Texas-based American Airlines flew a Boeing 737 MAX passenger jet Dec. 2. The flight, with a group of journalists onboard for a flight test, was a way for the airline to demonstrate its confidence in the plane.
The flight was the first time the aircraft has flown with members of the public since two fatal accidents less than five months apart led regulators around the world to ground the jet.
Flying from Dallas to Tulsa, Okla., crews spent the 40-minute flight explaining how they plan to reintroduce the aircraft to the schedule. Each aircraft will have to be thoroughly checked out after being grounded for so long. Plus the FAA-approved updates from Boeing will have to be installed. The airlines must also retrain pilots to familiarize them with the new and updated software.
“The history of aviation is built around a chain of safety,” Capt. Pete Gamble told passengers just before takeoff. “When the chain of safety breaks it’s up to those of us in the industry to mend it and bring it back.”
American Airlines is planning to introduce the jet to the regular scheduled on Dec. 29, 2020, with flights from Miami to New York. United Airlines and Southwest Airlines are looking to later in 2021 to restore the 737 MAX to their schedules.
Boeing has a lot riding on the MAX’s successful return to the skies as the company has been buffeted by fallout from the planes grounding, a decline in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, and delays in the KC-46 Pegasus air refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force.
However, in a sign of one airlines belief in the future of the 737 MAX, European budget airline Ryanair announced Dec. 3 a firm order for 75 additional aircraft, increasing its total order to 210 jets.
“Ryanair’s board and people are confident that our customers will love these new aircraft. Passengers will enjoy the new interiors, more generous leg room, lower fuel consumption and quieter noise performance. And, most of all, our customers will love the lower fares, which these aircraft will enable Ryanair to offer starting in 2021 and for the next decade, as Ryanair leads the recovery of Europe’s aviation and tourism industries,” said Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary.
Ryanair ordered the 737 8-200 variant, a higher-capacity version of the 737-8, citing the aircrafts additional seats and improved fuel efficiency and environmental performance.
“Boeing remains focused on safely returning the full 737 fleet to service and on delivering the backlog of airplanes to our customers,” said Dave Calhoun, president and CEO of Boeing. “We firmly believe in this airplane, and we will continue the work to re-earn the trust of all of our customers.”
Family members of those who died in the crash are against the aircraft’s return to service saying it is too early, especially as a final investigative report on the second crash in Ethiopia has yet to be released.
