Boeing Puts 737 Max Jet Back Into Air For Demonstration Flight
For the first time since March of 2019, passengers flew on a 737-Max jet.
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For the first time since March of 2019, passengers flew on a 737-Max jet.
Chicago-based Boeing's 737 Max airplane is returning to the skies. But for those who lost loved ones in the crashes, the move is premature.
The process of approving the plane to carry passengers has stretched on far longer than originally expected and cost Boeing more than $20 billion.
The aircraft maker had already announced was reducing staff by 16,000 jobs earlier this year, through a combination of voluntary and involuntary layoffs.
American Airlines said, upon receiving FAA recertification, it will begin phasing the 737 Max back into service with once-a-day flights between New York and Miami from Dec. 29 through Jan. 4.
FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, a pilot who flew for the military and Delta Air Lines, was expected to sit in the captain's seat during a two-hour flight. An FAA spokesman said Boeing pilots would also be on the plane when it takes off from the former Boeing Field in the Seattle area.
Boeing has found a problem with the manufacturing of the 787 Dreamliner, the widebody jet that is one of the most successful products of the troubled aircraft maker.
The coronavirus pandemic has devastated air travel, leaving airlines with more planes than they need.
More trouble is in the air for Boeing. The FAA wants the plane maker to pay a fine of more than $1 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration proposed software changes to a flight-control system implicated in two deadly 737 Max crashes. It also plans to require a warning light to pilots that wasn't working on the planes that crashed, changes to on-board computers, and the rerouting of some wiring.
Boeing said COVID-19 hurt demand for new planes.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday that "in the near future" it will issue a proposed safety directive for the plane. The agency gave no indication, however, of when it might lift its March 2019 order that grounded the plane.
American has orders for 76 Max jets, but wants Boeing to help arrange financing for 17 planes for which previous financing has or will soon expire.
Boeing shielded from federal regulators reviewing its 737 Max aircraft the extent and capability of the flawed computer system that ultimately brought down two jets, according to an inspector general report obtained by CNN.
Boeing has received clearance to begin test flights of its troubled 737 Max jet, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday. The test flights of could begin as early as Monday.
The problem is not related to the flight-control system that pushed planes into nosedives before two deadly Max crashes. The crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people.
The company temporarily stopped building the plane in January, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit most of the world's airlines.
A Boeing spokesperson said the actions represent the largest number of job cuts, but several thousand additional jobs will be eliminated in the next few months.
The COVID-19 outbreak has caused global air traffic to plummet and compounded a crisis at Boeing Co. that began with two fatal crashes and the grounding of its best-selling plane, the 737 Max.
"The demand for commercial airline travel has fallen off a cliff," said Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun. "The pandemic is also delivering a body blow to our business."
Boeing's CEO said Monday that it will take years for the aircraft-building business to return to levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic, which has slowed air travel to a trickle and led airlines to park 2,800 jets.
Thousands of Boeing workers are back on the job in Washington state with new procedures to keep them safe from COVID-19.
The company said 27,000 workers are due to return in a phased-in process, with some starting as early as Monday. Most should be back at work by Friday, April 24. Boeing said it will take steps needed to protect their safety.
In a memo to employees, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the company is offering voluntary layoff packages that will provide exiting employees with pay and benefits.
The aerospace giant is among the companies that would qualify for the government-backed loans reserved "for businesses critical to maintaining national security," and the only one that has made it clear that it needs the assistance.
The kindness of strangers can change lives. A downstate Illinois restaurant owner was shocked by the number of people who reached out to help him when he needed it most.
Police in south suburban Harvey are expanding their surveillance technology with new Flock Safety drones, even as some other cities are cancelling contracts with the technology company.
A year-long investigation has led to an arrest in a fatal shooting in northwest suburban Des Plaines.
Cade Cavalli took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-0 to avoid a three-game sweep.
ComEd crews working to restore power to thousands of customers in Illinois following damaging storms earlier this week will need a few more days before everything is back to normal, officials said on Thursday.
Senate Democrats are demanding answers about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during the aircraft carrier's record-setting deployment.
President Trump said Karoline Leavitt will be leaving her role to focus on her young family.
Chicago mayoral candidate John Kelly on Wednesday said the city has had enough of career politicians, and took some of his opponents to task for running for two offices at once.
David Crowley unexpectedly beat a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor, and will face Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany on the ballot in November.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks that are intended to gain compliance from combative individuals.
Illinois is one of 46 states that have reached a $15.5 million settlement with a Pennsylvania-based mortgage servicer for improperly imposing new insurance policies on homeowners who already had insurance.
The Trump administration is taking aim at power grid operator PJM Interconnection over rising electricity bills that affect Illinois and Indiana residents.
Chicago remained the most bed bug-treated city in the country, according to Orkin's latest annual rankings covering a full year of residential and commercial treatment data.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul this week warned residents cleaning up from last month's storms to be on the lookout for scams.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed several new consumer protections into law, including a ban on junk fees.
The Illinois Department of Public Health is not adopting new federal child vaccine guidelines and will continue following recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
With the cyclosporiasis linked to iceberg lettuce growing and consumers wary of the products on grocery shelves, many in Chicago are turning to local farmers market for fresh and safe greens.
East Chicago, Indiana is being placed on a precautionary boil water advisory starting Monday morning for planned installations that could affect water safety.
A new Northwestern Medicine study on long COVID shows women show more neurological symptoms than men.
The Original Rainbow Cone celebrated its 100th anniversary on Sunday with a special event at its Beverly location.
The Shops at North Bridge on the Magnificent Mile announced plans Thursday for a multimillion-dollar renovation project.
While the building that housed the flagship Ann Sather restaurant on Belmont Avenue has been torn down, the renowned Chicago restaurant chain is now set to open a new Lakeview location.
Nationally, data centers used 17.4 billion gallons of water in 2023 — a figure projected to reach 72.6 billion gallons by 2028, raising concerns about states' water supplies.
Chicago's Wishbone Restaurant will soon be closing after 36 years in business.
Crews need about a week and a half to tear down the festival site before the city can begin its own inspection — and past cleanup costs have topped $1 million.
Vincent Pastore played Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on all six seasons of "The Sopranos," which aired from 1999 to 2007.
If weather forces an evacuation, shelter sites are located at Grant Park North, Grant Park South, and Millennium Lakeside Garages, accessible through the vehicle entrance on Michigan Avenue.
Grant Park was filled with tens of thousands of people Thursday for the start of Lollapalooza, as warm weather greeted festivalgoers on day one of the four-day music festival.
Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
The kindness of strangers can change lives. A downstate Illinois restaurant owner was shocked by the number of people who reached out to help him when he needed it most.
Police in south suburban Harvey are expanding their surveillance technology with new Flock Safety drones, even as some other cities are cancelling contracts with the technology company.
Northwest Indiana is preparing for flooding as many are still dealing with storm damage and no power, following Tuesday’s powerful storms. NIPSCO crews are racing to fix outages, but said it will take until late next week to complete all repairs.
It is a dire situation in parts of Indiana, where there has been historic flooding in the wake of torrential rains. The Whitewater River has reached the highest levels ever recorded, prompting evacuation orders.
Residents in Northwest Indiana may have to wait more than a week to get power back after a devastating outbreak of severe weather.
Police in south suburban Harvey are expanding their surveillance technology with new Flock Safety drones, even as some other cities are cancelling contracts with the technology company.
More violations at Chicago's Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium have surfaced, which is now under investigation for its role in mishandling bodies connected to the family that ran South Chicago Chapel.
The kindness of strangers can change lives. A downstate Illinois restaurant owner was shocked by the number of people who reached out to help him when he needed it most.
A year-long investigation has led to an arrest in a fatal shooting in northwest suburban Des Plaines.
More violations at Chicago's Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium have surfaced, which is now under investigation for its role in mishandling bodies connected to the family that ran South Chicago Chapel.
Many unanswered questions remain after 56 decomposing bodies were found inside a Chicago funeral home last week.
A lawsuit on behalf of a man who was shot and killed by police in Humboldt Park in March claims a CPD officer fired deadly shots just after arriving at a controlled scene instead of de-escalating.
Neighbors of a South Side animal feed plant have complained about the noxious smell and air quality for years. Now the city of Chicago and state of Illinois are suing Pullman Innovations to clean up the air, as well as for alleged illegal work and permit violations.
The owners of a Far South Side funeral home where dozens of decomposing bodies were found earlier this week have run into trouble with state regulators before over their handling of bodies at a crematory in the south suburbs.
Cade Cavalli took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Chicago Cubs 7-0 to avoid a three-game sweep.
Sal Stewart, Eugenio Suárez and Tyler Stephenson homered and the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago White Sox for a 9-8 victory.
The Chicago White Sox announced they're moving their Thursday game at Rate Field against the Cincinnati Reds to an earlier time due to the weather.
Chicago Bears chief executive officer Kevin Warren said Thursday that while team representatives have still been meeting with Illinois officials, the team's "sole focus" is now building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.
Kamilla Cardoso scored 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting as Chicago lost for the fourth time in five games.
A year-long investigation has led to an arrest in a fatal shooting in northwest suburban Des Plaines.
A man was due in court Thursday on charges of stabbing a woman to death in Chicago's Avondale community this week.
A man was set for a detention hearing Thursday in a shootout on Chicago's Near North Side.
Police released a video showing the packages spilling out from the truck's false bottom, with the stickers of Norway's soccer star Erling Haaland.
A man was shot and killed Tuesday night along busy McCormick Boulevard in the north Chicago suburb of Skokie.
