Boeing Wants to Restart 737 MAX Production By May

Boeing Co. is planning to restart production of its troubled 737 MAX aircraft by May, according to a new report from Reuters News Service.

That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be back in the air. The 737 MAX still must go through a recertification process with the Federal Aviation Administration after having the plane grounded since March of 2019, following two separate crashes that killed 346 passengers and crew.

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But Boeing is hoping to jump-start the process and, according to Reuters, has asked some suppliers to be ready to ship 737 parts in April, although its timetable will be dictated by the spread of the coronavirus.

“It’ll be a very slow, methodical, systematic approach to warming the line-up, and getting crews back in place,” Boeing Chief Financial Officer Greg Smith told Reuters on Tuesday when asked about the May restart goal. “Priority No. 1 is getting customers’ fleets back up. We don’t want to add to inventory.”

Boeing ceased production of the jet in January as it struggled to win regulatory approvals and accrued a backlog of 400 undelivered jets.

Boeing is also seeking $60 billion in U.S. government aid to prop up its finances and the embattled American aerospace supply chain.