Aviation Week is reporting that Boeing CEO David Calhoun has made it clear that the company has not ruled out the drastic step of shelving the largest variant of the 737 MAX family the MAX 10.
In a report, ahead of the Farnborough Air Show, Aviation Week reports that at issue “is a looming standoff with Congress on whether to extend a year-end deadline that would require changes to the aircraft’s flight deck system. If Boeing cannot certify the 737 MAX -10 by then, and a waiver is not granted, the company would have to redesign the aircraft’s flight deck to add an alerting system, eliminating its commonality with the other 737 MAX variants—a key selling point of the family.”
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Mr Calhoun told Aviation Week editors in an interview at the company’s new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia that “the [737-10] is a little bit of an all-or-nothing. I think our case is persuasive enough. . . . This is a risk I’m willing to take. If I lose the fight, I lose the fight.”
There are more than 600 737-10 orders from 18 customers at stake.
“We end up having to face right into that question,” he said. “If you go through the things we’ve been through, the debts that we’ve had to accumulate, our ability to respond, or willingness to see things through even a world without the -10 is not that threatening.”
But Mr Calhoun told Aviation Week: “We believe in this airplane, period. We believe the intent of the counterparties that negotiated the [flight-crew-alerting mandate] time frame wanted this airplane covered. And I find very few voices that would suggest otherwise.”
The Aviation Week editors comment that: “That Calhoun is publicly talking about walking away from the -10 increases the political pressure on lawmakers to grant the needed relief. The issue stems from a provision in a December 2020 law that puts a two-year window on the FAA’s ability to issue a type certificate to a transport category aircraft unless the design complies with the latest flight-crew-alerting system regulations. The FAA granted the 737 MAX relief from specific flight-crew regulations introduced during the 737’s lifetime based on Boeing’s contention that complying with the updated regulations would add unnecessary expense and pilot training to a safe baseline design.
“The two-year grace period was selected to allow both the 737-7 and 737-10, the only aircraft affected by it, to earn FAA approval. A new, more rigorous certification process combined with Boeing’s inability to meet the agency’s requests in a timely manner have made the law an issue for the 737-10.”
The Aviation Week editors say US lawmakers are sending mixed signals. “Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), head of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, opposes any relief. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) has urged the FAA to weigh in, even though the law places the issue in Congress’ hands, not the agency’s.”
They add that “the issue’s political ramifications mean a decision may not come until 2023. DeFazio, who has helped amplify calls to hold Boeing accountable for its role in two 737 MAX fatal accidents and revamp the FAA, is not seeking reelection this November. His departure, combined with gains by the generally more corporate-friendly Republican Party, would likely make the next session of Congress, which convenes in early 2023, more sympathetic to Boeing—or at least less likely to uphold a symbolic requirement.”
Mr Calhoun emphasized to Aviation Week that Boeing believes the case to certify the 737-10 without an enhanced crew-alerting system is strong. Among the evidence he says is the fact that older versions of the 737 have a better fatal accident and hull-loss figures than nearly every other fleet type. The 737-10 also includes new safety-related improvements. Adding a system that affects flight-crew workload to one member of an aircraft family flown by a common pool of pilots could introduce new safety risks.
“We’ll make that case to all parties, and I believe the outcome is going to be favourable and that we’re going to have a [737-10] flying out there, regardless of timing,” he said. “I don’t expect [to cancel the program], and I don’t want anybody to think that. It’s just a risk.”
