Another Problem With the 737 MAX?

The FAA has confirmed this week that it has uncovered a second flaw during the course of its ongoing assessment of the Boeing 737 MAX. The administration declined to offer full clarity on the nature of the issue but said that it will continue to evaluate the craft prior to returning it to service.

Earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that it had uncovered a second flaw during its ongoing assessment of the Boeing 737 MAX, Reuters reports. The problem was reportedly discovered during a simulated test last week.

The jet has been grounded following the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. This second issue was discovered just as the craft was undergoing an upgrade to its flight control system, the BBC reports.

The FAA has not clarified the nature of this latest issue with the MAX, but it is believed that the flaw could further delay any test flights and, in the long run, the craft’s return to operational service.

Offering an explanation in a statement, the administration said, “The FAA is following a thorough process, not a prescribed timeline, for returning the Boeing 737 Max to passenger service. The FAA will lift the aircraft’s prohibition order when we deem it is safe to do so. We continue to evaluate Boeing’s software modification to the MCAS and we are still developing necessary training requirements.”

The MCAS or Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System is a feature within the MAX’s flight control system.

“On the most recent issue, the FAA’s process is designed to discover and highlight potential risks. The FAA recently found a potential risk that Boeing must mitigate,” the FAA added.

[Featured Image: FAA]