(15 May 2019) With Congress stepping up its investigation into the troubled Boeing 737 Max airliner and how it passed regulatory safety checks, a House aviation panel grilled FAA Acting Administrator Daniel Elwell Wednesday.
"In the U.S., the 737 Max will return to service only when the FAA is analysis of the facts and technical data indicate that it's safe to do so," Ellwell said.
Last October, a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from an airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board.
In early March, and Ethiopian Air Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board.
The FAA has been in the spotlight over how much autonomy it's given to Boeing and the review process it must complete before a plane is deemed safe for public use.
The FAA has been criticized for being too cozy with aircraft maker Boeing Co. in approving the 737 Max jet.
"Stories we've heard about the process of certification so far are troubling," said Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski of Illinois.
"The guiding principle of the FAA and manufacturers must be safety, not getting a highly valued plane out more quickly." he said.
As House lawmakers questioned Elwell and Sumwalt, a Senate panel heard from Stephen Dickson, a former airline pilot and Delta Air Lines executive whom President Donald Trump has nominated to head the FAA.
Stephen Dickson said he's committed to making any changes recommended by groups looking into how the agency certifies the safety of airliners.
The agency has not had a permanent director since January 2018.
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