Boeing still hasn't fixed this problem on Max jets, so it's asking for an exemption to safety rules

Boeing has approached the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requesting an exemption for a forthcoming model of its 737 Max aircraft from a safety code meant to prevent overheating and detaching of the engine enclosure during flight. Last year, Boeing undertook to rectify this risk in existing Max planes, meanwhile advising pilots to moderate the use of the anti-icing system in certain situations to prevent damage that might cause loss of plane control. Yet with no immediate solution available, Boeing sought a waiver from the FAA last month regarding safety norms for engine inlets and the anti-ice system until May 2026. This exemption is significant to begin supplying the new, smaller Max 7 aircraft to airlines.

On Friday, Boeing confirmed its commitment towards "developing a long-term solution" that would be evaluated by the FAA. Critics, however, have voiced apprehensions about reliance on pilots’ recall to restrict the use of the anti-icing system. American Airlines’ pilots spokesman, Dennis Tajer, on being informed of potential fatalities, said, "We are not interested in seeing exemptions and accommodations that depend on human memory… there has to be a superior method."

Pilots of Max 8 and Max 9 have been instructed to limit the anti-icing system's usage to five minutes during dry flight conditions. This is because the FAA highlighted that overheating of engine inlets could lead to elements of the housing breaking off and damaging the plane, which could lead to immediate decompression if windows break. This is what transpired during a 2018 Southwest Airlines flight involving an older 737 type. A detached engine casing damaged a window, resulting in the death of a woman passenger.

This overheating problem is only applicable to the Max, whose engine inlets are made of carbon composite materials rather than metal. Boeing stated that pilots of the new Max 7 would adhere to the same directions as current models for the anti-ice systems. The company's spokeswoman promised a long-term solution to the heating issue to be tested thoroughly and reviewed by the FAA.

The FAA stated that while no reports of the issue occurring on Max flights have been received, a warning to pilots was issued due to the risk's magnitude, discovered during a test flight. After the 737 Max went into operations in May 2017, two fatal crashes happened in 2018 and 2019, claiming 346 lives. These disasters led to the worldwide grounding of all Max aircraft for almost two years. Boeing then had to amend a faulty automated flight control system. Recently, deliveries of Max planes have been hampered by manufacturing flaws, and last month, Boeing alerted airlines about the potential of a loose bolt in the rudder control system.