Boeing unveils a new 737 MAX

Boeing unveiled its latest version of the 737 MAX on Friday even
as the aircraft remains grounded globally following two deadly
crashes.

Officials unveiled the 737 MAX 10 at a company ceremony at
Boeing’s Renton, Washington factory and released a photograph of
the white and blue plane emblazoned with the Boeing logo.

The MAX has been grounded since March following a pair of deadly
crashes that killed 346 people.

Boeing has curtailed deliveries of new planes and cut its
production level as the company works to satisfy regulators that
the MAX is safe.

The company announced new orders for the MAX earlier this week
at an air show in Dubai but analysts have cautioned that the
company’s prospects will remain clouded until regulators clear the
MAX to resume service.

The MAX 10, which is bigger than earlier versions, will contain
an upgraded version of a flight handling system that has been seen
as a key factor in both crashes.

The mechanism, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation
System (MCAS), has been tweaked to give the pilot more control. But
regulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration, have yet
to sign off on the changes.

Boeing said earlier this month that it hopes to get the green
light from regulators before the end of the year but delayed its
estimate for the resumption of commercial flights until January to
allow for pilot training.

The MAX 10 has 230 seats, about 20 more than the version that
crashed in ill-fated flights by Lion Air and Ethiopian
Airlines.

Earlier Friday, Boeing announced that Anne Toulouse, senior vice
president of communications, would retire next year after 30 years
with the company.

Toulouse alluded to the company’s travails.

“This past year has been all-consuming and profoundly difficult
for all of us at Boeing –- albeit nowhere close to the experience
of the families affected by the MAX accidents,” she said in a
statement.

“As we look ahead, I am confident the hard lessons learned will
make Boeing better and that we will deliver on our important
commitments. As we move into that next phase, I can best serve the
company by turning over the role to someone with fresh perspective
and, therefore, made the difficult decision to retire.”

AFP.