Boeing announced this week that it is considering cutting back on the production of the 737 Max airplane. The announcement comes amidst internal concerns that the FAA not ready to approve the 737 Max fleet for commercial flights.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Boeing officials are considering whether or not they should cut back on the production of the 737 Max fleet amidst concerns that federal aviation regulators are not prepared to approve the infamous Boeing aircraft for a return to the sky.
The 737 Max fleet was involved in two fatal crashes that killed everyone on board. The crashes have been blamed on a malfunctioning in-flight control system. Breitbart News reported in May that Boeing offered a crucial safety warning light as an “add-on” for the 737 Max fleet.
Boeing is expected to announce its future production plans for the 737 Max on Monday. Analysts predict that Boeing will significantly slow down the production of the 737 Max fleet even though airlines are prepared to take delivery of new 737 Max planes.
Boeing has already reduced production on the 737 Max fleet. In April, the aircraft manufacturer cut production on the fleet by a fifth after canceling plans to increase output over the summer.
The company cut 737 production by a fifth in April and shelved plans to boost output this past summer, forcing suppliers to adjust their own plans to deliver parts and supplies for a backlog of more than 4,500 orders for the jet.
Any decision to recalibrate production highlights the complexity of completing essential software testing that already has been repeatedly delayed, winning backing from multiple global regulators and preparing hundreds of planes for flight. Some U.S. airlines have said that if the plane wins approval, they would take delivery of their past orders as quickly as Boeing can fill them. Others have said they would rather wait until air travel picks up again in the spring, or even after the peak summer season.
Breitbart News reported in October that Boeing employees were aware of issues with the 737 Max fleet prior to the two disastrous crashes. In one leaked exchange, 737 Chief Technical Pilot Mark Forkner told another pilot that the 737 Max was “running rampant” on him in a Boeing flight simulator.
Stay tuned to Breitbart News for more updates on this story.