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Boeing set for critical 737 Max flight tests

29 June 2020 05:21 (UTC +04:00)

Boeing's bid to see its 737 Max return to the skies faces a pivotal week with flight safety tests expected to begin, APA reports citing BBC.

Pilots and technical experts from regulators and the company are understood to be planning three days of tests, possibly starting on Monday.

Boeing's best-selling aircraft was grounded last year after two crashes killed all 346 people on the flights.

The tests are a milestone for Boeing, but even if they go well, months of further safety checks will be needed.

Aviation regulators grounded the 737 Max about 15 months ago following two crashes - a Lion Air flight and an Ethiopian Airlines flight - within five months of each other.

The ruling triggered a financial crisis at the 103-year-old company, sparked lawsuits from victims' families, and raised questions about how Boeing and the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), conducted their safety approval process.