European aviation regulator gives go-ahead on Boeing 737 Max return

Adam Chappelle

Updated: Oct 16, 2020 / 06:19 AM EDT

A Boeing 737 MAX jet lands following a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington on June 29, 2020. – US regulators conducted the first a test flight of the Boeing 737 MAX on Monday, a key step in recertifying the jet that has been grounded for more than a year following two fatal crashes.
A MAX aircraft took off from Boeing Field in Seattle at 1655 GMT, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said. (Photo by Jason Redmond / AFP) (Photo by JASON REDMOND/AFP via Getty Images)

COLOGNE, Germany (NewsNation Now) — The leading aviation regulator in Europe have given the go-ahead for airlines to return the Boeing 737 Max to their fleets.

Boeing’s 737 Max planes have been grounded for more than 18 months following a pair of fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s executive director, Patrick Ky, gave the green light to Boeing on Friday, despite some at the EASA demanding Boeing include a safety upgrade that won’t be ready for at least two more years.

The EASA is in the process of doing final document reviews ahead of a four-week public comment period, Bloomberg reported. The safety upgrade some say is necessary for the Max to return to the skies, a software-based “synthetic sensor,” will not likely be installed on Max-10 variants for at least 20-24 months.

The Federal Aviation Administration has still not green-lighted the jet to return to U.S. airspace, nor has the agency given a timetable for finishing its safety review.