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Boeing 737 MAX can fly again after being grounded for 20 months due to deadly crashes

  • The 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people within five months in 2018 and 2019 and cost Boeing about US$20 billion
  • The move by US aviation authorities to unground the Boeing 737 MAX is an ‘important milestone’ as the aviation giant works to return the plane to service

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The 737 MAX is a re-engined upgrade of a jet first introduced in the 1960s. Photo: Reuters

US regulators on Wednesday cleared the Boeing 737 MAX to take to the skies again, ending its 20-month grounding after two fatal crashes.

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The carrier’s workhorse got the green light from the Federal Aviation Administration but will not fly right away. The FAA detailed software upgrades and training changes Boeing must make in order for it to resume commercial flights.
The 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people within five months in 2018 and 2019 and triggered a hailstorm of investigations, frayed US leadership in global aviation and cost Boeing some US$20 billion.

The move by US aviation authorities to unground the Boeing 737 MAX is an “important milestone” as the aviation giant works to return the plane to service, Boeing said on Wednesday.

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US lifts Boeing 737 MAX flight ban after finishing safety probe of Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes

US lifts Boeing 737 MAX flight ban after finishing safety probe of Indonesia and Ethiopia crashes

“We will never forget the lives lost in the two tragic accidents that led to the decision to suspend operations,” Boeing chief executive David Calhoun said. “These events and the lessons we have learned as a result have reshaped our company and further focused our attention on our core values of safety, quality and integrity.”

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