US FAA asks Boeing to stop expanding production of 737 MAX

According to Reuters news agency, the FAA announced that the temporary suspension of production expansion of Boeing's best-selling 737 MAX narrow-body aircraft is necessary to ensure the aircraft manufacturer's accountability and compliance with quality control procedures.

“We will not approve Boeing’s request to expand production or allow the aircraft manufacturer to expand production of the 737 MAX until we address the quality control issues identified in the recent incident,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said.

Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

According to Reuters news agency, it is not yet clear how the request to stop expanding production of the 737 MAX line will affect Boeing's production plans in the near future.

Previously, in October 2023, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the group planned to increase production capacity to 38 737 MAX aircraft per month by the end of 2023.

According to Boeing's production schedule for the 737 MAX - a document that sets the production levels of the supply chain - the company plans to increase production capacity to 42 aircraft in February each year; an average of 47.2 aircraft per month in August; 52.5 aircraft per month in February 2025 and 57.7 aircraft per month in October 2025.

In a related development, on the same day, January 24, the FAA announced that after an inspection, the 737 MAX 9 aircraft that were required to temporarily suspend flights after the incident of an Alaska Airlines plane's side door opening will be allowed to operate again.

Previously, 171 737 MAX 9 aircraft were forced to temporarily stop operations for safety checks after the incident, causing two US airlines, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, to cancel thousands of flights.

Alaska Airlines announced that it plans to return this aircraft to service on January 26.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/faa-my-yeu-cau-boeing-dung-mo-rong-san-xuat-dong-737-max-192240125083512225.htm