Boeing withdraws bid for safety exemption for Boeing 737 MAX 7

Boeing withdraws bid for safety exemption for Boeing 737 MAX 7

Boeing confirmed late on Monday it is withdrawing a request it made to the Federal Aviation Administration last year seeking an exemption from a safety standard for its 737 MAX 7 that is awaiting certification.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, who chairs an aviation subcommittee, said last week she opposed Boeing's exemption request that would "prematurely allow the 737 MAX 7 to enter commercial service."

She noted the exemption Boeing had sought "involves an anti-ice system that can overheat and cause the engine nacelle to break apart and fall off. This could generate fuselage-penetrating debris, which could endanger passengers in window seats behind the wing."

Boeing said late on Monday "while we are confident that the proposed time-limited exemption for that system follows established FAA processes to ensure safe operation, we will instead incorporate an engineering solution that will be completed during the certification process."