FAA clears Boeing's 737 Max 9 for flight, imposes production restrictions

The decision follows the temporary grounding of 171 Boeing aircraft nearly three weeks ago, initiated by federal regulators in response to a fuselage incident involving an Alaska Airlines jet departing from Portland International Airport.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker emphasized the exhaustive review conducted by the agency, stating, "The exhaustive, enhanced review our team completed after several weeks of information gathering gives me and the FAA confidence to proceed to the inspection and maintenance phase."

While the FAA's announcement signals the green light for the 737 Max 9 jets, it also imposes significant production restrictions at Boeing's factories. The move is a response to growing concerns about quality control, with recent allegations from a Boeing whistleblower suggesting lapses at the company's factory in Renton, Washington.

The whistleblower claims that mistakes in the Renton plant likely contributed to the fuselage incident, alleging that crucial bolts were not reinstalled after maintenance work before the jet left the factory. Although the FAA announcement did not directly address these allegations, the agency has expressed its own concerns about Boeing's production and manufacturing processes.

FAA Administrator Whitaker stated that Boeing would not return to business as usual, emphasizing that the agency would not approve any requests from Boeing to expand production of the Max aircraft until the identified quality control issues are resolved. The production restrictions apply to both Max 8 and 9, as well as the upcoming Max 7 and Max 10 variants, reflecting the FAA's commitment to ensuring safety and addressing previous challenges faced by the aircraft model. (ILKHA)