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| Boeing has acknowledged for the first time that there was a design flaw in software linked to the 737 MAX (AFP Photo/Jason Redmond) |
Boeing acknowledged Saturday it had to correct flaws in its 737 MAX flight simulator software used to train pilots, after two deadly crashes involving the aircraft that killed 346 people.
"Boeing
has made corrections to the 737 MAX simulator software and has provided
additional information to device operators to ensure that the simulator
experience is representative across different flight conditions," it said
in a statement.
The company
did not indicate when it first became aware of the problem, and whether it
informed regulators.
Its
statement marked the first time Boeing acknowledged there was a design flaw in
software linked to the 737 MAX, whose MCAS anti-stall software has been blamed
in large part for the Ethiopian Airlines tragedy.
According
to Boeing, the flight simulator software was incapable of reproducing certain
flight conditions similar to those at the time of the Ethiopian Airlines crash
in March or the Lion Air crash in October.
The company
said the latest "changes will improve the simulation of force loads on the
manual trim wheel," a rarely used manual wheel to control the plane's
angle.
"Boeing
is working closely with the device manufacturers and regulators on these
changes and improvements, and to ensure that customer training is not
disrupted," it added.
Southwest
Airlines, a major 737 MAX customer with 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, told
AFP it expected to receive the first simulator "late this year."
American
Airlines, which has 24 of the aircraft, said it had ordered a 737 MAX simulator
that will be delivered and put into operation in December.
"As a
result of the continuing investigation into both aircraft accidents, we are
looking at the potential for additional training opportunities in coordination
with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and Allied Pilots
Association," it added.
Certification process
The planes
have been grounded around the world, awaiting approval from US and
international regulators before they can return to service.
Only Air
Canada has a MAX simulator, industry sources told AFP.
Currently,
there is only one flight simulator specific to the 737 MAX in the United
States, and it is owned by Boeing, according to FAA documentation.
US airlines
train their pilots flying the MAX on a simulator built for the 737 NG, the
version preceding the 737 MAX in the 737 aircraft family.
Southwest
said that's because during the certification process for the MAX, Boeing
stressed that there were only minor differences with the NG and simple computer
and online training could accommodate for the differences.
The FAA,
the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Canadian regulators had approved
those recommendations, Boeing stresses.
However,
the 737 NG lacks an MCAS, specially designed for the MAX in order to correct an
aerodynamic anomaly due to its heavier motor and to prevent the plane from
stalling.
Pilot
training will likely be at the heart of the meeting of international regulators
in Forth Worth, Texas on Thursday when the FAA will try convince its
counterparts of the robustness of its certification process for the modified
737 MAX.
The
American regulator has maintained that training pilots on a simulator is not
essential, a position with which pilots and its Canadian counterpart disagree.
Boeing said
Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX.
The
proposed fix, which addresses a problem with a flight handling system thought
to be a factor in both crashes, must now win approval from US and international
regulators before the planes can return to service.
US airlines
have targeted August as the date they expect to resume flying on the 737 MAX.
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