Home ›› 15 Nov 2021 ›› World Biz
China's aviation regulator has told airlines it is satisfied that design changes Boeing Co proposed for its 737 MAX plane could resolve safety problems, in a sign it is closer to lifting a more than two-year flight ban in Chinese skies.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) invited airlines to give feedback on a proposed airworthiness directive for the 737 MAX by Nov. 26, according to an undated notice seen by Reuters.
The directive outlines specific procedures for pilots to perform in case of problems similar to those that emerged in two deadly crashes before the plane's grounding in March 2019. It also lists all the systems that must be functioning in order for the plane to be dispatched.
A return to the skies in China, the world's biggest aircraft market, would be a major boon to Boeing. Broker Jefferies said in September an announcement would be worth a 5 per cent boost to the stock price.
The United States and Europe last year sought industry feedback on similar proposed directives before ultimately approving the return of the 737 MAX.
CAAC's notice said after a comprehensive review of the changes Boeing proposed, including to the design of the aviation control software and display system, it assessed the changes could remove the unsafe situations that led to the crashes.
