FAA says it will invite global Boeing 737 MAX pilots to simulator tests
CHICAGO - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday it would invite Boeing 737 MAX pilots from across the world to participate in simulator tests as part of the process to recertify the aircraft for flight following two fatal crashes. Earlier, Reuters reported that the agency had asked the three U.S. airlines that operate the MAX to provide the names of some pilots who had only flown the 737 for around a year, including at least one MAX flight, report Tracy Rucinski an d Davit Shepardson for Reuters. Continue reading original article
The Intelligent Aerospace take:
August 26, 2019-Following the deadly crashes involving the 737 MAX jets in late 2018 and early 2019, much was made of the fact that pilots who were transitioning from older 737 models to the MAX had a self-administered, web-based training course but did not require more extensive simulator or practical training on the changes to the aircraft, including overview of the new maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) which was implicated in the crashes. The FAA will utilize pilots with little experience with the plane as it runs simulator tests ahead of recertification. With Boeing preparing to begin work on updating the planes in preparation of (an as of yet unknown time frame) for the MAX's return to the skies, the aerospace giant said it planned on "ramping up" production of the MAX jet again in February of 2020.
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Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace