Boeing announced Monday evening that it was abandoning its request for a temporary exemption from American safety rules for the smallest version of its 737 MAX, the subject of criticism after a door stalled in flight on a Boeing of the same generation at the beginning of January .
The American aircraft manufacturer had requested a temporary exemption from the American aviation regulatory agency (Federal Aviation Administration, FAA) concerning an engine anti-icing system for its 737 Max 7, the smallest of the Max family, which has not yet obtained certification.
“We have informed the FAA that we are withdrawing our request for a limited time exemption regarding the 737-7 engine inlet de-icing system,” Boeing announced Monday evening.
“Instead, we will integrate an engineering solution which will be completed during the certification process,” said the manufacturer.
Boeing’s request for an exemption was criticized last week by Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, who saw it as a “bold attempt to put profits ahead of the safety of passengers who would fly aboard the Max 7.”
Ms. Duckworth met last Thursday with Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to discuss safety issues following the January 5 incident on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9.
That day, a cabin hatch came loose in flight, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing. Although no one was seriously injured, U.S. safety inspectors believed the incident could have been catastrophic.
This incident will likely slow down the FAA certification of the 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 10, which is likely to affect Boeing’s profitability.
Boeing said Monday it is “committed to being transparent, listening to all of our stakeholders and taking action to strengthen safety and quality across Boeing.”
