May 17 (UPI) — Boeing announced Thursday that it has completed a software update for its 737 Max planes, which have been grounded globally after a pair of deadly crashes.
The U.S. aircraft manufacturer said it finished the update to the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which played a role in both crashes, in addition to conducting simulator testing and an engineering test flight.
“We’re making clear and steady progress and are confident that the 737 Max with updated MCAS software will be one of the safest airplanes ever to fly,” Boeing CEO and President Dennis Muilenburg said. “The accidents have only intensified our commitment to our values, including safety, quality and integrity, because we know lives depend on what we do.”
Boeing added that it has flown the 737 Max with the updated software for more than 360 hours on 207 flights.
On Wednesday, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure questioned Federal Aviation Administration chief Dan Elwell and National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt about the planes after airlines throughout the world grounded the 737 Max in the wake of two crashes that killed nearly 350 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia.
During the hearing, Elwell confirmed that the FAA participated in test flights of the MCAS system.
Boeing said Thursday it has developed an enhanced training and education program that is being reviewed by the FAA and other international regulators.
It is also working to schedule a certification test flight with the FAA and providing information detailing how pilots interact with the plane’s controls and displays in various flight scenarios.
