednesday he believes the allegation was in response to concerns about a change in the increase of the production rate. He said Boeing was aware of those concerns and had acknowledged them.

Muilenburg said that he had met with some family members of the victims before Wednesday's hearing. "It was tough to hear," he said, adding the company was making "the fixes we need to make."

The Boeing CEO on Tuesday acknowledged errors in failing to give pilots more information on a key safety system known as MCAS before the crashes, as well as for taking months to disclose that it had made optional an alarm that alerts pilots to a mismatch of flight data on the 737 MAX.

"We've made mistakes and we got some things wrong. We're improving and we're learning," he said.

The hearing, the highest-profile congressional scrutiny of commercial aviation safety in years, heaps pressure on a newly rejigged Boeing senior management team fighting to repair trust with airline customers and passengers shaken by an eight-month safety ban on its 737 MAX following the crashes.

"You have told me half-truths over and over again," Senator Tammy Duckworth told Muilenburg, questioning why the manufacturer did not disclose more details about MCAS's lack of safeguards. On Wednesday, Muilenburg said he would work to ensure she got the information she was seeking.

Taking turns to grill Muilenburg during his first appearance at a hearing on Capitol Hill in the year since the first crash in Indonesia, senators also expressed dismay that 2016 instant messages discussing erratic behaviour of simulator software - a replica of the system aboard the jetliner - did not prompt an immediate reaction from the company.

For months, Boeing had largely failed to acknowledge blame, instead vowing to make a "safe plane safer." Tuesday's hearing represents Boeing's broadest acceptance of responsibility that it made mistakes, but Muilenburg stopped short of what some lawmakers and family members had sought.

Family members were seated just three rows behind Muilenburg during his testimony and were invited at one point to stand and show large photos of their loved ones.

Nadia Milleron, whose daughter was killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, said Muilenburg and the board should resign for failing to do more to prevent the crashes.

As Muilenburg departed the hearing, she implored him to look at the victims' families when he apologized. He turned to her and said: "I'm sorry."

Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg faces a second day of questions Wednesday from US lawmakers on its now grounded 737 MAX after sharp criticism at a Senate hearing Tuesday.

Boeing Co Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg faces a second day of questions Wednesday from US lawmakers on its now grounded 737 MAX after sharp criticism at a Senate hearing Tuesday. US Representative Peter DeFazio, who heads the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which will hear from Muilenburg on Wednesday, said in a written statement that the committee's lengthy investigation into the MAX has turned up significant questions about Boeing's decision-making. "Something went drastically wrong, a total of 346 people died, and we have a duty to fix it," DeFazio will say in his opening statement. DeFazio said the panel is aware of "at least one case where a Boeing manager implored the then-vice president and general manager of the 737 programme to shut down the 737 MAX production line because of safety concerns." Boeing did not comment Tuesday on the allegation. Muilenburg told reporters on Wednesday he believes the allegation was in response to concerns about a change in the increase of the production rate. He said Boeing was aware of those concerns and had acknowledged them. Muilenburg said that he had met with some family members of the victims before Wednesday's hearing. "It was tough to hear," he said, adding the company was making "the fixes we need to make." The Boeing CEO on Tuesday acknowledged errors in failing to give pilots more information on a key safety system known as MCAS before the crashes, as well as for taking months to disclose that it had made optional an alarm that alerts pilots to a mismatch of flight data on the 737 MAX. "We've made mistakes and we got some things wrong. We're improving and we're learning," he said. The hearing, the highest-profile congressional scrutiny of commercial aviation safety in years, heaps pressure on a newly rejigged Boeing senior management team fighting to repair trust with airline customers and passengers shaken by an eight-month safety ban on its 737 MAX following the crashes. "You have told me half-truths over and over again," Senator Tammy Duckworth told Muilenburg, questioning why the manufacturer did not disclose more details about MCAS's lack of safeguards. On Wednesday, Muilenburg said he would work to ensure she got the information she was seeking. Taking turns to grill Muilenburg during his first appearance at a hearing on Capitol Hill in the year since the first crash in Indonesia, senators also expressed dismay that 2016 instant messages discussing erratic behaviour of simulator software - a replica of the system aboard the jetliner - did not prompt an immediate reaction from the company. For months, Boeing had largely failed to acknowledge blame, instead vowing to make a "safe plane safer." Tuesday's hearing represents Boeing's broadest acceptance of responsibility that it made mistakes, but Muilenburg stopped short of what some lawmakers and family members had sought. Family members were seated just three rows behind Muilenburg during his testimony and were invited at one point to stand and show large photos of their loved ones. Nadia Milleron, whose daughter was killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, said Muilenburg and the board should resign for failing to do more to prevent the crashes. As Muilenburg departed the hearing, she implored him to look at the victims' families when he apologized. He turned to her and said: "I'm sorry."

United States lawmakers will press Boeing CEO on day two of testimony

Indonesia report on 737 MAX crash faults Boeing design. The report raises doubts on Lion Air's maintenance checks.

Matthew Driskill, Editor, Asian Aviation on Indonesia report on 737 MAX crash

The report raises doubts on Lion Air's maintenance checks.

Indonesia report on 737 MAX crash faults Boeing design

A US&nbsp;panel has asked Boeing Co to make an engineer available for an interview regarding an internal ethics complaint the engineer filed on the safety of the now-grounded 737 MAX jet.

The engineer said in the complaint filed this year than during the development of the 737 MAX, Boeing had rejected a safety system to minimize costs, the New York Times had reported earlier.

The engineer, who worked on cockpit instruments and controls, felt the safety system could have reduced risks that contributed to two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia, according to the report.

"All of this information is critical to have as we prepare for our Committee's October 30th hearing with Boeing's CEO, as well as Boeing's chief engineer of its commercial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-widens-trade-war-with-tariffs-on-european-planes-cheese-whisky-to-punish-subsidies-253360">airplanes</a> division, and the chief pilot for the 737," said Peter DeFazio, chairman of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-slams-impeachment-probe-as-hoax-as-democrats-seek-white-house-documents-253356">US </a>House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

"These reports certainly add to my concern that production pressures may have impacted safety on the 737 MAX, which is exactly why it's so critical we get to the bottom of this," he said.

The committee has been poring over hundreds of thousands of pages of documents and emails from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, but it was not aware of the engineer's complaint, he said.

Boeing said it would continue to cooperate with Congress and regulatory authorities as it focuses on safely returning the MAX to service.

"Boeing offers its employees a number of channels for raising concerns and complaints and has rigorous processes in place, both to ensure that such complaints receive thorough consideration and to protect the confidentiality of employees who make them. Accordingly, Boeing does not comment on the substance or existence of such internal complaints," it said in a statement, responding to the New York Times report.

Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg is set to testify before Congress this month.

The US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A US panel has asked Boeing Co to make an engineer available for an interview regarding an internal ethics complaint the engineer filed on the safety of the now-grounded 737 MAX jet.

A US panel has asked Boeing Co to make an engineer available for an interview regarding an internal ethics complaint the engineer filed on the safety of the now-grounded 737 MAX jet. The engineer said in the complaint filed this year than during the development of the 737 MAX, Boeing had rejected a safety system to minimize costs, the New York Times had reported earlier. The engineer, who worked on cockpit instruments and controls, felt the safety system could have reduced risks that contributed to two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia, according to the report. "All of this information is critical to have as we prepare for our Committee's October 30th hearing with Boeing's CEO, as well as Boeing's chief engineer of its commercial airplanes division, and the chief pilot for the 737," said Peter DeFazio, chairman of the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "These reports certainly add to my concern that production pressures may have impacted safety on the 737 MAX, which is exactly why it's so critical we get to the bottom of this," he said. The committee has been poring over hundreds of thousands of pages of documents and emails from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, but it was not aware of the engineer's complaint, he said. Boeing said it would continue to cooperate with Congress and regulatory authorities as it focuses on safely returning the MAX to service. "Boeing offers its employees a number of channels for raising concerns and complaints and has rigorous processes in place, both to ensure that such complaints receive thorough consideration and to protect the confidentiality of employees who make them. Accordingly, Boeing does not comment on the substance or existence of such internal complaints," it said in a statement, responding to the New York Times report. Boeing Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg is set to testify before Congress this month. The US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

United States committee seeks to interview Boeing engineer on safety of 737 MAX

Aviation safety regulator may ask Boeing to set up simulators in India to train pilots on the 737 MAX planes once it clears the aircraft as safe for flying, a senior official with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The 737 MAX, the fastest-selling plane in Boeing's history, has been grounded the world over since March in the aftermath of two fatal crashes in five months that killed 346 people.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will also conduct an independent inspection of the grounded planes once they are cleared for flying by the US&nbsp;regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"Once FAA re-certifies it and says these issues have been resolved then we will evaluate whether what they are saying is right or wrong ... We will carry out our own inspections," the official said, adding that it is unlikely the planes will fly in Indian skies until next year.

Boeing is making software changes and drawing up a new pilot training plan, and will need to conduct a key certification test flight to get the FAA's approval before it can put the planes back in the air. Some federal officials expect the test flight to be conducted in October.

"Later this year India will send a team. We would like to take a look at their flight data, some simulators will also be required for training pilots," the official said, adding it may ask Boeing to have simulators in India.

Budget carrier SpiceJet has about a dozen Boeing 737 MAX planes in its fleet and a total of 155 on order - among the largest single orders for the narrow-body plane.

Boeing has delivered 219 737 MAX jets to customers globally, with 4,564 orders for jets yet to be delivered. The Boeing 737 MAX is a more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's best-selling single-aisle 737 series. 
&nbsp;

Aviation safety regulator may ask Boeing to set up simulators in India to train pilots on the 737 MAX planes once it clears the aircraft as safe for flying, a senior official with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Aviation safety regulator may ask Boeing to set up simulators in India to train pilots on the 737 MAX planes once it clears the aircraft as safe for flying, a senior official with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The 737 MAX, the fastest-selling plane in Boeing's history, has been grounded the world over since March in the aftermath of two fatal crashes in five months that killed 346 people. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will also conduct an independent inspection of the grounded planes once they are cleared for flying by the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). "Once FAA re-certifies it and says these issues have been resolved then we will evaluate whether what they are saying is right or wrong ... We will carry out our own inspections," the official said, adding that it is unlikely the planes will fly in Indian skies until next year. Boeing is making software changes and drawing up a new pilot training plan, and will need to conduct a key certification test flight to get the FAA's approval before it can put the planes back in the air. Some federal officials expect the test flight to be conducted in October. "Later this year India will send a team. We would like to take a look at their flight data, some simulators will also be required for training pilots," the official said, adding it may ask Boeing to have simulators in India. Budget carrier SpiceJet has about a dozen Boeing 737 MAX planes in its fleet and a total of 155 on order - among the largest single orders for the narrow-body plane. Boeing has delivered 219 737 MAX jets to customers globally, with 4,564 orders for jets yet to be delivered. The Boeing 737 MAX is a more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's best-selling single-aisle 737 series.

Aviation watchdog may ask Boeing to set up 737 MAX simulators in India

Boeing's chief executive said on Tuesday that the financial fallout from the grounding of its 737 MAX jetliner would not slow the world's largest planemaker's appetite for deals in the higher-margin aircraft services sector.

"Our ability to do those continues to be strong," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told Reuters at the company's widebody manufacturing plant north of Seattle, referring to acquisitions it has made to enlarge its two-year-old Global Services division.

"We have the financial capacity to manage the MAX situation and continue to make our investments for the future," he said.

Boeing's fastest-selling, single-aisle jet was grounded in March after two deadly crashes. The company is working on a fix for software at the centre of both crashes and is aiming to get the jet back in the air as soon as October. It has completed around 560 flights with the new software, Muilenburg said on Tuesday.

"We still anticipate getting the return-to-service early in the fourth quarter," Muilenburg said. "We are making progress on that schedule."

Meanwhile, Muilenburg aims to expand the services business that includes aircraft parts, maintenance and analytics to $50 billion in revenue in a decade from its 2018 revenue of about $17 billion.

Boeing bought parts distributor KLX Inc last year for $4.25 billion including debt, in its largest deal since merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing and rival Airbus&nbsp;are pushing into the market for repairs, maintenance and analytics as airlines consider outsourcing more of such services in an effort to keep a lid on costs.

Ramp-up ahead

Boeing has had to divert resources to the 737 MAX from across the company as it works to win approval from aviation regulators for its software upgrade.

In April, Boeing dropped production to the current rate of 42 aircraft per month after halting deliveries of the MAX to airlines, cutting off a key source of cash and hitting margins. The total cost of the 737 MAX crisis has grown to more than $8 billion and counting.

Reuters reported last week that Boeing told suppliers it will ramp back up to pre-crash production rates of 52 aircraft per month in February and reach a record 57 aircraft per month in June. Investors took that as a sign of optimism that the MAX will fly again commercially as early as October.

"We are also working with our supply chain on future rates," Muilenburg said on Tuesday. "This is all consistent with that October return to service date."

However, Muilenburg reiterated the timeline for rate increases and the return to service is in the hands of regulators, which will decide when the MAX can fly again commercially.

Although the MAX issue has diverted engineering resources and attention from other aircraft programs, Muilenburg said development work on a potential new middle-of-the-market aircraft, or NMA, "hasn't been halted."

"We have major risk reduction activities underway that are helping us protect the entry-into-service target date that we talked about," he said, referring to an entry-into-service date of 2025. "We are still on that same macro path. We will make that decision when we are ready."

Boeing's plane must enter the market in 2025, when airlines will be retiring Boeing 757s and 767s, with Airbus poised to scoop up new plane orders.

Muilenburg also said on Tuesday that an aircraft order from China could result from any deal to end a yearlong trade war between the U.S and China, the world's two largest economies.

Boeing's chief executive said on Tuesday that the financial fallout from the grounding of its 737 MAX jetliner would not slow the world's largest planemaker's appetite for deals in the higher-margin aircraft services sector.

Boeing's chief executive said on Tuesday that the financial fallout from the grounding of its 737 MAX jetliner would not slow the world's largest planemaker's appetite for deals in the higher-margin aircraft services sector. "Our ability to do those continues to be strong," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg told Reuters at the company's widebody manufacturing plant north of Seattle, referring to acquisitions it has made to enlarge its two-year-old Global Services division. "We have the financial capacity to manage the MAX situation and continue to make our investments for the future," he said. Boeing's fastest-selling, single-aisle jet was grounded in March after two deadly crashes. The company is working on a fix for software at the centre of both crashes and is aiming to get the jet back in the air as soon as October. It has completed around 560 flights with the new software, Muilenburg said on Tuesday. "We still anticipate getting the return-to-service early in the fourth quarter," Muilenburg said. "We are making progress on that schedule." Meanwhile, Muilenburg aims to expand the services business that includes aircraft parts, maintenance and analytics to $50 billion in revenue in a decade from its 2018 revenue of about $17 billion. Boeing bought parts distributor KLX Inc last year for $4.25 billion including debt, in its largest deal since merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing and rival Airbus are pushing into the market for repairs, maintenance and analytics as airlines consider outsourcing more of such services in an effort to keep a lid on costs. Ramp-up ahead Boeing has had to divert resources to the 737 MAX from across the company as it works to win approval from aviation regulators for its software upgrade. In April, Boeing dropped production to the current rate of 42 aircraft per month after halting deliveries of the MAX to airlines, cutting off a key source of cash and hitting margins. The total cost of the 737 MAX crisis has grown to more than $8 billion and counting. Reuters reported last week that Boeing told suppliers it will ramp back up to pre-crash production rates of 52 aircraft per month in February and reach a record 57 aircraft per month in June. Investors took that as a sign of optimism that the MAX will fly again commercially as early as October. "We are also working with our supply chain on future rates," Muilenburg said on Tuesday. "This is all consistent with that October return to service date." However, Muilenburg reiterated the timeline for rate increases and the return to service is in the hands of regulators, which will decide when the MAX can fly again commercially. Although the MAX issue has diverted engineering resources and attention from other aircraft programs, Muilenburg said development work on a potential new middle-of-the-market aircraft, or NMA, "hasn't been halted." "We have major risk reduction activities underway that are helping us protect the entry-into-service target date that we talked about," he said, referring to an entry-into-service date of 2025. "We are still on that same macro path. We will make that decision when we are ready." Boeing's plane must enter the market in 2025, when airlines will be retiring Boeing 757s and 767s, with Airbus poised to scoop up new plane orders. Muilenburg also said on Tuesday that an aircraft order from China could result from any deal to end a yearlong trade war between the U.S and China, the world's two largest economies.

Financial hit from 737 MAX will not slow appetite for services deals: Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg

Boeing has posted its biggest-ever quarterly loss, while its 737 Max remains grounded after two fatal crashes. Watch this video to know more.

Boeing posts biggest loss in a decade

Boeing reported a second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion Wednesday as the grounding of 737 MAX following two deadly crashes continues to weigh on the company.

The loss, the biggest ever in a single quarter for the aerospace giant, follows last week's announcement that Boeing would set aside $4.9 billion after taxes to compensate airlines for cancelled flights and the delay in plane deliveries.&nbsp;

Revenues tumbled 35.1 per cent to $15.8 billion, reflecting the hit from a halt to deliveries of the 737 MAX, a top-selling plane.

Boeing also pushed back the timeframe for first flights of the 777X, a new long-haul plane under development. It pointed to problems with the 777X engine, which is being built by General Electric.&nbsp;

The 737 MAX has been grounded since mid-March following the second of two crashes that together claimed 346 lives.

Boeing is developing a software fix to address a problem with a flight handling system that was linked to both crashes.

"Disciplined development and testing is underway and we will submit the final software package to the FAA once we have satisfied all of their certification requirements," Boeing said.

Boeing has said it is targeting early in the fourth quarter to win approval from regulators.

The company, which has pulled its full-year profit forecast due to uncertainty about the MAX, boosted dividend payments in the second quarter. Compared with last year, Boeing spent $1.2 billion in dividends, up 20 per cent from the year-ago period.

Shares fell 0.8 per cent to $369.84 in pre-market trading.

Boeing reported a second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion Wednesday as the grounding of 737 MAX following two deadly crashes continues to weigh on the company. The loss, the biggest ever in a single quarter for the aerospace giant, follows last week's announcement that Boeing would set aside $4.

Boeing reported a second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion Wednesday as the grounding of 737 MAX following two deadly crashes continues to weigh on the company. The loss, the biggest ever in a single quarter for the aerospace giant, follows last week's announcement that Boeing would set aside $4.9 billion after taxes to compensate airlines for cancelled flights and the delay in plane deliveries. Revenues tumbled 35.1 per cent to $15.8 billion, reflecting the hit from a halt to deliveries of the 737 MAX, a top-selling plane. Boeing also pushed back the timeframe for first flights of the 777X, a new long-haul plane under development. It pointed to problems with the 777X engine, which is being built by General Electric. The 737 MAX has been grounded since mid-March following the second of two crashes that together claimed 346 lives. Boeing is developing a software fix to address a problem with a flight handling system that was linked to both crashes. "Disciplined development and testing is underway and we will submit the final software package to the FAA once we have satisfied all of their certification requirements," Boeing said. Boeing has said it is targeting early in the fourth quarter to win approval from regulators. The company, which has pulled its full-year profit forecast due to uncertainty about the MAX, boosted dividend payments in the second quarter. Compared with last year, Boeing spent $1.2 billion in dividends, up 20 per cent from the year-ago period. Shares fell 0.8 per cent to $369.84 in pre-market trading.

Boeing reports $2.9 billion loss in 2Q, biggest quarterly loss ever

Boeing Co said on Wednesday it will dedicate half of a $100 million fund it created after two crashes of its 737 MAX planes to provide payments to families of those killed, with veteran US compensation expert Ken Feinberg hired by the world's largest plane maker to oversee the distribution.

The announcement of Feinberg's hiring came minutes before a US House of Representatives hearing featuring dramatic testimony by Paul Njoroge, a father who lost three children, his wife and mother-in-law in a 737 MAX Ethiopian Air crash in March.

Feinberg told Reuters his team will "start immediately drafting a claims protocol for those eligible," with the first meeting with officials from Chicago-based Boeing later this week in Washington. Feinberg has administered many compensation funds including for victims of Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, General Motors ignition switch crashes, and numerous school shootings.

The 737 MAX, Boeing's best-selling jet, was grounded globally in March following the Ethiopian Airlines crash after a similar Lion Air disaster in Indonesia in October. The two crashes killed 346 people.

Njoroge, 35, told reporters after he testified he did not think the public would trust <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/american-airlines-extends-boeing-737-max-cancellations-for-fourth-time-236054&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjHxNOjnL7jAhXk6nMBHVP0B_YQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0dYuY323zoRH-ru_mwOQiO">Boeing</a> going forward. "Do you want to fly in those planes? Do you want your children to fly in those planes?" Njoroge asked. "I don't have any more children."

Njoroge told a House subcommittee he still has "nightmares about how (his children) must have clung to their mother crying" during the doomed flight.

Njoroge, who was born in Kenya and lives in Canada, said Boeing has blamed "innocent pilots who had no knowledge and were given no information on the new and flawed MCAS system that could overpower pilots."

Boeing did not address specific questions raised by Njoroge but said in a statement "we truly regret the loss of lives in both of these accidents and we are deeply sorry for the impact on the families and loved ones of those on board."

A Boeing official told Reuters last month that after a new software flaw emerged the company will not submit an MCAS software upgrade and training revision until September, which means the planes will not resume flying until November at the earliest. U.S. airlines have cancelled flights through early November as a result of the 737 MAX's grounding.

Boeing shares closed up 1.9% on Wednesday.

Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell told Fox Business Network on Wednesday that the agency has made a lot of progress since the plane's grounding.

"We have discovered some anomalies and then we have directed Boeing to mitigate those anomalies," Elwell said, declining to set any timetable for returning the plane to service.

"The 737 MAX is not going to fly until it passes the most thorough and intense look," said Elwell, adding that he had spent several hours with Njoroge during a recent meeting.

Boeing said on July 3 it would give $100 million over multiple years to local governments and non-profit organizations to help families and communities affected by the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Feinberg, who will jointly administer the fund with lawyer Camille Biros, said the other $50 million in the fund was earmarked for government and community projects.

Boeing reiterated on Wednesday that the money distributed through the fund would be independent of the outcome of any lawsuits. The company is facing a slew of litigation from the families of victims of both crashes.

"Through our partnership with Feinberg and Biros, we hope affected families receive needed assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible," Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement.

Boeing's initial announcement of the $100 million funds was met with anger by some victims' families, who described the offer as a publicity stunt.

At the hearing in Washington, Representative Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said he would call Boeing officials to testify at a hearing. DeFazio said the committee was in the middle of an in-depth investigation and had just received a "trove" of documents that panel investigators were reviewing.

Boeing Co said on Wednesday it will dedicate half of a $100 million fund it created after two crashes of its 737 MAX planes to provide payments to families of those killed, with veteran US compensation expert Ken Feinberg hired by the world's largest plane maker to oversee the distribution.

Boeing Co said on Wednesday it will dedicate half of a $100 million fund it created after two crashes of its 737 MAX planes to provide payments to families of those killed, with veteran US compensation expert Ken Feinberg hired by the world's largest plane maker to oversee the distribution. The announcement of Feinberg's hiring came minutes before a US House of Representatives hearing featuring dramatic testimony by Paul Njoroge, a father who lost three children, his wife and mother-in-law in a 737 MAX Ethiopian Air crash in March. Feinberg told Reuters his team will "start immediately drafting a claims protocol for those eligible," with the first meeting with officials from Chicago-based Boeing later this week in Washington. Feinberg has administered many compensation funds including for victims of Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, General Motors ignition switch crashes, and numerous school shootings. The 737 MAX, Boeing's best-selling jet, was grounded globally in March following the Ethiopian Airlines crash after a similar Lion Air disaster in Indonesia in October. The two crashes killed 346 people. Njoroge, 35, told reporters after he testified he did not think the public would trust Boeing going forward. "Do you want to fly in those planes? Do you want your children to fly in those planes?" Njoroge asked. "I don't have any more children." Njoroge told a House subcommittee he still has "nightmares about how (his children) must have clung to their mother crying" during the doomed flight. Njoroge, who was born in Kenya and lives in Canada, said Boeing has blamed "innocent pilots who had no knowledge and were given no information on the new and flawed MCAS system that could overpower pilots." Boeing did not address specific questions raised by Njoroge but said in a statement "we truly regret the loss of lives in both of these accidents and we are deeply sorry for the impact on the families and loved ones of those on board." A Boeing official told Reuters last month that after a new software flaw emerged the company will not submit an MCAS software upgrade and training revision until September, which means the planes will not resume flying until November at the earliest. U.S. airlines have cancelled flights through early November as a result of the 737 MAX's grounding. Boeing shares closed up 1.9% on Wednesday. Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell told Fox Business Network on Wednesday that the agency has made a lot of progress since the plane's grounding. "We have discovered some anomalies and then we have directed Boeing to mitigate those anomalies," Elwell said, declining to set any timetable for returning the plane to service. "The 737 MAX is not going to fly until it passes the most thorough and intense look," said Elwell, adding that he had spent several hours with Njoroge during a recent meeting. Boeing said on July 3 it would give $100 million over multiple years to local governments and non-profit organizations to help families and communities affected by the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Feinberg, who will jointly administer the fund with lawyer Camille Biros, said the other $50 million in the fund was earmarked for government and community projects. Boeing reiterated on Wednesday that the money distributed through the fund would be independent of the outcome of any lawsuits. The company is facing a slew of litigation from the families of victims of both crashes. "Through our partnership with Feinberg and Biros, we hope affected families receive needed assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible," Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement. Boeing's initial announcement of the $100 million funds was met with anger by some victims' families, who described the offer as a publicity stunt. At the hearing in Washington, Representative Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said he would call Boeing officials to testify at a hearing. DeFazio said the committee was in the middle of an in-depth investigation and had just received a "trove" of documents that panel investigators were reviewing.

Boeing to make $50 million in payments to 737 MAX crash victims' families

American Airlines Group Inc said on Sunday it is extending for a fourth time cancellations of about 115 daily flights into early November due to the ongoing grounding of the Boeing Co 737 MAX jets. The airline's decision was expected after the Federal Aviation Administration, which must reapprove the jets for flight following two fatal crashes, last month uncovered a new flaw that Boeing estimates will take until at least September to fix.

American Airlines extends Boeing 737 MAX cancellations for fourth time

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-to-seek-rollback-of-indian-tariffs-during-trade-talk-report-235194">US</a> Attorney General William Barr has recused himself from the Justice Department's investigation into Boeing Co after two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ryanair-holdings-sees-risk-to-2020-growth-if-737-max-grounded-beyond-november-234886">737 MAX</a> aeroplane crashes killed 346 people, a spokeswoman for Barr said Thursday.

Bloomberg News reported on Thursday that Barr has recused himself because his former law firm is representing Boeing.&nbsp;

Reuters and other outlets reported in March that federal prosecutors aided by the FBI were scrutinizing the development of the 737 MAX jetliners. Boeing did not immediately comment.

US Attorney General William Barr has recused himself from the Justice Department's investigation into Boeing Co after two 737 MAX aeroplane crashes killed 346 people, a spokeswoman for Barr said Thursday.

US Attorney General William Barr has recused himself from the Justice Department's investigation into Boeing Co after two 737 MAX aeroplane crashes killed 346 people, a spokeswoman for Barr said Thursday. Bloomberg News reported on Thursday that Barr has recused himself because his former law firm is representing Boeing. Reuters and other outlets reported in March that federal prosecutors aided by the FBI were scrutinizing the development of the 737 MAX jetliners. Boeing did not immediately comment.

United States Attorney General William Barr has recused himself from Boeing 737 MAX probe: Justice Department

The boss of Europe's Ryanair Holdings warned on Wednesday the impact of the prolonged grounding of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-regulator-cites-new-flaw-on-grounded-boeing-737-max-230998">Boeing Co's 737 MAX</a> on the airline's growth plans may start to spill over to next summer if the airplane is not flying again by November.

Europe's largest budget carrier needs up to eight months to take delivery of some 50 newly built planes left at the factory by the grounding crisis, so it may have to trim its capacity growth plans for summer 2020 if 737 MAX flights have not resumed by November, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told Reuters.

"Boeing is telling us at the moment they expect to be back flying by the end of September," O'Leary said in an interview on the sidelines of a meeting of the European airlines lobby A4E, which he also chairs.

"I think it will fly before the end of this year. I am not sure they will meet the end of September date, but I take comfort from the fact that it seems that now the American, European, Brazilian and Canadian regulators are working together," he added.

In May, O'Leary predicted a return to service by July but the US Federal Aviation Administration has since reported a new potential safety risk that it says must be addressed first.

"We are continuing to engage with global regulators and providing information to them as we work towards the safe return to service for the MAX," a Boeing spokesman said by email.

Boeing's top-selling jet was grounded in March in the wake of crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia which killed 346 people. The planemaker is working on a software fix that people familiar with the matter have said Boeing hopes to present to regulators in September.

"The challenge for us is that we need to see the plane back flying by the end of September, October, November at the latest, so as not to disrupt our growth for the summer of 2020," O'Leary said.

Ryanair can take delivery of no more than six to eight planes a month because of the complexity of the delivery process and the availability of trained MAX pilots.

''Pressure" on Boeing After IAG Deal

O'Leary also responded to a surprise move by British Airways owner IAG to buy 200 MAX jets at what analysts say must have been very attractive prices as the grounding drags on.

He described the preliminary order, which gave the 737 MAX a boost at last month's Paris Airshow, as a "great move" by IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh, even though at this stage the deal is only a letter of intent (LOI).

"Let's see what happens with that. I suspect it certainly puts more pressure on Airbus. And we, as a result of IAG’s LOI, are putting much more pressure on Boeing."

Ryanair benefits from a clause in its contract guaranteeing it lower prices than its competitors, echoing a similar arrangement for Southwest in the United States, analysts say.

Asked whether Ryanair could take advantage of the IAG deal to expand its order for 135 MAX on even better terms, O'Leary said any new deal would be unlikely during the grounding but could be up for discussion once the jet was back in service.

"You could do that in September or October this year when the aircraft is back flying. We will stick close to Boeing on it and we are also talking to Airbus about the possibility of aircraft for Laudamotion."

O'Leary told Reuters in March, shortly before the second crash that triggered a worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX 8 and 9 models, that Ryanair was interested in Boeing's larger 737 MAX 10 "at the right price" as well as at least 100 Airbus A321 for recently acquired Austrian unit Laudamotion.

O'Leary said in May Ryanair was also talking to Boeing about compensation for the grounding, but that it had to be determined whether this would be paid in cash or as lower aircraft prices.

The boss of Europe's Ryanair Holdings warned on Wednesday the impact of the prolonged grounding of Boeing Co's 737 MAX on the airline's growth plans may start to spill over to next summer if the airplane is not flying again by November.

The boss of Europe's Ryanair Holdings warned on Wednesday the impact of the prolonged grounding of Boeing Co's 737 MAX on the airline's growth plans may start to spill over to next summer if the airplane is not flying again by November. Europe's largest budget carrier needs up to eight months to take delivery of some 50 newly built planes left at the factory by the grounding crisis, so it may have to trim its capacity growth plans for summer 2020 if 737 MAX flights have not resumed by November, Chief Executive Michael O'Leary told Reuters. "Boeing is telling us at the moment they expect to be back flying by the end of September," O'Leary said in an interview on the sidelines of a meeting of the European airlines lobby A4E, which he also chairs. "I think it will fly before the end of this year. I am not sure they will meet the end of September date, but I take comfort from the fact that it seems that now the American, European, Brazilian and Canadian regulators are working together," he added. In May, O'Leary predicted a return to service by July but the US Federal Aviation Administration has since reported a new potential safety risk that it says must be addressed first. "We are continuing to engage with global regulators and providing information to them as we work towards the safe return to service for the MAX," a Boeing spokesman said by email. Boeing's top-selling jet was grounded in March in the wake of crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia which killed 346 people. The planemaker is working on a software fix that people familiar with the matter have said Boeing hopes to present to regulators in September. "The challenge for us is that we need to see the plane back flying by the end of September, October, November at the latest, so as not to disrupt our growth for the summer of 2020," O'Leary said. Ryanair can take delivery of no more than six to eight planes a month because of the complexity of the delivery process and the availability of trained MAX pilots. ''Pressure" on Boeing After IAG Deal O'Leary also responded to a surprise move by British Airways owner IAG to buy 200 MAX jets at what analysts say must have been very attractive prices as the grounding drags on. He described the preliminary order, which gave the 737 MAX a boost at last month's Paris Airshow, as a "great move" by IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh, even though at this stage the deal is only a letter of intent (LOI). "Let's see what happens with that. I suspect it certainly puts more pressure on Airbus. And we, as a result of IAG’s LOI, are putting much more pressure on Boeing." Ryanair benefits from a clause in its contract guaranteeing it lower prices than its competitors, echoing a similar arrangement for Southwest in the United States, analysts say. Asked whether Ryanair could take advantage of the IAG deal to expand its order for 135 MAX on even better terms, O'Leary said any new deal would be unlikely during the grounding but could be up for discussion once the jet was back in service. "You could do that in September or October this year when the aircraft is back flying. We will stick close to Boeing on it and we are also talking to Airbus about the possibility of aircraft for Laudamotion." O'Leary told Reuters in March, shortly before the second crash that triggered a worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX 8 and 9 models, that Ryanair was interested in Boeing's larger 737 MAX 10 "at the right price" as well as at least 100 Airbus A321 for recently acquired Austrian unit Laudamotion. O'Leary said in May Ryanair was also talking to Boeing about compensation for the grounding, but that it had to be determined whether this would be paid in cash or as lower aircraft prices.

Ryanair Holdings sees risk to 2020 growth if 737 MAX grounded beyond November

No Amount Of Controversies Seems To Be Able To Affect The Business Of Boeing Two crashes, 346 deaths later, there are still takers for Boeing. British Airways' wants to buy 200 737 Max jets. In fact, this will be one of the most lucrative deals ever for Boeing. The company seems to be able to ward off any controversy, however big it is. Here's a report

Gravitas: British Airways' owner to buy 737 Max

Boeing's grounded 737 MAX jet received a boost on Tuesday after British Airways-owner IAG (International Airlines Group) signed a letter of intent to order 200 of the planes. Watch this video to know more.

Boeing gets a massive boost

Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX jet received a boost on Tuesday after British Airways-owner IAG (International Airlines Group) signed a letter of intent to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virgin-australia-delays-boeing-737-max-order-over-safety-concerns-214663">order</a> 200 of the planes and said it was confident that it would return to service in the coming months.

Boeing said the deal had a value of more than $24 billion at list prices.

IAG said the mix of 737-8 and 737-10 aircraft, to be delivered between 2023 and 2027, would be powered by CFM Leap engines and used across a number of its airlines including British Airways, Vueling and Level.

The MAX 737 was grounded in March following two deadly crashes, and Boeing has been working on a software fix to get the jet back flying by the end of the year.

IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh said he had experienced Boeing’s MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) anti-stall software in person, adding it was "very helpful to see it in operation" and to "understand the changes" that Boeing was proposing.

"It gave me confidence both in terms of the aircraft and the changes that Boeing introduced," he said at the announcement of the deal at the Paris Airshow.

"I am confident in Boeing," Willie Walsh said.

Boeing shares rose 2 per cent on the announcement. The company is working towards a certification flight with regulators soon.

Boeing commercial airplanes boss Kevin McAllister said the decision of when the MAX flies again was in the hands of the regulators.

Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX jet received a boost on Tuesday after British Airways-owner IAG (International Airlines Group) signed a letter of intent to order 200 of the planes and said it was confident that it would return to service in the coming months.

Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX jet received a boost on Tuesday after British Airways-owner IAG (International Airlines Group) signed a letter of intent to order 200 of the planes and said it was confident that it would return to service in the coming months. Boeing said the deal had a value of more than $24 billion at list prices. IAG said the mix of 737-8 and 737-10 aircraft, to be delivered between 2023 and 2027, would be powered by CFM Leap engines and used across a number of its airlines including British Airways, Vueling and Level. The MAX 737 was grounded in March following two deadly crashes, and Boeing has been working on a software fix to get the jet back flying by the end of the year. IAG Chief Executive Willie Walsh said he had experienced Boeing’s MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) anti-stall software in person, adding it was "very helpful to see it in operation" and to "understand the changes" that Boeing was proposing. "It gave me confidence both in terms of the aircraft and the changes that Boeing introduced," he said at the announcement of the deal at the Paris Airshow. "I am confident in Boeing," Willie Walsh said. Boeing shares rose 2 per cent on the announcement. The company is working towards a certification flight with regulators soon. Boeing commercial airplanes boss Kevin McAllister said the decision of when the MAX flies again was in the hands of the regulators.

Boeing's troubled 737 MAX gets huge vote of confidence from IAG, signs first deal since crash

Why Airbus is stunned after Boeing bagged $24 billion 737 MAX deal, just months after Ethiopia Airlines crash

The 53rd edition of the Paris Air Show is set to open its doors on Monday (June 17) amid safety concerns, trade wars and growing security tensions in the Gulf dampening spirits at the world's largest planemakers as they arrive for this week's gathering with little to celebrate despite bulging order books.

Boeing crisis, trade tensions to cast pall over Paris Air Show

Boeing will tailor its compensation to airlines for the 737 MAX grounding around customer preference, and they could be paid back in services instead of cash, Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday.

After two deadly crashes grounded the top-selling plane, Muilenburg acknowledged that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-ceo-faces-shareholders-for-first-time-since-737-max-crashes-214296">MAX crisis</a> had shaken public confidence in the company and inconvenienced key customers, but the company is unlikely to take a big financial hit.

"We know we've impacted the summer schedules for many of them, and it's difficult, it's painful," he said, speaking at a New York investor conference.

"I don't see this as an additional material event for us, but it's something that's going to require individual attention customer by customer."

Compensation could include tweaking plane delivery schedules, or offering additional training or services, as well as cash in some cases, he said.

Muilenburg, who was set to appear in his first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeings-737-max-aircraft-what-comes-next-203786">broadcast interview</a> on the crisis later Wednesday on CBS, called the crisis a "defining moment" after crashes of a Lion Air flight in October and Ethiopian Airlines in March claimed 346 lives.

Muilenburg,&nbsp;in excerpts of the&nbsp;interview released by CBS,&nbsp;repeated his apology over lives lost and pledged to be "absolutely resolute in what we're going to do on safety going forward."

The efforts to return the plane to the skies has taken longer than expected, so the timeframe for resuming flights on the troubled planes appears to be slipping further.

Alexandre de Juniac, head of the International Air Transport Association, said Wednesday the plane will remain grounded "at least 10 to 12 weeks" while regulators review Boeing's proposed fix to a software problem that has been linked to both crashes.

Regulatory approvals lag

A note from CFRA Research characterized the timeframe for the 737 MAX resumption as "worse" than expected, but said Boeing was still well positioned once it exits the crisis.

"Our thesis on Boeing is based on long term commercial aerospace demand, a strong order book and the likelihood that Boeing will not lose significant orders as long as the plane resumes service safely," CFRA said.

"We expect continued volatility in the shares until the issues hanging over Boeing move closer to being resolved," CFRA added.

Muilenburg described last week's meeting of international regulators as a "key" event in returning the plane to service, but acknowledged that it may take more time before global regulators are ready to approve the plane's return.

He said the company continued to cooperate with US Federal Aviation Administration information requests.

"Our hope is that we'll have a broad international alignment with the FAA," he said at the conference.&nbsp;

"But there may be some international authorities that will operate on a different schedule. So we'll have to tailor our plans, depending on the regulatory approval to get the airplane back up and flying."

The FAA will be the first regulator to clear the plane for service, but aviation analysts say the agency wants at least some other countries to approve the plane soon after.

Muilenburg said Boeing was prepared to be flexible as more customers get the green light.

Boeing has cut it production schedule of the 737 MAX and halted new deliveries, necessitating additional storage capacity in Washington and Texas, he said.&nbsp;

Boeing will tailor its compensation to airlines for the 737 MAX grounding around customer preference, and they could be paid back in services instead of cash, Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday.

Boeing will tailor its compensation to airlines for the 737 MAX grounding around customer preference, and they could be paid back in services instead of cash, Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday. After two deadly crashes grounded the top-selling plane, Muilenburg acknowledged that the MAX crisis had shaken public confidence in the company and inconvenienced key customers, but the company is unlikely to take a big financial hit. "We know we've impacted the summer schedules for many of them, and it's difficult, it's painful," he said, speaking at a New York investor conference. "I don't see this as an additional material event for us, but it's something that's going to require individual attention customer by customer." Compensation could include tweaking plane delivery schedules, or offering additional training or services, as well as cash in some cases, he said. Muilenburg, who was set to appear in his first broadcast interview on the crisis later Wednesday on CBS, called the crisis a "defining moment" after crashes of a Lion Air flight in October and Ethiopian Airlines in March claimed 346 lives. Muilenburg, in excerpts of the interview released by CBS, repeated his apology over lives lost and pledged to be "absolutely resolute in what we're going to do on safety going forward." The efforts to return the plane to the skies has taken longer than expected, so the timeframe for resuming flights on the troubled planes appears to be slipping further. Alexandre de Juniac, head of the International Air Transport Association, said Wednesday the plane will remain grounded "at least 10 to 12 weeks" while regulators review Boeing's proposed fix to a software problem that has been linked to both crashes. Regulatory approvals lag A note from CFRA Research characterized the timeframe for the 737 MAX resumption as "worse" than expected, but said Boeing was still well positioned once it exits the crisis. "Our thesis on Boeing is based on long term commercial aerospace demand, a strong order book and the likelihood that Boeing will not lose significant orders as long as the plane resumes service safely," CFRA said. "We expect continued volatility in the shares until the issues hanging over Boeing move closer to being resolved," CFRA added. Muilenburg described last week's meeting of international regulators as a "key" event in returning the plane to service, but acknowledged that it may take more time before global regulators are ready to approve the plane's return. He said the company continued to cooperate with US Federal Aviation Administration information requests. "Our hope is that we'll have a broad international alignment with the FAA," he said at the conference. "But there may be some international authorities that will operate on a different schedule. So we'll have to tailor our plans, depending on the regulatory approval to get the airplane back up and flying." The FAA will be the first regulator to clear the plane for service, but aviation analysts say the agency wants at least some other countries to approve the plane soon after. Muilenburg said Boeing was prepared to be flexible as more customers get the green light. Boeing has cut it production schedule of the 737 MAX and halted new deliveries, necessitating additional storage capacity in Washington and Texas, he said.

Boeing CEO apologises, says crisis has shaken public confidence in company

US summer air travel will hit a new record this year despite the grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft after two fatal crashes, a group representing major airlines said on Tuesday.

Airlines for America, the trade group representing major US carriers, said it expects 257.4 million passengers to travel on US airlines between June 1 and August&nbsp;31, up 3.4 per cent from last summer’s record 248.8 million passengers.

Airlines are adding 111,000 seats daily to accommodate the extra 93,000 passengers expected per day, the group said, in what it forecast will be the 10th consecutive summer of increases in the number of US airline passengers.

Southwest Airlines Co and American Airlines Group Inc have cancelled flights because of the grounding of the 737 MAX into August, while United Airlines has cancelled flights into early July.

Southwest has cancelled 160 daily flights through August 5. It launched service to Hawaii earlier this year but has had to defer flying there from San Diego and Sacramento because of the MAX groundings.

American has cancelled nearly 115 flights daily until August 19, accounting for 2 per cent of its summer flight capacity.

The US Transportation Department said that July 2018 was the all-time busiest air travel month, with 75.8 million passengers.

The Federal Aviation Administration is meeting with aviation regulators from around the world in Texas on Thursday to update them on the various reviews of the 737 MAX. Boeing has not yet formally submitted its software upgrade and training revisions to the FAA for approval or completed a certification flight.

US summer air travel will hit a new record this year despite the grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft after two fatal crashes, a group representing major airlines said on Tuesday.

US summer air travel will hit a new record this year despite the grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX aircraft after two fatal crashes, a group representing major airlines said on Tuesday. Airlines for America, the trade group representing major US carriers, said it expects 257.4 million passengers to travel on US airlines between June 1 and August 31, up 3.4 per cent from last summer’s record 248.8 million passengers. Airlines are adding 111,000 seats daily to accommodate the extra 93,000 passengers expected per day, the group said, in what it forecast will be the 10th consecutive summer of increases in the number of US airline passengers. Southwest Airlines Co and American Airlines Group Inc have cancelled flights because of the grounding of the 737 MAX into August, while United Airlines has cancelled flights into early July. Southwest has cancelled 160 daily flights through August 5. It launched service to Hawaii earlier this year but has had to defer flying there from San Diego and Sacramento because of the MAX groundings. American has cancelled nearly 115 flights daily until August 19, accounting for 2 per cent of its summer flight capacity. The US Transportation Department said that July 2018 was the all-time busiest air travel month, with 75.8 million passengers. The Federal Aviation Administration is meeting with aviation regulators from around the world in Texas on Thursday to update them on the various reviews of the 737 MAX. Boeing has not yet formally submitted its software upgrade and training revisions to the FAA for approval or completed a certification flight.

US airline group sees record summer travel, despite 737 MAX grounding

After the two deadly crashes that resulted in the grounding of the aircraft, Boeing has now said their aircrafts are ready with a software update. Watch this video to know more.

Boeing: Software fix for 737 Max is ready

A Boeing 737 commercial jet with 136 people on board slid into the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida after landing on Friday.

Breaking: Boeing 737 slides into Florida river with 136 on board, no fatalities

Boeing was making "steady progress" on the path to certifying of a crucial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-737-max-software-upgrade-operationally-suitable-faa-panel-211034">software update for the 737 MAX aircraft</a>, CEO Dennis Muilenburg has said after two fatal crashes in recent months forced the grounding of the model, including by Indian carriers.

He assured global airline industry that Boeing has also made the final engineering test flight before certification for the 737 MAX aircraft.

The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) system of the 737 MAX aircraft has come under scrutiny from investigators reviewing two fatal crashes -- the Lion Air crash on October 29 and the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10.

Boeing has been developing and testing a software change to the system that will now factor in input from a second sensor.

"We're making steady progress on the path to certification for our 737 MAX software update thanks to the work of our Boeing pilots, engineers and technical experts," Muilenburg said in a video on his Twitter account.

"Yesterday we completed the official engineering flight test with the updated software with our technical and engineering leaders on board the airplane. That was the final test flight prior to the certification flight," he said.

During a speech in Dallas last week, Muilenburg said he joined the Boeing test pilots aboard a 737 MAX flight for a demonstration of this updated software.&nbsp;

"During the flight, the crew performed different scenarios that exercised the software changes in multiple flight conditions. The software update functioned as designed, and I was impressed by the work and professionalism of our team," he said.

Overall, the Boeing team has made 96 flights totalling a little over 159 hours of air time with the updated software.&nbsp;

"They will conduct additional test and production flights in the coming weeks as we continue to demonstrate that we've identified and met all certification requirements. We look forward to completing near-term milestones on the path to final certification," he said in his speech on April 11.

The causes of the two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max are still being investigated, but the focus has been on an automatic safety feature that may have forced the nose of each plane lower when it incorrectly sensed the plane was in danger of going into a stall.

All Boeing 737 Max aircraft being operated by Indian carriers have been grounded since the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10.

SpiceJet has been most affected by the grounding of 737 Max aircraft as it has 12 of them in its fleet. Jet Airways has not been affected as its five 737 Max aircraft have already been grounded - even before the grounding decision of the government -- due to non-payment of dues to lessors.

Meanwhile, CNN reported on Thursday that a Federal Aviation Administration panel found changes Boeing made to a 737 Max stabilisation system to be "operationally suitable," and gave a thumbs up to the planemaker's plans for training pilots about how the system works.

A Flight Standardization Board, comprised of pilots who fly the 737, said in a draft report released on Tuesday that it reviewed "the modified Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System" and concluded simulator-based training is not necessary for pilots who flew the previous version of the 737.&nbsp;

The company has proposed a computer-based training that will familiarize pilots upgrading from the 737 NG series with the MCAS system.

The board's draft report is a step forward for Boeing as it works to return the 737 Max fleet to the air. After two weeks for public review, the FAA is expected to publish a final board report, CNN reported.

Boeing announced earlier this month it was cutting the production rate for all of its 737 planes from 52 a month to 42 amid the worldwide grounding.

Boeing was making "steady progress" on the path to certifying of a crucial software update for the 737 MAX aircraft, CEO Dennis Muilenburg has said after two fatal crashes in recent months forced the grounding of the model, including by Indian carriers.

Boeing was making "steady progress" on the path to certifying of a crucial software update for the 737 MAX aircraft, CEO Dennis Muilenburg has said after two fatal crashes in recent months forced the grounding of the model, including by Indian carriers. He assured global airline industry that Boeing has also made the final engineering test flight before certification for the 737 MAX aircraft. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) system of the 737 MAX aircraft has come under scrutiny from investigators reviewing two fatal crashes -- the Lion Air crash on October 29 and the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10. Boeing has been developing and testing a software change to the system that will now factor in input from a second sensor. "We're making steady progress on the path to certification for our 737 MAX software update thanks to the work of our Boeing pilots, engineers and technical experts," Muilenburg said in a video on his Twitter account. "Yesterday we completed the official engineering flight test with the updated software with our technical and engineering leaders on board the airplane. That was the final test flight prior to the certification flight," he said. During a speech in Dallas last week, Muilenburg said he joined the Boeing test pilots aboard a 737 MAX flight for a demonstration of this updated software. "During the flight, the crew performed different scenarios that exercised the software changes in multiple flight conditions. The software update functioned as designed, and I was impressed by the work and professionalism of our team," he said. Overall, the Boeing team has made 96 flights totalling a little over 159 hours of air time with the updated software. "They will conduct additional test and production flights in the coming weeks as we continue to demonstrate that we've identified and met all certification requirements. We look forward to completing near-term milestones on the path to final certification," he said in his speech on April 11. The causes of the two crashes involving Boeing 737 Max are still being investigated, but the focus has been on an automatic safety feature that may have forced the nose of each plane lower when it incorrectly sensed the plane was in danger of going into a stall. All Boeing 737 Max aircraft being operated by Indian carriers have been grounded since the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10. SpiceJet has been most affected by the grounding of 737 Max aircraft as it has 12 of them in its fleet. Jet Airways has not been affected as its five 737 Max aircraft have already been grounded - even before the grounding decision of the government -- due to non-payment of dues to lessors. Meanwhile, CNN reported on Thursday that a Federal Aviation Administration panel found changes Boeing made to a 737 Max stabilisation system to be "operationally suitable," and gave a thumbs up to the planemaker's plans for training pilots about how the system works. A Flight Standardization Board, comprised of pilots who fly the 737, said in a draft report released on Tuesday that it reviewed "the modified Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System" and concluded simulator-based training is not necessary for pilots who flew the previous version of the 737. The company has proposed a computer-based training that will familiarize pilots upgrading from the 737 NG series with the MCAS system. The board's draft report is a step forward for Boeing as it works to return the 737 Max fleet to the air. After two weeks for public review, the FAA is expected to publish a final board report, CNN reported. Boeing announced earlier this month it was cutting the production rate for all of its 737 planes from 52 a month to 42 amid the worldwide grounding.

Boeing making 'steady progress' on certifying 737 Max software update: CEO 

President Donald Trump on Monday publicly recommended Boeing "re-brand" its troubled 737 Max planes after two fatal crashes led to the grounding of the model and widespread criticism against the company.

Donald Trump founds a new solution for Boeing crisis, suggests by a tweet

The Co-founder of Indonesia’s Lion Air, one of two airlines that lost passengers and crew in recent crashes involving the 737 MAX, has lashed out at Boeing’s handling of the accidents as the potential business fallout from the jet’s grounding intensifies.

Lion Air's founder hits out at Boeing

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