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Pilots Union Opposes Boeing 737 MAX Exemption

The labor group is opposed to efforts to certify the 737 Max 7 and Max 10 without modernized flight crew alerting systems.

Boeing 737-10
Boeing faces a deadline of this December to receive certification of its 737-10, the largest variant of the 737 Max program. [Courtesy: Boeing]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The American Airlines pilots' union (APA) opposes Boeing's request for an exemption to certify the 737 Max 7 and Max 10 without modernized flight crew alerting systems by a December deadline.
  • The APA argues that installing these modern systems is crucial for pilot safety, mitigating confusion and allowing crews to better identify system failures, referencing past fatal 737 Max accidents.
  • Without the exemption, Boeing would be required to equip both Max models with these enhanced safety systems under new regulations effective January 1, 2023.
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The labor union representing American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) pilots is voicing opposition to an effort in Congress to extend an exemption to The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) that would allow the company to certify two Boeing 737 Max models without a modernized flight crew alerting system. Boeing asked for the exemption for both the 737 Max 7 and Max 10 models, saying that without the exemption it cannot meet its December deadline for FAA certification of the aircraft.

According to Reuters, Boeing must achieve regulatory approval for the Max 10 and the slightly smaller variant—the Max 7—no later than December to meet its delivery deadlines.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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