The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved test flights 737 MAX for September, saying while its working to see the “aircraft to service as soon as possible” this can only happen only once Europe’s regulators are happy it is safe.
“While Boeing still has some final actions to close off, EASA judges the overall maturity of the re-design process is now sufficient to proceed to flight tests. These are a prerequisite for the European agency to approve the aircraft’s new design,” the agency said in a statement today.
EASA said that has been working with the FAA and Boeing to schedule its flight tests, a process which it said had been hindered by COVID 19 travel restrictions between Europe and the United States.
Agreement has been reached that EASA’s flight tests will take place in Vancouver, Canada in the week starting September 7.
Simulator tests will take place in the previous week (from Sept 1, 2020) in London Gatwick in the United Kingdom. The Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB), will also take place in Gatwick, in the week beginning September 14.