Boeing Forced to Answer 737 MAX Criticism From Pilots, Congress

A new report claims audio secretly recorded by the American Airlines pilots’ union during a meeting with Boeing shows the plane manufacturer was resistant to ground planes and fix anti-stall software following the Lion Air 737 MAX crash in October.

According to DallasNews.com, the meeting took place in November at the Allied Pilots Association headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, and involved American’s pilots calling on Boeing executives to make the necessary changes, even if it meant grounding the 737 Max fleet temporarily.

Boeing officials included vice president Mike Sinnett, test pilot Craig Bomben and senior lobbyist John Moloney, who told those in attendance the company was working on a software fix, but they wouldn’t rush the process.

Sinnett also reportedly said it remained unclear whether the new system was to blame in the Lion Air crash. The pilots were also unhappy they were never informed of the anti-stall software system until after the October crash in Indonesia.

In a related story from The Associated Press, the Federal Aviation Administration told members of Congress Wednesday that the Boeing 737 MAX planes would not be permitted to fly passengers again until “the facts and technical data indicate that it is safe to do so.”

Acting FAA chief Daniel Elwell told the House aviation subcommittee the FAA welcomes the scrutiny from officials about why the agency waited to ground the plane until after the second crash in March.

House aviation subcommittee chairman Rick Larsen said officials want answers regarding how the 737 MAX was certified, how Boeing assessed key features on the plane and the FAA’s role in developing pilot training.