Boeing Co has signed a $6.5 billion deal with U.S. military for Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits, spares, repairs and technical services, the Pentagon.

Boeing signs $6.5 billion deal with Pentagon

Boeing Co has been awarded a $6.5 billion US defence contract for Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits, spares, repairs and technical services, the Pentagon said on Friday.

More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 passenger jets around the world were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virtually-every-single-boeing-737-max-plane-around-the-world-now-stands-grounded-203177">taken out of service</a>&nbsp;earlier this year following two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed almost 350 people in all.

The crashes triggered investigations by aviation regulators and US lawmakers and left Chicago-based Boeing facing one of the biggest crises in its more than 100-year history.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-ceo-apologises-says-crisis-has-shaken-public-confidence-in-company-222655">Boeing's</a>&nbsp;chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a CNBC interview that the company hasn't received any orders for its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/faa-considered-grounding-some-boeing-737-max-planes-last-year-source-214840">737 Max planes</a>&nbsp;since the aircraft was grounded following two deadly crashes.

&nbsp;

Boeing Co has been awarded a $6.5 billion US defence contract for Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits, spares, repairs and technical services, the Pentagon said on Friday.

Boeing Co has been awarded a $6.5 billion US defence contract for Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits, spares, repairs and technical services, the Pentagon said on Friday. More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 passenger jets around the world were taken out of service earlier this year following two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed almost 350 people in all. The crashes triggered investigations by aviation regulators and US lawmakers and left Chicago-based Boeing facing one of the biggest crises in its more than 100-year history. Boeing's chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a CNBC interview that the company hasn't received any orders for its 737 Max planes since the aircraft was grounded following two deadly crashes.

Boeing wins $6.5 billion United States defense contract: Pentagon

Boeing has signed $6.5 Bn deal with US' Pentagon. Watch this video to know more.

Boeing signs $6.5 Bn deal with Pentagon

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-has-not-received-any-737-max-orders-since-grounding-ceo-224136">Boeing&nbsp;Co</a> learned that a cockpit warning light on its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/boeing-software-fix-for-737-max-is-ready-219337">737 MAX jetliner</a> was defective in 2017 but decided to defer fixing it until 2020, US lawmakers said on Friday.

The defective warning light alerts pilots when two sensors that measure the angle between the airflow and the wing disagree. Faulty "angle of attack" data is suspected of playing a role in two deadly crashes involving&nbsp;Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX in Indonesia in October and in Ethiopia in March.

Those crashes, which killed 346 people, have triggered investigations by aviation regulators and US lawmakers and left Chicago-based Boeing facing one of the biggest crises in its more than 100-year history.

Boeing&nbsp;decided in November 2017 to defer a software update to correct the so-called AOA Disagree alert defect until 2020, three years after discovering the flaw, US&nbsp;Congressmen Peter DeFazio and Rick Larsen said in a press release on Friday.&nbsp;Boeing&nbsp;only accelerated this schedule after the Lion Air accident in Indonesia, they added.

Watch: A Flying Risk? New Defects Detected In Boeing Planes

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Boeing&nbsp;spokesman Gordon Johndroe said by email that a company safety review found the absence of the AOA Disagree alert did not adversely impact airplane safety or operation.

"Based on the safety review, the update was scheduled for the MAX 10 entry into service in 2020," Johndroe said. "We fell short in the implementation of the AoA Disagree alert and are taking steps to address these issues so they do not occur again."

Boeing&nbsp;has said it discovered the problem in 2017, soon after it began delivering its top-selling 737 MAX aircraft to customers. But it did not inform the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the defect until after the Lion Air crash more than one year later, the lawmakers said.

The House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure sent letters to&nbsp;Boeing, supplier United Technologies Corp and the FAA requesting further details on the AoA Disagree alert, the lawmakers said.

The letter was the second such records request sent by the committee to&nbsp;Boeing&nbsp;and the FAA related to its investigation into the MAX aircraft.

Boeing Co learned that a cockpit warning light on its 737 MAX jetliner was defective in 2017 but decided to defer fixing it until 2020, US lawmakers said on Friday.

Boeing Co learned that a cockpit warning light on its 737 MAX jetliner was defective in 2017 but decided to defer fixing it until 2020, US lawmakers said on Friday. The defective warning light alerts pilots when two sensors that measure the angle between the airflow and the wing disagree. Faulty "angle of attack" data is suspected of playing a role in two deadly crashes involving Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX in Indonesia in October and in Ethiopia in March. Those crashes, which killed 346 people, have triggered investigations by aviation regulators and US lawmakers and left Chicago-based Boeing facing one of the biggest crises in its more than 100-year history. Boeing decided in November 2017 to defer a software update to correct the so-called AOA Disagree alert defect until 2020, three years after discovering the flaw, US Congressmen Peter DeFazio and Rick Larsen said in a press release on Friday. Boeing only accelerated this schedule after the Lion Air accident in Indonesia, they added. Watch: A Flying Risk? New Defects Detected In Boeing Planes × Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said by email that a company safety review found the absence of the AOA Disagree alert did not adversely impact airplane safety or operation. "Based on the safety review, the update was scheduled for the MAX 10 entry into service in 2020," Johndroe said. "We fell short in the implementation of the AoA Disagree alert and are taking steps to address these issues so they do not occur again." Boeing has said it discovered the problem in 2017, soon after it began delivering its top-selling 737 MAX aircraft to customers. But it did not inform the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the defect until after the Lion Air crash more than one year later, the lawmakers said. The House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure sent letters to Boeing, supplier United Technologies Corp and the FAA requesting further details on the AoA Disagree alert, the lawmakers said. The letter was the second such records request sent by the committee to Boeing and the FAA related to its investigation into the MAX aircraft.

Boeing delayed fix of defective 737 MAX warning light for three years: US lawmakers

Qatar Airways plans to seek compensation from Boeing over the grounding of three 737 MAX aircraft by Italian airline Air Italy, where the Qatari company is a major shareholder, group chief executive Akbar al-Baker told.

Boeing MAX jets have been grounded worldwide and airlines are cancelling multimillion contracts following crashes in October and March that killed nearly 350 people.

"At Qatar Airways we do not operate any MAX airplanes – it affected our investment into Air Italy. Air Italy has three MAX operated in its fleet and they were grounded so it affected us – we had to take extra routing from outside," al-Baker said.

In 2017, Qatar purchased 49% of Air Italy, Italy's second largest carrier behind Alitalia, which, in turn, is partly owned by Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways.

"Boeing has to compensate us for grounding," al-Baker said, but did not elaborate on the potential cost.

In Russia, Qatar Airways is in talks to buy a 20% stake in Vnukovo airport, Moscow's third largest by passenger traffic.

Al-Baker said Qatar Airways was looking to close the deal "sometime before the end of the year."

Last year, Vnukovo's handled around 21 million passengers, compared with 29 million at Domodedovo and almost 46 million at Sheremetyevo, Russia's biggest airport and one of the busiest in Europe.

"Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo are already congested and the only airport that has an expansion opportunity is Vnukovo," Al-Baker said.

"We see a huge potential to grow the airport to bring more traffic, to intensify traffic, to grow there, to increase the duty free footprint."

Asked if Qatar Airways could consider acquiring a stake in Sheremetyevo, 30% of which may be on offer by the airport's private shareholders, Al-Baker said: "We cannot do more than one airport at the same place."

At home, at Hamad International Airport in Doha, passenger traffic was at around 35 million people last year.

"This year we hope that we will exceed 42 million passengers but during the blockade we did lose nearly 10% of the traffic because it was all of a sudden. But we have recovered now," Al-Baker said.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar in 2017 over allegations that Qatar supports terrorism and is aligning itself with regional foe Iran. Qatar denies the allegations.

Qatar Airways plans to seek compensation from Boeing over the grounding of three 737 MAX aircraft by Italian airline Air Italy, where the Qatari company is a major shareholder, group chief executive Akbar al-Baker told.

Qatar Airways plans to seek compensation from Boeing over the grounding of three 737 MAX aircraft by Italian airline Air Italy, where the Qatari company is a major shareholder, group chief executive Akbar al-Baker told. Boeing MAX jets have been grounded worldwide and airlines are cancelling multimillion contracts following crashes in October and March that killed nearly 350 people. "At Qatar Airways we do not operate any MAX airplanes – it affected our investment into Air Italy. Air Italy has three MAX operated in its fleet and they were grounded so it affected us – we had to take extra routing from outside," al-Baker said. In 2017, Qatar purchased 49% of Air Italy, Italy's second largest carrier behind Alitalia, which, in turn, is partly owned by Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways. "Boeing has to compensate us for grounding," al-Baker said, but did not elaborate on the potential cost. In Russia, Qatar Airways is in talks to buy a 20% stake in Vnukovo airport, Moscow's third largest by passenger traffic. Al-Baker said Qatar Airways was looking to close the deal "sometime before the end of the year." Last year, Vnukovo's handled around 21 million passengers, compared with 29 million at Domodedovo and almost 46 million at Sheremetyevo, Russia's biggest airport and one of the busiest in Europe. "Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo are already congested and the only airport that has an expansion opportunity is Vnukovo," Al-Baker said. "We see a huge potential to grow the airport to bring more traffic, to intensify traffic, to grow there, to increase the duty free footprint." Asked if Qatar Airways could consider acquiring a stake in Sheremetyevo, 30% of which may be on offer by the airport's private shareholders, Al-Baker said: "We cannot do more than one airport at the same place." At home, at Hamad International Airport in Doha, passenger traffic was at around 35 million people last year. "This year we hope that we will exceed 42 million passengers but during the blockade we did lose nearly 10% of the traffic because it was all of a sudden. But we have recovered now," Al-Baker said. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an economic and diplomatic boycott on Qatar in 2017 over allegations that Qatar supports terrorism and is aligning itself with regional foe Iran. Qatar denies the allegations.

Qatar Airways to seek compensation from Boeing over MAX grounding

A New Safety Issue Has Been Found In Boeing Planes. The Company Says Some Of Its Planes May Have Defective Parts. Has Boeing Put Lives At Risk By Allowing Planes With Faulty Parts To Fly? Watch This Report From Gravitas.

Gravitas: A Flying Risk? New Defects Detected In Boeing Planes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-ceo-apologises-says-crisis-has-shaken-public-confidence-in-company-222655">Boeing's</a> chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a CNBC interview on Monday&nbsp;that the company hasn't received any orders for its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/faa-considered-grounding-some-boeing-737-max-planes-last-year-source-214840">737 Max planes</a> since the aircraft was grounded following two deadly crashes.

Boeing shares fell more than 1.5% after the interview aired.

On Sunday, June 2, US&nbsp;regulators disclosed a new problem involving the grounded 737 MAX jets, saying that more than 300 of the troubled model and the prior generation 737 may contain improperly manufactured parts.

Adding to Boeing's woes was Azerbaijan Airlines, which cancelled a $1 bln contract to purchase 10 jets.

Talking to CNBC, Muilenburg also said his company hasn't changed its long-term 737 MAX production plans, and that he was the right person to lead the company through the crisis.

He added that 737 MAX would be back in operation before the end of this year and that he was confident MAX fleet would be safe when it returns.

Boeing's chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a CNBC interview on Monday that the company hasn't received any orders for its 737 Max planes since the aircraft was grounded following two deadly crashes.

Boeing's chairman and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a CNBC interview on Monday that the company hasn't received any orders for its 737 Max planes since the aircraft was grounded following two deadly crashes. Boeing shares fell more than 1.5% after the interview aired. On Sunday, June 2, US regulators disclosed a new problem involving the grounded 737 MAX jets, saying that more than 300 of the troubled model and the prior generation 737 may contain improperly manufactured parts. Adding to Boeing's woes was Azerbaijan Airlines, which cancelled a $1 bln contract to purchase 10 jets. Talking to CNBC, Muilenburg also said his company hasn't changed its long-term 737 MAX production plans, and that he was the right person to lead the company through the crisis. He added that 737 MAX would be back in operation before the end of this year and that he was confident MAX fleet would be safe when it returns.

Boeing has not received any 737 Max orders since grounding: CEO Dennis Muilenburg

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, June 3rd 2019

Boeing announced on Sunday that some of its medium-haul 737s, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-ceo-apologises-says-crisis-has-shaken-public-confidence-in-company-222655">including the 737 MAX 8</a>, could have a defective wing part, but that there had been no reports of flight issues linked to the defect.

The American aviation giant, which has been rocked by an unprecedented crisis<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-woman-sues-boeing-seeking-at-least-276-million-over-ethiopian-crash-220460"> after its entire 737 MAX 8 fleet </a>was grounded in mid-March, said a subcontractor informed it of problems with a batch of a part involved in deploying the wings' leading edge.

The leading edge of an aircraft is key to takeoff and landing because it is meant to improve the wing's drag and therefore the jet's aerodynamics.

Boeing said in a statement that it had relayed the defective lot number to aircraft owners so they can inspect the parts in question.

If operators find the defective parts on their aircraft, they should replace them before putting the plane back in service, the company said.

"This is a device considered critical because if the leading edge slats don't deploy symmetrically, there could be a lift differential that can be dangerous especially on takeoff and landing," one aeronautics expert told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The planes were grounded after a combined 346 people died in two deadly crashes, the first in Indonesia in October followed by one in Ethiopia in March.

Long considered a "gold standard" internationally, the US Federal Aviation Administration's reputation has suffered amid scrutiny of its oversight process and reports it allowed Boeing to effectively self-certify some features of the MAX.

Boeing is working on a software fix that will allow the MAX 8 to begin flying again, but differences have arisen between the United States and Canada on how to train pilots on the software after the update.

Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots, but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators.

Boeing announced on Sunday that some of its medium-haul 737s, including the 737 MAX 8, could have a defective wing part, but that there had been no reports of flight issues linked to the defect.

Boeing announced on Sunday that some of its medium-haul 737s, including the 737 MAX 8, could have a defective wing part, but that there had been no reports of flight issues linked to the defect. The American aviation giant, which has been rocked by an unprecedented crisis after its entire 737 MAX 8 fleet was grounded in mid-March, said a subcontractor informed it of problems with a batch of a part involved in deploying the wings' leading edge. The leading edge of an aircraft is key to takeoff and landing because it is meant to improve the wing's drag and therefore the jet's aerodynamics. Boeing said in a statement that it had relayed the defective lot number to aircraft owners so they can inspect the parts in question. If operators find the defective parts on their aircraft, they should replace them before putting the plane back in service, the company said. "This is a device considered critical because if the leading edge slats don't deploy symmetrically, there could be a lift differential that can be dangerous especially on takeoff and landing," one aeronautics expert told AFP on condition of anonymity. The planes were grounded after a combined 346 people died in two deadly crashes, the first in Indonesia in October followed by one in Ethiopia in March. Long considered a "gold standard" internationally, the US Federal Aviation Administration's reputation has suffered amid scrutiny of its oversight process and reports it allowed Boeing to effectively self-certify some features of the MAX. Boeing is working on a software fix that will allow the MAX 8 to begin flying again, but differences have arisen between the United States and Canada on how to train pilots on the software after the update. Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots, but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators.

Medium haul 737 aircraft, including 737 MAX 8, could have defective wing part: Boeing

India's&nbsp;budget airline SpiceJet Ltd is examining the prospect of taking over widebody <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indigo-forecasts-strong-year-as-jet-airways-collapse-boosts-profit-222065">jets </a>previously operated by Jet Airways Ltd, but initial studies show they need significant maintenance work, its chairman said on Saturday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/spicejet-posts-22-jump-in-fourth-quarter-profit-sees-strong-year-ahead-222300">SpiceJet</a>, which operates narrowbody and turboprop planes, does not have firm plans to become a widebody operator with longer-range flights in the wake of Jet`s collapse in April, SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said.

"Certainly a gap has been created and there seems to be an opportunity but it is also a business that we don`t know very much about. A higher risk business," he told Reuters on the sidelines of an airline industry conference in Seoul.&nbsp;

"We are exploring it. We'll see. If it looks like it is significantly profitable we can do it."

Leasing or buying widebody jets not previously operated by Jet are another possibility, he said.

SpiceJet took over the leases of 25 Boeing Co 737 jets previously operated by Jet in April and May.

The carrier plans to add another 35 planes throughout the financial year ending March 31, 2020, including some more ex-Jet aircraft on lease, some Q400 turboprops and "hopefully" 737 MAX jets after regulators approve the return to service of the grounded model, Singh said.

SpiceJet had a 13.1% share of India`s domestic market in April, according to government statistics, behind IndiGo's 49.9% and Air India`s 13.9%.

Singh said IndiGo's increasing dominance of the domestic market was becoming a cause for concern to the broader industry.

"I think the government will have to explore what possibilities exist" for remedies, he said. "We haven`t thought about it as yet. The government has just been elected and we are in the middle of a massive expansion ourselves." 
&nbsp;

India's budget airline SpiceJet Ltd is examining the prospect of taking over widebody jets previously operated by Jet Airways Ltd, but initial studies show they need significant maintenance work, its chairman said on Saturday.

India's budget airline SpiceJet Ltd is examining the prospect of taking over widebody jets previously operated by Jet Airways Ltd, but initial studies show they need significant maintenance work, its chairman said on Saturday. SpiceJet, which operates narrowbody and turboprop planes, does not have firm plans to become a widebody operator with longer-range flights in the wake of Jet`s collapse in April, SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh said. "Certainly a gap has been created and there seems to be an opportunity but it is also a business that we don`t know very much about. A higher risk business," he told Reuters on the sidelines of an airline industry conference in Seoul. "We are exploring it. We'll see. If it looks like it is significantly profitable we can do it." Leasing or buying widebody jets not previously operated by Jet are another possibility, he said. SpiceJet took over the leases of 25 Boeing Co 737 jets previously operated by Jet in April and May. The carrier plans to add another 35 planes throughout the financial year ending March 31, 2020, including some more ex-Jet aircraft on lease, some Q400 turboprops and "hopefully" 737 MAX jets after regulators approve the return to service of the grounded model, Singh said. SpiceJet had a 13.1% share of India`s domestic market in April, according to government statistics, behind IndiGo's 49.9% and Air India`s 13.9%. Singh said IndiGo's increasing dominance of the domestic market was becoming a cause for concern to the broader industry. "I think the government will have to explore what possibilities exist" for remedies, he said. "We haven`t thought about it as yet. The government has just been elected and we are in the middle of a massive expansion ourselves."

SpiceJet examines taking over widebody jets previously operated by Jet Airways

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people.

"Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement.

The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators.

Boeing's statement about the flight simulator marked the first acknowledgement of shortcoming since the two accidents led to the grounding of the top-selling 737 MAX plane. The plane's MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy.

According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October.

The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle.&nbsp;

"Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added.

Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year."

American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December.

"As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added.

Certification process

The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service.

Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP.

Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation.&nbsp;

US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family.

Southwest said that is because, during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences.

The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses.

However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motors and to prevent the plane from stalling.

Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX.

The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree.

Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX.

The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service.

US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people.

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. "Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Boeing's statement about the flight simulator marked the first acknowledgement of shortcoming since the two accidents led to the grounding of the top-selling 737 MAX plane. The plane's MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle. "Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year." American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. "As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added. Certification process The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family. Southwest said that is because, during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences. The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses. However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motors and to prevent the plane from stalling. Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Fort Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX. The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree. Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX. The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service. US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

Boeing acknowledges flaw in 737 MAX simulator software

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people.

"Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement.

The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators.

Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy.

According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October.

The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle.&nbsp;

"Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added.

Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year."

American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December.

"As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added.

Certification process

The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service.

Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP.

Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation.&nbsp;

US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family.

Southwest said that's because during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences.

The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses.

However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motor and to prevent the plane from stalling.

Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Forth Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX.

The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree.

Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX.

The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service.

US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people. "Boeing has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said in a statement. The company did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it informed regulators. Its statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy. According to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March or the Lion Air crash in October. The company said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's angle. "Boeing is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not disrupted," it added. Southwest Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year." American Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator that will be delivered and put into operation in December. "As a result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots Association," it added. Certification process The planes have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and international regulators before they can return to service. Only Air Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP. Currently, there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation. US airlines train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family. Southwest said that's because during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer and online training could accommodate for the differences. The FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved those recommendations, Boeing stresses. However, the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motor and to prevent the plane from stalling. Pilot training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators in Forth Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified 737 MAX. The American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree. Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX. The proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international regulators before the planes can return to service. US airlines have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.

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

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning, May 16th 2019

A second airplane from China carrying medical supplies including medicine arrived in Venezuela on Monday as part of a "humanitarian technical" cooperation agreement between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the Asian powerhouse.

A Boeing 747 carrying 71 tons of medicines and surgical material arrived in the capital Caracas, the government said in a press statement.

It included supplies for pregnant women and drugs to treat respiratory conditions.

"With this second shipment, as well as that which we already received from the Russian Federation, the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent" some 166 tons of medicines and supplies have arrived in the country, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said.

A previous shipment of 65 tons of aid arrived from China on March 29.

Crisis-wracked Venezuela is suffering from serious shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines after five years of recession.

The United Nations says almost a quarter of its population of 30 million is in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

The country has also been gripped in a political crisis since January when parliament speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself acting president -- quickly receiving backing from more than 50 countries -- in a direct challenge to Maduro's authority.

Guaido attempted to force in stockpiles of US-supplied aid from Colombia, Brazil and Curacao but Venezuela's military, on Maduro's orders, prevented him from doing so.

Maduro blames US sanctions for Venezuela's problems and claims they have cost the country's economy $30 billion.

Last month, Maduro allowed in an aid shipment from the Red Cross, which has called on both sides in the power struggle to avoid politicizing the issue.

China's ambassador to Venezuela, Li Baorong, said he hoped this medical aid shipment would reduce "the damage done by foreign sanctions."

Maduro's government is supported by China and Russia while the US is backing Guaido.

A second airplane from China carrying medical supplies including medicine arrived in Venezuela on Monday as part of a "humanitarian technical" cooperation agreement between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the Asian powerhouse.

A second airplane from China carrying medical supplies including medicine arrived in Venezuela on Monday as part of a "humanitarian technical" cooperation agreement between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the Asian powerhouse. A Boeing 747 carrying 71 tons of medicines and surgical material arrived in the capital Caracas, the government said in a press statement. It included supplies for pregnant women and drugs to treat respiratory conditions. "With this second shipment, as well as that which we already received from the Russian Federation, the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent" some 166 tons of medicines and supplies have arrived in the country, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said. A previous shipment of 65 tons of aid arrived from China on March 29. Crisis-wracked Venezuela is suffering from serious shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines after five years of recession. The United Nations says almost a quarter of its population of 30 million is in urgent need of humanitarian aid. The country has also been gripped in a political crisis since January when parliament speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself acting president -- quickly receiving backing from more than 50 countries -- in a direct challenge to Maduro's authority. Guaido attempted to force in stockpiles of US-supplied aid from Colombia, Brazil and Curacao but Venezuela's military, on Maduro's orders, prevented him from doing so. Maduro blames US sanctions for Venezuela's problems and claims they have cost the country's economy $30 billion. Last month, Maduro allowed in an aid shipment from the Red Cross, which has called on both sides in the power struggle to avoid politicizing the issue. China's ambassador to Venezuela, Li Baorong, said he hoped this medical aid shipment would reduce "the damage done by foreign sanctions." Maduro's government is supported by China and Russia while the US is backing Guaido.

China sends 71 tons of medical aid to Venezuela

Boeing is "confident" <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-china-imposes-tariffs-on-60-billion-worth-of-us-goods-218421">US-China trade talks will yield an agreement</a>, a Boeing spokesman said Monday after Beijing retaliated against higher US tariffs and the aircraft manufacturer appeared to be a potential target for further reprisals.

As the year-long trade conflict escalated, the editor of party-owned Chinese newspaper Global Times said Monday that Beijing as might cut Boeing orders as well as purchases of US farm products.

"We're confident the US and China will continue trade discussions and come to an agreement that benefits both US and Chinese manufacturers and consumers," a Boeing spokesman told AFP in an email.

Potential trade-war fallout adds to Boeing's travails at a time when it is already under pressure after two deadly plane crashes forced the global grounding of its top-selling 737 MAX planes.

As a result of the 737 MAX crisis, Boeing has suspended deliveries of the planes and slowed production, hitting company revenues and clouding its profit outlook.

Boeing, the biggest component in the prestigious Dow index, fell 2.9 per cent to $344.36 in mid-morning trade amid a broad selloff after China's latest tariffs announcement.

In 2018, Boeing reported $13.8 billion in revenues from China, equivalent to nearly 14 per cent of overall company sales.

During the past five years, about one in every four Boeing commercial jets went to an operator in China, supporting tens of thousands of Boeing jobs, a company spokesman said.

Boeing is "confident" US-China trade talks will yield an agreement, a Boeing spokesman said Monday after Beijing retaliated against higher US tariffs and the aircraft manufacturer appeared to be a potential target for further reprisals.

Boeing is "confident" US-China trade talks will yield an agreement, a Boeing spokesman said Monday after Beijing retaliated against higher US tariffs and the aircraft manufacturer appeared to be a potential target for further reprisals. As the year-long trade conflict escalated, the editor of party-owned Chinese newspaper Global Times said Monday that Beijing as might cut Boeing orders as well as purchases of US farm products. "We're confident the US and China will continue trade discussions and come to an agreement that benefits both US and Chinese manufacturers and consumers," a Boeing spokesman told AFP in an email. Potential trade-war fallout adds to Boeing's travails at a time when it is already under pressure after two deadly plane crashes forced the global grounding of its top-selling 737 MAX planes. As a result of the 737 MAX crisis, Boeing has suspended deliveries of the planes and slowed production, hitting company revenues and clouding its profit outlook. Boeing, the biggest component in the prestigious Dow index, fell 2.9 per cent to $344.36 in mid-morning trade amid a broad selloff after China's latest tariffs announcement. In 2018, Boeing reported $13.8 billion in revenues from China, equivalent to nearly 14 per cent of overall company sales. During the past five years, about one in every four Boeing commercial jets went to an operator in China, supporting tens of thousands of Boeing jobs, a company spokesman said.

Boeing says 'confident' US-China trade talks will succeed

The Indian Air Force received its first Apache Guardian attack helicopter at a production facility of Boeing in Arizona on Friday.

India had in 2015 signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US government and Boeing for 22 Apache helicopters.

Senior IAF officials said the addition of AH-64E (I) Apache helicopter is a significant step towards modernisation of the force's chopper fleet.

The helicopter has been customised to suit IAF's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain, they said.
<img alt="Apache Guardian attack helicopter" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8eeafe7f-d1ac-4e8b-a8d1-e6a55eebb566" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1.jpg" />
"The first AH-64E (I) - Apache Guardian helicopter was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force at Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, the US on May 10," IAF Spokesperson Group Captain Anupam Banerjee said.

The AH-64E Apache is a leading multi-role attack helicopter and is flown by the US Army.
<img alt="Apache Guardian attack helicopter" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="557452a1-3355-4487-8ab5-9d6352ba8e7d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_2.jpg" />
The IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US government and Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters. The first batch of these helicopters is scheduled to be shipped to India by Jul this year.

"Selected aircrew and ground crew have undergone training at the training facilities at US Army base Fort Rucker, Alabama. This personnel will lead the operationalisation of the Apache fleet in the IAF," the IAF said in a statement.
<img alt="Apache Guardian attack helicopter" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d7b7e231-d7d6-4b4a-a135-461aba0f1def" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_3.jpg" />
It said the helicopter has been customised to suit the IAF's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain. 
"The helicopter has the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the ground," the IAF said.

It said the ability of these helicopters, to transmit and receive the battlefield picture, too and from the weapon systems through data networking makes it a lethal acquisition.

"These attack helicopters will provide a significant edge in any future joint operations in support of land forces," the IAF added.

Additionally, the Defence Ministry in 2017 approved the procurement of six Apache helicopters along with weapons systems from Boeing at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore for the Army. This will be its first fleet of attack choppers. 
Fuselages for this Army order will be produced by Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited, a joint venture between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems in Hyderabad.

(With inputs from PTI)

The Indian Air Force received its first Apache Guardian attack helicopter at a production facility of Boeing in Arizona on Friday. India had in 2015 signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US government and Boeing for 22 Apache helicopters.

The Indian Air Force received its first Apache Guardian attack helicopter at a production facility of Boeing in Arizona on Friday. India had in 2015 signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US government and Boeing for 22 Apache helicopters. Senior IAF officials said the addition of AH-64E (I) Apache helicopter is a significant step towards modernisation of the force's chopper fleet. The helicopter has been customised to suit IAF's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain, they said. "The first AH-64E (I) - Apache Guardian helicopter was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force at Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, the US on May 10," IAF Spokesperson Group Captain Anupam Banerjee said. The AH-64E Apache is a leading multi-role attack helicopter and is flown by the US Army. The IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US government and Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters. The first batch of these helicopters is scheduled to be shipped to India by Jul this year. "Selected aircrew and ground crew have undergone training at the training facilities at US Army base Fort Rucker, Alabama. This personnel will lead the operationalisation of the Apache fleet in the IAF," the IAF said in a statement. It said the helicopter has been customised to suit the IAF's future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain. "The helicopter has the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile airspace with threats from the ground," the IAF said. It said the ability of these helicopters, to transmit and receive the battlefield picture, too and from the weapon systems through data networking makes it a lethal acquisition. "These attack helicopters will provide a significant edge in any future joint operations in support of land forces," the IAF added. Additionally, the Defence Ministry in 2017 approved the procurement of six Apache helicopters along with weapons systems from Boeing at a cost of Rs 4,168 crore for the Army. This will be its first fleet of attack choppers. Fuselages for this Army order will be produced by Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited, a joint venture between Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems in Hyderabad. (With inputs from PTI)

IAF gets its first Apache Guardian attack helicopter at Boeing production unit in US

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - May 6th, 2019

Boeing engineers identified a fault with a pilot warning system on its 737 MAX aircraft in 2017, a year before the deadly Lion Air crash, the company said Sunday.

Boeing said that management was unaware of the issue until the crash in Indonesia, which killed 189 people, and the planes were not grounded until after another of the type operated by Ethiopian Airlines went down several months later, leaving a further 157 people dead.

According to Boeing, a supposedly standard piece of equipment that tells the pilot about disagreements between the angle of attack (AOA) indicators -- which measure the plane's angle vis-a-vis oncoming air to warn of impending stalls -- did not, in fact, activate unless an additional optional indicator was purchased by airlines.

That left airlines that did not buy the optional indicator -- including both Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines -- without the safety feature.

The faulty angle of attack indicator information may have played a role in both of the deadly crashes, causing the 737 MAX anti-stall system to unnecessarily activate and push the nose down toward the ground even as pilots fought to maintain altitude.

"In 2017, within several months after beginning 737 MAX deliveries, engineers at Boeing identified that the 737 MAX display system software did not correctly meet the AOA Disagree alert requirements," the aircraft manufacturer said in a statement.

"The software delivered to Boeing linked the AOA Disagree alert to the AOA indicator, which is an optional feature," it said. "Accordingly, the software activated the AOA Disagree alert only if an airline opted for the AOA indicator."

A Boeing review "determined that the absence of the AOA Disagree alert did not adversely impact aeroplane safety or operation," concluding that "the existing functionality was acceptable until the alert and the indicator could be delinked in the next planned display system software update," Boeing said.

"Senior company leadership was not involved in the review and first became aware of this issue in the aftermath of the Lion Air accident."

Boeing's entire 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since shortly after the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, while investigators study the incidents and engineers work on solutions.

Boeing engineers identified a fault with a pilot warning system on its 737 MAX aircraft in 2017, a year before the deadly Lion Air crash, the company said Sunday.

Boeing engineers identified a fault with a pilot warning system on its 737 MAX aircraft in 2017, a year before the deadly Lion Air crash, the company said Sunday. Boeing said that management was unaware of the issue until the crash in Indonesia, which killed 189 people, and the planes were not grounded until after another of the type operated by Ethiopian Airlines went down several months later, leaving a further 157 people dead. According to Boeing, a supposedly standard piece of equipment that tells the pilot about disagreements between the angle of attack (AOA) indicators -- which measure the plane's angle vis-a-vis oncoming air to warn of impending stalls -- did not, in fact, activate unless an additional optional indicator was purchased by airlines. That left airlines that did not buy the optional indicator -- including both Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines -- without the safety feature. The faulty angle of attack indicator information may have played a role in both of the deadly crashes, causing the 737 MAX anti-stall system to unnecessarily activate and push the nose down toward the ground even as pilots fought to maintain altitude. "In 2017, within several months after beginning 737 MAX deliveries, engineers at Boeing identified that the 737 MAX display system software did not correctly meet the AOA Disagree alert requirements," the aircraft manufacturer said in a statement. "The software delivered to Boeing linked the AOA Disagree alert to the AOA indicator, which is an optional feature," it said. "Accordingly, the software activated the AOA Disagree alert only if an airline opted for the AOA indicator." A Boeing review "determined that the absence of the AOA Disagree alert did not adversely impact aeroplane safety or operation," concluding that "the existing functionality was acceptable until the alert and the indicator could be delinked in the next planned display system software update," Boeing said. "Senior company leadership was not involved in the review and first became aware of this issue in the aftermath of the Lion Air accident." Boeing's entire 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since shortly after the Ethiopian Airlines crash in March, while investigators study the incidents and engineers work on solutions.

Engineers had identified fault with pilot warning system on its 737 MAX aircraft in 2017: Boeing

Federal investigators on Saturday began searching for what caused a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-737-slides-into-florida-river-with-136-on-board-no-fatalities-215789">Boeing jetliner with 143 people on board to slide off a runway</a> into a shallow river while landing at a Jacksonville, Florida, military base during a thunderstorm, injuring 22 people.

The Boeing 737-800 chartered by the US military was arriving from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with 136 passengers and seven crew members when it slid into the St. Johns River at the end of the 9,000-foot runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Friday night, authorities said.

Officials raised the count of people injured to 22, from 21, after a three-month-old child was admitted to a local hospital for observation, Capt. Michael Connor, commanding officer at the Jacksonville station, told a news conference.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators have recovered an undamaged flight data recorder and it has been sent to Washington for analysis, NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said at the news conference.

"We expect to get a very full report on that shortly," he said.

Investigators said they are hoping to interview the crew on Sunday.

The cockpit voice recorder is in the tail of the plane and submerged underwater. Investigators will not be able to recover it until the aircraft is lifted out of the water, Landsberg said.

"We are going to be very careful in preserving the perishable evidence," he said.

Officials were determining the best way to remove the plane from the water, NTSB investigator in charge John Lovell said.

"There are some ideas being floated in terms of putting some sort of cushioning below it ... and moving it on those cushions," he said.

The US Coast Guard placed floating booms around the jetliner to contain leaking jet fuel in the water, Landsberg said.

The plane, chartered from Miami Air International, was attempting to land at about 9:40 pm local time amid thunder and lightning when it slid off the runway and came to rest in the shallow water of the river, authorities and passengers said.

Landsberg said investigators will look closely at whether the weather played a role in the incident.

"It is a miracle. We could be talking about a different story," Connor said early on Saturday.

Active duty military members, civilian government employees and their dependents were on the jetliner, Connor told CNN.

The military base is on the western bank of the St. Johns River about 8 miles (12.87 km) south of central Jacksonville, about 350 miles (563.27 km) north of Miami.

Miami Air International is a charter airline operating a fleet of the Boeing 737-800, different from the 737 MAX 8 aircraft that has been grounded following two fatal crashes involving that plane.

Representatives of the airline did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

A spokesman for Boeing Co said that the company was aware of the incident and gathering information.

The charter company is contracted by the military for its twice-weekly "rotator" round-trip service between the U.S. mainland and Guantanamo Bay, said Bill Dougherty, a spokesman for the Jacksonville base.

Federal investigators on Saturday began searching for what caused a Boeing jetliner with 143 people on board to slide off a runway into a shallow river while landing at a Jacksonville, Florida, military base during a thunderstorm, injuring 22 people.

Federal investigators on Saturday began searching for what caused a Boeing jetliner with 143 people on board to slide off a runway into a shallow river while landing at a Jacksonville, Florida, military base during a thunderstorm, injuring 22 people. The Boeing 737-800 chartered by the US military was arriving from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with 136 passengers and seven crew members when it slid into the St. Johns River at the end of the 9,000-foot runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Friday night, authorities said. Officials raised the count of people injured to 22, from 21, after a three-month-old child was admitted to a local hospital for observation, Capt. Michael Connor, commanding officer at the Jacksonville station, told a news conference. National Transportation Safety Board investigators have recovered an undamaged flight data recorder and it has been sent to Washington for analysis, NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said at the news conference. "We expect to get a very full report on that shortly," he said. Investigators said they are hoping to interview the crew on Sunday. The cockpit voice recorder is in the tail of the plane and submerged underwater. Investigators will not be able to recover it until the aircraft is lifted out of the water, Landsberg said. "We are going to be very careful in preserving the perishable evidence," he said. Officials were determining the best way to remove the plane from the water, NTSB investigator in charge John Lovell said. "There are some ideas being floated in terms of putting some sort of cushioning below it ... and moving it on those cushions," he said. The US Coast Guard placed floating booms around the jetliner to contain leaking jet fuel in the water, Landsberg said. The plane, chartered from Miami Air International, was attempting to land at about 9:40 pm local time amid thunder and lightning when it slid off the runway and came to rest in the shallow water of the river, authorities and passengers said. Landsberg said investigators will look closely at whether the weather played a role in the incident. "It is a miracle. We could be talking about a different story," Connor said early on Saturday. Active duty military members, civilian government employees and their dependents were on the jetliner, Connor told CNN. The military base is on the western bank of the St. Johns River about 8 miles (12.87 km) south of central Jacksonville, about 350 miles (563.27 km) north of Miami. Miami Air International is a charter airline operating a fleet of the Boeing 737-800, different from the 737 MAX 8 aircraft that has been grounded following two fatal crashes involving that plane. Representatives of the airline did not immediately reply to requests for comment. A spokesman for Boeing Co said that the company was aware of the incident and gathering information. The charter company is contracted by the military for its twice-weekly "rotator" round-trip service between the U.S. mainland and Guantanamo Bay, said Bill Dougherty, a spokesman for the Jacksonville base.

Probe begins after Boeing 737 slides off runway into Florida river

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

A chartered Boeing 737 jetliner with 143 people on board slid off a runway and into the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday while attempting to land at a military base in a thunderstorm, injuring 21 people.

There were no reports of fatalities or critical injuries. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that all 21 people who had been taken to a hospital for treatment were listed in good condition.

The plane, a 737-800 arriving from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with 136 passengers and seven crew members, crashed into the river at the end of the runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville about 9:40 pm local time, a spokesman for the Florida air base said.

"The plane was not submerged. Every person is alive and accounted for," the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said on Twitter.

The sheriff's tweet was accompanied by two photographs showing the plane, which bears the logo of Miami Air International, resting in shallow water and fully intact.

The mayor of Jacksonville, Lenny Curry, said on Twitter that US President Donald Trump had called him to offer help.

"No fatalities reported. We are all in this together. Absorb that," Curry said in a separate tweet.

A passenger on board the plane, attorney Cheryl Bormann, told CNN in an interview that the flight, which had been four hours late in departing, made a "really hard landing" in Jacksonville amid thunder and lightning.

"We came down, the plane literally hit the ground and bounced, it was clear the pilot did not have total control of the plane, it bounced again," she said, adding that the experience was "terrifying.

Bormann said she hit her head on a plastic tray on the seat in front of her as the plane veered sideways and off the runway. "We were in the water, we couldn't tell where we were, whether it was a river or an ocean."

Bormann described emerging from the plane onto the wing as oxygen masks deployed and smelling the jet fuel that she said was leaking into the water.

Bormann, from Chicago, said that most of the passengers were connected to the military and helped each other out of their seats and onto a wing, where they were assisted after some time into a raft.

Miami Air International is a charter airline operating a fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Representatives for the airline could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters on Friday evening.

A Boeing spokesman said that the company was aware of the incident and was gathering information.

A chartered Boeing 737 jetliner with 143 people on board slid off a runway and into the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday while attempting to land at a military base in a thunderstorm, injuring 21 people.

A chartered Boeing 737 jetliner with 143 people on board slid off a runway and into the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, on Friday while attempting to land at a military base in a thunderstorm, injuring 21 people. There were no reports of fatalities or critical injuries. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that all 21 people who had been taken to a hospital for treatment were listed in good condition. The plane, a 737-800 arriving from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba with 136 passengers and seven crew members, crashed into the river at the end of the runway at Naval Air Station Jacksonville about 9:40 pm local time, a spokesman for the Florida air base said. "The plane was not submerged. Every person is alive and accounted for," the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said on Twitter. The sheriff's tweet was accompanied by two photographs showing the plane, which bears the logo of Miami Air International, resting in shallow water and fully intact. The mayor of Jacksonville, Lenny Curry, said on Twitter that US President Donald Trump had called him to offer help. "No fatalities reported. We are all in this together. Absorb that," Curry said in a separate tweet. A passenger on board the plane, attorney Cheryl Bormann, told CNN in an interview that the flight, which had been four hours late in departing, made a "really hard landing" in Jacksonville amid thunder and lightning. "We came down, the plane literally hit the ground and bounced, it was clear the pilot did not have total control of the plane, it bounced again," she said, adding that the experience was "terrifying. Bormann said she hit her head on a plastic tray on the seat in front of her as the plane veered sideways and off the runway. "We were in the water, we couldn't tell where we were, whether it was a river or an ocean." Bormann described emerging from the plane onto the wing as oxygen masks deployed and smelling the jet fuel that she said was leaking into the water. Bormann, from Chicago, said that most of the passengers were connected to the military and helped each other out of their seats and onto a wing, where they were assisted after some time into a raft. Miami Air International is a charter airline operating a fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Representatives for the airline could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters on Friday evening. A Boeing spokesman said that the company was aware of the incident and was gathering information.

Boeing 737 slides off runway into Florida river, 21 hurt

US regulators considered grounding some <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-wins-confidence-of-shareholders-prepares-for-key-737-max-test-flight-214795">Boeing 737 MAX planes</a> last year after learning of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said.

Investigators in the Lion Air crash in October off the coast of Indonesia and the Ethiopia Airlines disaster in March have zeroed in on the planes' anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS.

Last year, inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration discovered Boeing de-activated a signal designed to advise the cockpit crew of a malfunctioning of the MCAS system, the source said.

The inspectors were in charge of monitoring Southwest Airlines, the biggest user of 737 MAX planes, with a fleet of 34 of them at the time, added the source.

Before the Lion Air crash, which killed all 189 people on board, "the (signals) were depicted as operable by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-faces-fresh-lawsuits-from-families-of-boeing-737-max-crash-victims-214726">Boeing</a> on all MAX aircraft" regardless of whether the cockpit crew thought they had them turned on or off, said a Southwest spokeswoman.

She said after the accident, Boeing told Southwest the signals were "turned off unless they were specifically designated as being turned on" -- prompting the airline to choose that option for all its aircraft.

It was at that point inspectors learned Boeing had opted to make the malfunction alert an optional extra costing more money -- and had deactivated the signal on all 737 MAX delivered to Southwest without telling the carrier.

They considered recommending grounding the planes as they explored whether pilots flying the aircraft needed additional training about the alerts, said the source.

They decided against that -- but never passed details of the discussions to higher-ranking officials in the FAA, the source said, confirming a story in The Wall Street Journal.

A costly grounding

The FAA would not comment on the planes coming close to being grounded last year.

The Ethiopia Airlines crash left all 157 people on the plane dead and led to all Boeing 737 Max planes all over the world being grounded. In this case too the MCAS is being looked at as a possible cause of the crash.

In times of mid-air distress, the system is supposed to activate on its own and push the nose of the plane down to keep it from stalling. &nbsp;

Boeing is working on changing the MCAS so it can get the planes back in the air.

The grounding has already cost the carrier a billion dollars, Boeing said last week.&nbsp;

But the bill will probably climb because Boeing is expected to pay money to airlines forced to cancel thousands of flights and hire more reservations and services staff.&nbsp;

Boeing has suspended deliveries of Boeing 737 Max planes and cut production of them by 20 percent.

Neither of the Boeing 737 Max planes in the Lion Air crash in Indonesia or the Ethiopian Airlines crash were equipped with the signal that is supposed to show a malfunctioning of the MCAS, an industry source told AFP in March.

Called "disagree lights" in Boeing parlance, these lights turn on when faulty information is sent from so-called angle of attack sensors to the MCAS. Those sensors monitor whether the wings have enough lift to keep the plane flying.

"As we return to service, all customers will have the AOA disagree alert as standard and have the option to include the AOA indicator at no cost. This change will be made to all MAX aircraft -- production and retrofit," Boeing told AFP in a statement Sunday.

"A new software update will separate those two features, making AOA disagree alert a standalone standard feature and keeping AOA indicator as an additional customer-selected option."

In the case of the Lion Air crash, investigators think one of the angle of attack sensors may have failed and sent incorrect data to the MCAS, causing its nose to go down as pilots fought to bring it back up.

The MCAS overrides the pilots manual efforts to point the plane up or down.

With the angle of attack sensor not working properly, the thing to do would have been to turn off the MCAS. But the Lion Air cockpit crew did not know that.&nbsp;

US regulators considered grounding some Boeing 737 MAX planes last year after learning of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said.

US regulators considered grounding some Boeing 737 MAX planes last year after learning of a problem with a system that is now the main suspect in two deadly crashes, a source close to the matter said. Investigators in the Lion Air crash in October off the coast of Indonesia and the Ethiopia Airlines disaster in March have zeroed in on the planes' anti-stall system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. Last year, inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration discovered Boeing de-activated a signal designed to advise the cockpit crew of a malfunctioning of the MCAS system, the source said. The inspectors were in charge of monitoring Southwest Airlines, the biggest user of 737 MAX planes, with a fleet of 34 of them at the time, added the source. Before the Lion Air crash, which killed all 189 people on board, "the (signals) were depicted as operable by Boeing on all MAX aircraft" regardless of whether the cockpit crew thought they had them turned on or off, said a Southwest spokeswoman. She said after the accident, Boeing told Southwest the signals were "turned off unless they were specifically designated as being turned on" -- prompting the airline to choose that option for all its aircraft. It was at that point inspectors learned Boeing had opted to make the malfunction alert an optional extra costing more money -- and had deactivated the signal on all 737 MAX delivered to Southwest without telling the carrier. They considered recommending grounding the planes as they explored whether pilots flying the aircraft needed additional training about the alerts, said the source. They decided against that -- but never passed details of the discussions to higher-ranking officials in the FAA, the source said, confirming a story in The Wall Street Journal. A costly grounding The FAA would not comment on the planes coming close to being grounded last year. The Ethiopia Airlines crash left all 157 people on the plane dead and led to all Boeing 737 Max planes all over the world being grounded. In this case too the MCAS is being looked at as a possible cause of the crash. In times of mid-air distress, the system is supposed to activate on its own and push the nose of the plane down to keep it from stalling. Boeing is working on changing the MCAS so it can get the planes back in the air. The grounding has already cost the carrier a billion dollars, Boeing said last week. But the bill will probably climb because Boeing is expected to pay money to airlines forced to cancel thousands of flights and hire more reservations and services staff. Boeing has suspended deliveries of Boeing 737 Max planes and cut production of them by 20 percent. Neither of the Boeing 737 Max planes in the Lion Air crash in Indonesia or the Ethiopian Airlines crash were equipped with the signal that is supposed to show a malfunctioning of the MCAS, an industry source told AFP in March. Called "disagree lights" in Boeing parlance, these lights turn on when faulty information is sent from so-called angle of attack sensors to the MCAS. Those sensors monitor whether the wings have enough lift to keep the plane flying. "As we return to service, all customers will have the AOA disagree alert as standard and have the option to include the AOA indicator at no cost. This change will be made to all MAX aircraft -- production and retrofit," Boeing told AFP in a statement Sunday. "A new software update will separate those two features, making AOA disagree alert a standalone standard feature and keeping AOA indicator as an additional customer-selected option." In the case of the Lion Air crash, investigators think one of the angle of attack sensors may have failed and sent incorrect data to the MCAS, causing its nose to go down as pilots fought to bring it back up. The MCAS overrides the pilots manual efforts to point the plane up or down. With the angle of attack sensor not working properly, the thing to do would have been to turn off the MCAS. But the Lion Air cockpit crew did not know that.

FAA considered grounding some Boeing 737 Max planes last year: Source

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-making-steady-progress-on-certifying-737-max-software-update-ceo-211569">Boeing </a>executives successfully beat back shareholder challenges to their authority on Monday as the company signaled it expects regulators to take a key step next week in the effort to get the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-faces-fresh-lawsuits-from-families-of-boeing-737-max-crash-victims-214726">737 MAX</a> back in the air following two deadly crashes.

The aerospace giant, under scrutiny following the crashes that killed 346 passengers and crew and grounded the MAX worldwide, won a vote of confidence from its investors, even as company management faced tough questions over plane design and the possible missteps in getting the aircraft to market.

Boeing expects the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a test flight by the end of next week of the software fix the company developed for the flight system on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-737-max-software-upgrade-operationally-suitable-faa-panel-211034">737 MAX</a>, a company spokesman said Monday. That would be a critical step in certifying the aircraft as flight-worthy.

However, an FAA spokesman said the agency had not released a date or time for the flight yet.

Amid reports of missteps in developing the newest version of its most popular aircraft, concerned shareholders used the annual meeting to seek greater transparency by proposing to make the chairman an independent director and to disclose lobbying activities and trade association memberships.

But those proposals garnered just 34 and 32 per cent of the votes, respectively, somewhat better than similar measures last year, but still well below 50 per cent.

The defeat of those motions no doubt was relief for Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg and other company brass but there was little sense of triumph at an annual meeting that included a moment of silence for the lives lost.

The company faces an uncertain timetable for bringing the grounded fleet back into service and tough questions over a new plane design that crashed twice, as well as potential costs from the crisis.

Muilenburg was asked during a press conference if he considered resigning.&nbsp;

"We're focused on safety and I can tell you these accidents weigh heavily on us as a company," he responded. "My clear intent is to continue to lead on the front of safety and quality and integrity."

The company reported last week that the crisis had added $1 billion to costs in the year's first quarter.

The 737 MAX has been grounded since mid-March following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight and an earlier Lion Air crash, a crisis that has raised questions about whether the US giant sacrificed safety in its zeal to market a new narrow-body plane and compete with Airbus.

At the shareholders meeting, Muilenburg faced some pointed questions from shareholders but defended the design of the 737 MAX as "thorough" and "disciplined."

Boeing has said both crashes involved erroneous information that came to the airplane through its anti-stall system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which the software update is meant to address.

"We know that in both accidents there was a chain of events that occurred. One of the links was the activation of the MCAS system because of the data," Muilenburg said at the media briefing. "We know we can break that link in the chain. The software update does that."

'Chain of Events'

But Muilenburg repeatedly declined to characterize the MCAS system as a design flaw, saying there is more than one factor in such catastrophic accidents and that an investigation is continuing.

"It's a chain of events. There is no singular item," he said. "I think it's really important that we all focus on letting the investigation process run its due course."

US carriers such as American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are targeting August to resume flights on the 737 MAX in the expectation that Boeing will receive approval for its fix by that time.

Boeing has submitted some of the documentation to the FAA for the fix to the MCAS system, said a person familiar with the matter, adding that the application will be considered complete following a test flight in the coming days.

Boeing expects certification of the software fix some time after an FAA meeting with international regulators on May 23, the company spokesman said.

Fresh questions were raised over the weekend following revelations that prior to the Lion Air crash in October, Boeing deactivated a malfunction signal on 737 MAX planes owned by Southwest without telling the carrier, a feature that would detect a sensor error of the kind thought to have been a factor in both crashes.

The FAA considered recommending grounding the planes at the time as they explored whether pilots flying the aircraft needed additional training about the alerts, according to a source familiar with the matter.

They decided against that -- but never passed details of the discussions to higher-ranking officials in the FAA, the source said.

Shares of Boeing finished down 0.5 per cent at $379.05.

Boeing executives successfully beat back shareholder challenges to their authority on Monday as the company signaled it expects regulators to take a key step next week in the effort to get the 737 MAX back in the air following two deadly crashes.

Boeing executives successfully beat back shareholder challenges to their authority on Monday as the company signaled it expects regulators to take a key step next week in the effort to get the 737 MAX back in the air following two deadly crashes. The aerospace giant, under scrutiny following the crashes that killed 346 passengers and crew and grounded the MAX worldwide, won a vote of confidence from its investors, even as company management faced tough questions over plane design and the possible missteps in getting the aircraft to market. Boeing expects the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a test flight by the end of next week of the software fix the company developed for the flight system on the 737 MAX, a company spokesman said Monday. That would be a critical step in certifying the aircraft as flight-worthy. However, an FAA spokesman said the agency had not released a date or time for the flight yet. Amid reports of missteps in developing the newest version of its most popular aircraft, concerned shareholders used the annual meeting to seek greater transparency by proposing to make the chairman an independent director and to disclose lobbying activities and trade association memberships. But those proposals garnered just 34 and 32 per cent of the votes, respectively, somewhat better than similar measures last year, but still well below 50 per cent. The defeat of those motions no doubt was relief for Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg and other company brass but there was little sense of triumph at an annual meeting that included a moment of silence for the lives lost. The company faces an uncertain timetable for bringing the grounded fleet back into service and tough questions over a new plane design that crashed twice, as well as potential costs from the crisis. Muilenburg was asked during a press conference if he considered resigning. "We're focused on safety and I can tell you these accidents weigh heavily on us as a company," he responded. "My clear intent is to continue to lead on the front of safety and quality and integrity." The company reported last week that the crisis had added $1 billion to costs in the year's first quarter. The 737 MAX has been grounded since mid-March following the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight and an earlier Lion Air crash, a crisis that has raised questions about whether the US giant sacrificed safety in its zeal to market a new narrow-body plane and compete with Airbus. At the shareholders meeting, Muilenburg faced some pointed questions from shareholders but defended the design of the 737 MAX as "thorough" and "disciplined." Boeing has said both crashes involved erroneous information that came to the airplane through its anti-stall system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which the software update is meant to address. "We know that in both accidents there was a chain of events that occurred. One of the links was the activation of the MCAS system because of the data," Muilenburg said at the media briefing. "We know we can break that link in the chain. The software update does that." 'Chain of Events' But Muilenburg repeatedly declined to characterize the MCAS system as a design flaw, saying there is more than one factor in such catastrophic accidents and that an investigation is continuing. "It's a chain of events. There is no singular item," he said. "I think it's really important that we all focus on letting the investigation process run its due course." US carriers such as American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are targeting August to resume flights on the 737 MAX in the expectation that Boeing will receive approval for its fix by that time. Boeing has submitted some of the documentation to the FAA for the fix to the MCAS system, said a person familiar with the matter, adding that the application will be considered complete following a test flight in the coming days. Boeing expects certification of the software fix some time after an FAA meeting with international regulators on May 23, the company spokesman said. Fresh questions were raised over the weekend following revelations that prior to the Lion Air crash in October, Boeing deactivated a malfunction signal on 737 MAX planes owned by Southwest without telling the carrier, a feature that would detect a sensor error of the kind thought to have been a factor in both crashes. The FAA considered recommending grounding the planes at the time as they explored whether pilots flying the aircraft needed additional training about the alerts, according to a source familiar with the matter. They decided against that -- but never passed details of the discussions to higher-ranking officials in the FAA, the source said. Shares of Boeing finished down 0.5 per cent at $379.05.

Boeing wins confidence of shareholders, prepares for key 737 MAX test flight

Fresh lawsuits were filed against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-making-steady-progress-on-certifying-737-max-software-update-ceo-211569">Boeing </a>at the federal district court in Chicago&nbsp;by two families of passengers who lost their lives in the recent Ethiopian Airlines <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-were-boeing-i-would-fix-737-max-and-rebrand-the-plane-with-a-new-name-trump-210614">Boeing</a> 737 MAX crash that left all the 157 people on board dead.

The two plaintiffs - Manant Vaidya and Paul Njoroge - lost several close family members in the March 10 crash, which spurred the grounding of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-737-max-software-upgrade-operationally-suitable-faa-panel-211034">Boeing MAX jets</a> by a number of countries, including India.

Three generations of Canada-based Vaidya`s family, which had Indian origin, were killed. Those dead included the man`s father Pannagesh Bhaskar Vaidya, mother Hansini Pannagesh Vaidya, sister Kosha Pannagesh Vaidya, brother-in-law Preritkumar Dixit and two nieces, 14-year-old Ashka Dixit and 13-year-old Anushka Dixit.

"I lost three generations of my family, my parents, my sister, my nieces. If a person lost just one life, their whole life is shattered. But right now with me, I`m more like, I don`t know. I`m completely lost right now," Vaidya, accompanied by his wife Hiral, said during a news conference at the Clifford Law Offices here on Monday.

The other plaintiff, Njoroge, lost his wife Carolyne Nduta Karanja, mother-in-law Ann Karanja, and three children -- six-year-old son Ryan Njoroge Njuguna and daughters Kellie W. Pauls, four years, and Rubi W. Pauls, nine months, in the deadly crash, according to Xinhua.

"I stay up all night crying, thinking of the horror that they must have endured as pilots struggled to keep the plane flying for six minutes...The terror that my wife must have experienced with little Rubi on her lap...Our two children beside her, crying for their daddy, my mom-in-law, feeling helplessness...Those six minutes will forever be embedded in my mind. I was not there to help them. I couldn`t save them," Njoroge said, choking several times while reading out his statement.

Boeing has been working on safer technology updates after coming under fire following two crashes - the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air crash - which took place within five months of each other and claimed the lives of 346 people.

The aircraft manufacturer`s shares plummeted to its worst-ever low following the March crash, seeing an approximate 5 per cent drop in its stock price since the incident.

"We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents...All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished," Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement earlier."

We`ve had teams of our top engineers and technical experts working tirelessly in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and our customers to finalize and implement a software update that will ensure accidents like that of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 never happen again," it read.

The fresh lawsuits join a string of others which were filed against the American company in the aftermath of the crashes. 
&nbsp;

Fresh lawsuits were filed against Boeing at the federal district court in Chicago by two families of passengers who lost their lives in the recent Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash that left all the 157 people on board dead.

Fresh lawsuits were filed against Boeing at the federal district court in Chicago by two families of passengers who lost their lives in the recent Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crash that left all the 157 people on board dead. The two plaintiffs - Manant Vaidya and Paul Njoroge - lost several close family members in the March 10 crash, which spurred the grounding of Boeing MAX jets by a number of countries, including India. Three generations of Canada-based Vaidya`s family, which had Indian origin, were killed. Those dead included the man`s father Pannagesh Bhaskar Vaidya, mother Hansini Pannagesh Vaidya, sister Kosha Pannagesh Vaidya, brother-in-law Preritkumar Dixit and two nieces, 14-year-old Ashka Dixit and 13-year-old Anushka Dixit. "I lost three generations of my family, my parents, my sister, my nieces. If a person lost just one life, their whole life is shattered. But right now with me, I`m more like, I don`t know. I`m completely lost right now," Vaidya, accompanied by his wife Hiral, said during a news conference at the Clifford Law Offices here on Monday. The other plaintiff, Njoroge, lost his wife Carolyne Nduta Karanja, mother-in-law Ann Karanja, and three children -- six-year-old son Ryan Njoroge Njuguna and daughters Kellie W. Pauls, four years, and Rubi W. Pauls, nine months, in the deadly crash, according to Xinhua. "I stay up all night crying, thinking of the horror that they must have endured as pilots struggled to keep the plane flying for six minutes...The terror that my wife must have experienced with little Rubi on her lap...Our two children beside her, crying for their daddy, my mom-in-law, feeling helplessness...Those six minutes will forever be embedded in my mind. I was not there to help them. I couldn`t save them," Njoroge said, choking several times while reading out his statement. Boeing has been working on safer technology updates after coming under fire following two crashes - the Ethiopian Airlines crash and the Lion Air crash - which took place within five months of each other and claimed the lives of 346 people. The aircraft manufacturer`s shares plummeted to its worst-ever low following the March crash, seeing an approximate 5 per cent drop in its stock price since the incident. "We at Boeing are sorry for the lives lost in the recent 737 MAX accidents...All of us feel the immense gravity of these events across our company and recognize the devastation of the families and friends of the loved ones who perished," Boeing President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement earlier." We`ve had teams of our top engineers and technical experts working tirelessly in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and our customers to finalize and implement a software update that will ensure accidents like that of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 never happen again," it read. The fresh lawsuits join a string of others which were filed against the American company in the aftermath of the crashes.

Boeing faces fresh lawsuits from families of Boeing 737 MAX crash victims

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-were-boeing-i-would-fix-737-max-and-rebrand-the-plane-with-a-new-name-trump-210614&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjtgP_Dv_ThAhVEro8KHbDLAo0QFjAEegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1GBaXwSvlKww_tsgg-U8n4">Boeing&nbsp;Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg</a> will face shareholders on Monday for the first time since two fatal crashes that led to the 737 MAX's grounding worldwide and triggered investigations, lawsuits and a sharp loss in share value.

Battling the biggest crisis of his tenure, Muilenburg will try to bolster investor confidence in the manufacturer's future as well as that of its fastest-selling aeroplane as questions linger over the model's safety.

Family and friends of 24-year-old American Samya Stumo, one of the victims of the crash of an <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-making-steady-progress-on-certifying-737-max-software-update-ceo-211569&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjCq6v6v_ThAhVJpo8KHZ1nDSYQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vaAuzxAB88qDMQdTdzhkt">Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX </a>on March 10, will hold a silent protest outside the meeting site.

That crash, which killed all 157 on board when it plunged to the ground shortly after takeoff, came five months after a similar Lion Air nose-dive that killed all 189 passengers and crew.

Muilenburg will hold his first press conference since the grounding after the general annual shareholder meeting in Chicago, scheduled for 10.00 am&nbsp;EDT.

Boeing is under pressure to deliver a software fix and a new pilot training package that will convince global regulators, and the flying public, that the aircraft is safe to fly again.

The US&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administration could clear Boeing the 737 MAX jet to fly in late May or the first part of June, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday, though Boeing has yet to submit the updated software and training for review.

Some pilots have warned that draft training proposals do not go far enough to address their concerns.

Meanwhile, deliveries of the 737 MAX, which airlines around the world had been relying on to service a growing air travel industry for years to come, are on hold.

Last week Boeing abandoned its 2019 financial outlook, halted share buybacks and said lowered production due to the 737 MAX grounding had cost it at least $1 billion so far.

Shareholders have filed a lawsuit accusing the company of defrauding them by concealing safety deficiencies in the plane. The model is also the target of investigations by US transportation authorities and the Department of Justice.

Muilenburg is Boeing's chairman and president in addition to CEO and faces calls that could strip him of one of those titles at Monday's meeting. Boeing has recommended against the move.

Boeing must also contend with lawsuits filed on behalf of dozens of victims of the two crashes, including the family of Stumo, who are asking whether the Ethiopian disaster could have been prevented after what happened to Lion Air.

"Those in charge of creating and selling this plane did not treat Samya as they would their own daughters," her mother Nadia Milleron told reporters in early April.

Shares in the company, worth $214 billion, have lost nearly 10 per cent of their value since the March 10 crash.

Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg will face shareholders on Monday for the first time since two fatal crashes that led to the 737 MAX's grounding worldwide and triggered investigations, lawsuits and a sharp loss in share value.

Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg will face shareholders on Monday for the first time since two fatal crashes that led to the 737 MAX's grounding worldwide and triggered investigations, lawsuits and a sharp loss in share value. Battling the biggest crisis of his tenure, Muilenburg will try to bolster investor confidence in the manufacturer's future as well as that of its fastest-selling aeroplane as questions linger over the model's safety. Family and friends of 24-year-old American Samya Stumo, one of the victims of the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX on March 10, will hold a silent protest outside the meeting site. That crash, which killed all 157 on board when it plunged to the ground shortly after takeoff, came five months after a similar Lion Air nose-dive that killed all 189 passengers and crew. Muilenburg will hold his first press conference since the grounding after the general annual shareholder meeting in Chicago, scheduled for 10.00 am EDT. Boeing is under pressure to deliver a software fix and a new pilot training package that will convince global regulators, and the flying public, that the aircraft is safe to fly again. The US Federal Aviation Administration could clear Boeing the 737 MAX jet to fly in late May or the first part of June, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday, though Boeing has yet to submit the updated software and training for review. Some pilots have warned that draft training proposals do not go far enough to address their concerns. Meanwhile, deliveries of the 737 MAX, which airlines around the world had been relying on to service a growing air travel industry for years to come, are on hold. Last week Boeing abandoned its 2019 financial outlook, halted share buybacks and said lowered production due to the 737 MAX grounding had cost it at least $1 billion so far. Shareholders have filed a lawsuit accusing the company of defrauding them by concealing safety deficiencies in the plane. The model is also the target of investigations by US transportation authorities and the Department of Justice. Muilenburg is Boeing's chairman and president in addition to CEO and faces calls that could strip him of one of those titles at Monday's meeting. Boeing has recommended against the move. Boeing must also contend with lawsuits filed on behalf of dozens of victims of the two crashes, including the family of Stumo, who are asking whether the Ethiopian disaster could have been prevented after what happened to Lion Air. "Those in charge of creating and selling this plane did not treat Samya as they would their own daughters," her mother Nadia Milleron told reporters in early April. Shares in the company, worth $214 billion, have lost nearly 10 per cent of their value since the March 10 crash.

Boeing CEO to face shareholders for first time since 737 MAX crashes

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 

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Indonesians began voting in the&nbsp;world's biggest single-day election&nbsp;on Wednesday as polling stations opened across the sprawling equatorial archipelago following a six-month campaign to choose a new president and parliament.

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Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi&nbsp;Tuesday slammed the Congress for being "soft" towards terrorism for 40 years and said India can now talk about peace after it exhibited the strength by destroying terror camps across the border.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bahrain-jails-138-for-planning-iran-linked-terror-group-211019">Bahrain jails 138 for planning Iran-linked 'terror' group</a>

The Gulf state of Bahrain Tuesday jailed 138 people and revoked their citizenship for plotting to form a "terror" group with links to&nbsp;Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the public prosecutor said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-737-max-software-upgrade-operationally-suitable-faa-panel-211034">Boeing 737 MAX software upgrade 'operationally suitable': FAA panel</a>

A review by a&nbsp;US&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air.

President Trump vetoes resolution calling to end US support in Yemen war President Donald Trump has vetoed a congressional resolution that sought to end US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, the White House said on Tuesday.

President Trump vetoes resolution calling to end US support in Yemen war President Donald Trump has vetoed a congressional resolution that sought to end US involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, the White House said on Tuesday. In world's biggest one-day election, Indonesia votes for its president Indonesians began voting in the world's biggest single-day election on Wednesday as polling stations opened across the sprawling equatorial archipelago following a six-month campaign to choose a new president and parliament. Only strong can talk about peace, nobody listens to a weak nation: PM Modi in Odisha Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday slammed the Congress for being "soft" towards terrorism for 40 years and said India can now talk about peace after it exhibited the strength by destroying terror camps across the border. Bahrain jails 138 for planning Iran-linked 'terror' group The Gulf state of Bahrain Tuesday jailed 138 people and revoked their citizenship for plotting to form a "terror" group with links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the public prosecutor said. Boeing 737 MAX software upgrade 'operationally suitable': FAA panel A review by a US Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday released its initial review of Boeing’s update to its 737 Max anti-stall software suspected of contributing to two fatal plane crashes, calling it “operationally suitable.”

Boeing 737 Max software gets FAA Nod

A review by a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-were-boeing-i-would-fix-737-max-and-rebrand-the-plane-with-a-new-name-trump-210614">US</a> Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air.

More than 300 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeings-737-max-aircraft-what-comes-next-203786">Boeing 737 MAX jets</a> have been<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-airlines-cancels-115-flights-daily-over-boeing-737-max-until-august-210442"> grounded </a>worldwide after nearly 350 people died in two crashes, one in Indonesia in October and another in Ethiopia last month.

Boeing has been announced a planned software update on the 737 MAX to prevent erroneous data from triggering an anti-stall system known as MCAS that is under scrutiny following the two disastrous nose-down crashes.

The draft report from the Flight Standardization Board (FSB) appointed by the FAA, which includes pilots, engineers and other experts, said additional training was needed for MCAS, but not required to be done in a simulator. The board said ground training "must address system description, functionality, associated failure conditions, and flight crew alerting." The public has until April 30 to make comments.

The panel evaluated the software update to MCAS for "training and checking differences determination," the report said. "The MCAS system was found to be operationally suitable."

Boeing shares closed up 1.7 per cent after the news.

Boeing is under pressure to upgrade the software and convince global regulators that the plane is safe to fly again, a process expected to take at least 90 days.

Despite the stock rebound, investors were advised on Tuesday by the proxy firms Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis to press the company to vote for a shareholder proposal to split the role of chairman and chief executive.

ISS said uncertainty about the long-term impact on Boeing related to safety problems with the 737 MAX was serious enough to merit having an independent board chair.

"Shareholders would benefit from the most robust form of independent oversight to ensure that the company's management is able to regain the confidence of regulators, customers and other key stakeholders, ISS said in a report ahead of Boeing's annual shareholders meeting April 29.

Glass Lewis also recommended investors vote to remove from the board the head of Boeing's audit committee, Lawrence Kellner. Kellner is the former chair and chief executive of Continental Airlines.

Glass Lewis said the two crashes "indicate a potential lapse in the board's oversight of risk management. We believe the audit committee should have taken a more proactive role in identifying the risks associated with the 737 Max 8 aircraft."

Boeing said in a statement it "has a strong, actively engaged board, which brings a high level of expertise, dedication and commitment to its oversight function, including with respect to the safety of the 737 MAX and our other airplane programs."

The FAA still must approve the software package and training once Boeing formally submits them to the agency, an FAA spokesman said.

Boeing said earlier this month it planned to submit a software upgrade and additional training for the anti-stall system known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) on the planes to the FAA in the coming weeks for approval.

A review by a US Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air.

A review by a US Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air. More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide after nearly 350 people died in two crashes, one in Indonesia in October and another in Ethiopia last month. Boeing has been announced a planned software update on the 737 MAX to prevent erroneous data from triggering an anti-stall system known as MCAS that is under scrutiny following the two disastrous nose-down crashes. The draft report from the Flight Standardization Board (FSB) appointed by the FAA, which includes pilots, engineers and other experts, said additional training was needed for MCAS, but not required to be done in a simulator. The board said ground training "must address system description, functionality, associated failure conditions, and flight crew alerting." The public has until April 30 to make comments. The panel evaluated the software update to MCAS for "training and checking differences determination," the report said. "The MCAS system was found to be operationally suitable." Boeing shares closed up 1.7 per cent after the news. Boeing is under pressure to upgrade the software and convince global regulators that the plane is safe to fly again, a process expected to take at least 90 days. Despite the stock rebound, investors were advised on Tuesday by the proxy firms Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis to press the company to vote for a shareholder proposal to split the role of chairman and chief executive. ISS said uncertainty about the long-term impact on Boeing related to safety problems with the 737 MAX was serious enough to merit having an independent board chair. "Shareholders would benefit from the most robust form of independent oversight to ensure that the company's management is able to regain the confidence of regulators, customers and other key stakeholders, ISS said in a report ahead of Boeing's annual shareholders meeting April 29. Glass Lewis also recommended investors vote to remove from the board the head of Boeing's audit committee, Lawrence Kellner. Kellner is the former chair and chief executive of Continental Airlines. Glass Lewis said the two crashes "indicate a potential lapse in the board's oversight of risk management. We believe the audit committee should have taken a more proactive role in identifying the risks associated with the 737 Max 8 aircraft." Boeing said in a statement it "has a strong, actively engaged board, which brings a high level of expertise, dedication and commitment to its oversight function, including with respect to the safety of the 737 MAX and our other airplane programs." The FAA still must approve the software package and training once Boeing formally submits them to the agency, an FAA spokesman said. Boeing said earlier this month it planned to submit a software upgrade and additional training for the anti-stall system known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) on the planes to the FAA in the coming weeks for approval.

Boeing 737 MAX software upgrade 'operationally suitable': FAA panel

The EU on Wednesday unveiled a wide-ranging list of US-made goods, from beeswax to car parts, subject to tariffs in retaliation for subsidies to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-were-boeing-i-would-fix-737-max-and-rebrand-the-plane-with-a-new-name-trump-210614">Boeing as a transatlantic trade</a> war risked re-erupting.

"European companies must be able to compete on fair and equal terms... We must continue to defend a level-playing field for our industry," said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom in a statement.

Europe's $12 billion claim against Boeing comes on the trail of a similar demand by the US for $11 billion in compensation for EU subsidies towards Airbus.

The ultimate amount to be won by both sides will be determined by the World Trade Organization, with the finals sums likely to be far below the tit-for-tat demands by the EU and US.&nbsp;

The Boeing-Airbus trade row has rumbled on for 14 years with the EU and US mutually accusing each other at the WTO of doling out illegal state aid since the 1990s to their respective aeronautical champions.

Malmstrom insisted that the EU wanted to close the tit-for-tat battle amicably.

"While we need to be ready with countermeasures in case there is no other way out, I still believe that dialogue is what should prevail between important partners such as the EU and the US," she said.&nbsp;

The feud has been caught in the protectionist wave launched by US President Donald Trump against Europe, with a threat by Washington to slam tariffs on car imports still looming.

Hoping to avoid a trade war and appease Trump, the EU on Monday agreed to launch formal negotiations towards a limited trade deal with the US.

The trade deal was part of a surprise truce negotiated in July between Trump and the EU after the US imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports that are still in effect.

But the success of those trade talks seem increasingly doubtful with the EU insisting that agricultural products be kept out of any deal, a stance that infuriates Trump.

The Trump administration earlier this month threatened tariffs in response to subsidies received by aircraft maker Airbus that target a host of European products including helicopters, aircraft parts and gouda cheese.

Trump tweeted on April 9: "The EU has taken advantage of the US on trade for many years. It will soon stop!"

The EU-US trade row has been overshadowed by Trump's bigger conflict with China that has sent tremors across the world economy.

The EU on Wednesday unveiled a wide-ranging list of US-made goods, from beeswax to car parts, subject to tariffs in retaliation for subsidies to Boeing as a transatlantic trade war risked re-erupting.

The EU on Wednesday unveiled a wide-ranging list of US-made goods, from beeswax to car parts, subject to tariffs in retaliation for subsidies to Boeing as a transatlantic trade war risked re-erupting. "European companies must be able to compete on fair and equal terms... We must continue to defend a level-playing field for our industry," said EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom in a statement. Europe's $12 billion claim against Boeing comes on the trail of a similar demand by the US for $11 billion in compensation for EU subsidies towards Airbus. The ultimate amount to be won by both sides will be determined by the World Trade Organization, with the finals sums likely to be far below the tit-for-tat demands by the EU and US. The Boeing-Airbus trade row has rumbled on for 14 years with the EU and US mutually accusing each other at the WTO of doling out illegal state aid since the 1990s to their respective aeronautical champions. Malmstrom insisted that the EU wanted to close the tit-for-tat battle amicably. "While we need to be ready with countermeasures in case there is no other way out, I still believe that dialogue is what should prevail between important partners such as the EU and the US," she said. The feud has been caught in the protectionist wave launched by US President Donald Trump against Europe, with a threat by Washington to slam tariffs on car imports still looming. Hoping to avoid a trade war and appease Trump, the EU on Monday agreed to launch formal negotiations towards a limited trade deal with the US. The trade deal was part of a surprise truce negotiated in July between Trump and the EU after the US imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports that are still in effect. But the success of those trade talks seem increasingly doubtful with the EU insisting that agricultural products be kept out of any deal, a stance that infuriates Trump. The Trump administration earlier this month threatened tariffs in response to subsidies received by aircraft maker Airbus that target a host of European products including helicopters, aircraft parts and gouda cheese. Trump tweeted on April 9: "The EU has taken advantage of the US on trade for many years. It will soon stop!" The EU-US trade row has been overshadowed by Trump's bigger conflict with China that has sent tremors across the world economy.

EU unveils tariffs list on US-made goods over Boeing subsidies

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