B737MAX-Cleared by FAA to resume passenger flights;UA MAX flights resumed 11 Feb 2020
 

"Boeing 737 MAX certification flight tests to begin on Monday"

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-b...-idUSKBN23Z040

"The crew will run methodically scripted mid-air scenarios such as steep-banking turns, progressing to more extreme maneuvers on a route primarily over Washington state. The plan over at least three days could include touch-and-go landings at the eastern Washington airport in Moses Lake, and a path over the Pacific Ocean coastline, adjusting the flight plan and timing as needed for weather and other factors, one of the people said.

Pilots will also intentionally trigger the reprogrammed stall-prevention software known as MCAS faulted in both crashes, and aerodynamic stall conditions, the people said.

<snip>

The rigors of the test campaign go beyond previous Boeing test flights, completed in a matter of hours on a single day, industry sources say."

If you had told me in spring of 2019 that the MAX wouldn't fly again for over a year, I would've told you... well, whatever.

RNE, a happy pax on the 737-MAX inaugural FI flight CLE-KEF.

A frequently flyer who has never been on a MAX and actively changed flights when there was a switch to a MAX on any leg.

It will not be enough for me that the FAA signs off. It is going to take international agencies doing so before I will set foot on a MAX flight.

It will be interesting to see how the rest of the flying public react to flying on the MAX.

I remember Oscar saying that when the UA Max returned to flight he’d be the first one to fly it. Well, Oscar is gone. I wonder if Kirby will be first on board ? As for myself, I’ve never considered myself a nervous flyer, and that being said I’ll avoid them like the plague.

...and now we've got a plague. See what you've d:eek:ne?!

Ya, I am a S & P 500 kind of guy, but was thinking, now's the time to buy Boeing stock, it's needlessly undervalued, they'll recover quick :idea:

Guess there ARE some good things about being a procrastinator :)

And given we know what caused the crashes, given pilots will be trained and by now probably know exactly what to do, and given that Boeing scaled back the power previously given to MCAS, I'd join RNE on the inaugural flight, though methinks it would not be CLE-KEF :D

I'd agree and perhaps go a bit further -- some of the talk as about many regulators allowing the plane to fly now with the promise that further changes (like adding a synthetic airspeed system) be done later. That at least helps us with the "when" -- I'll wait for those, thank you very much. I see no reason, especially in the near term air travel climate, to rush the plane back until the proper redundancy and pilot training are completed.

It's amazing how quickly and properly things can get done when there's actual pressure to do them -- despite dragging their feet and complaining (along with other airlines) after an uncontained engine failure that they couldn't possibly inspect all of their planes without disrupting travel, Southwest was able to do so within weeks...after a second uncontained failure killed one of their passengers. The need for DC-10 cargo door fixes were identified years before finally being implemented...after another failure killed 346 people.

Just step back, fix it right, train as needed, and I'll be happy to fly on one then.

How comforting...

Beyond the safety aspect of this questionable aircraft, I won't be boarding one simply from a comfort perspective. Not really in the mood to be stuffed into a 737 of any variety beyond a couple hours.

I think the FAA recognizes consensus with other regulators is needed. There’s a group of 5 (I think) regulators working on this together. I know EASA and China’s approvals are key though the current pandemic and political relationship could impact how quickly they can complete their process.

Oscar isn't gone. He's Executive Chairman now.

Very, very doubtful.

David

When the market gets annihilated in the coming months Boeing stock will suffer with or without a MAX in service. Not to mention the likelihood of air travel not returning to normal levels for years thus little need for new aircraft.

These are just preliminary tests flights - there is a ton of work to be done before commercial service is even on the drawing board. All the upcoming incomplete systems revisions need countless test flights at the regulation level, then the airlines will do their own test flights and simulations - and when new stuff is found, then back to the drawing board. No airline is in the mood to take deliveries of anything now, even if it was a perfect airplane. I am still holding firm, no MAX flights until 2021 at the earliest.

No, not anymore, but while it lasted, FI's 737 MAX ex-CLE was a nice way to fly TATL. FI's KEF base is ideally located to make that doable in a 737. I hope the route returns... someday.