Boeing said on Wednesday that a planned software fix for its 737 Max aircraft will “ensure that accidents like these will never happen again”, a tacit acknowledgment that the plane’s flight control system could have played a role in two deadly 737 Max crashes in five months.
The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer, which has faced intense criticism since the crash of two 737 Max aircraft that killed 346 people, tried to regain the initiative by releasing details of the software changes planned to resolve problems with an automated anti-stall feature that may have malfunctioned in both crashes.
The announcement came hours before lawmakers begin hearings on the safety of the 737 Max on Capitol Hill. Elaine Chao, the US transport secretary, said it was “very questionable” why some safety features were not required on the 737 Max.