OCT. 29, 2018 – A Lion Air 737 MAX plane crashes in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board
NOV. 13, 2018 – FAA, Boeing says they are evaluating the need for software or design changes to 737 MAX jets after the Lion Air crash
NOV. 30, 2018 – Boeing is considering plans to launch a software upgrade for its 737 MAX in six to eight weeks, which will help address a scenario facing the crew of Lion Air, Indonesia.
MARCH 10, 2019 – An Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash, killing all 157 people on board
MARCH 12, 2019 – FAA says Boeing must implement 737 MAX design changes by April, which have been going on for months
13 MARCH 2019 – FAA joins other major global regulators in joining the 737 MAX, citing similarities between the two fatal accidents
APRIL 6, 2019 – Boeing says it will reduce 737 MAX monthly production by almost 20%; U.S. and airline officials say they believe the plane could be on the ground for at least two months
MAY 16, 2019 – Boeing says it has completed a software update for its 737 MAX jets and is submitting a pilot training plan to the FAA.
JUNE 27, 2019 – Boeing says it will take until at least September to resolve a newly identified software issue that emerged when FAA test pilots reviewed potential flight control computer failure scenarios in a 737 MAX simulator.
JULY 18, 2019 – Boeing says it has accepted that the 737 MAX’s return to service in the United States and other jurisdictions will begin early in the fourth quarter.
OCT. 24, 2019 – Boeing says it still expects the FAA to have approval to fly the 737 MAX in the fourth quarter, which will send its shares higher despite a slump in quarterly earnings. FAA says it will take several weeks for review
NOV. 7, 2019 – US and European regulators ask Boeing to review documentation on proposed 737 MAX software solution
NOV. 11, 2019 – Boeing says it expects the FAA to issue an order in which the plane must return in December, and predicts that commercial flights will resume in January.
NOV. 15, 2019 – The head of the FAA tells his team to ‘take the necessary time’ in their review of the 737 MAX
DES. 11, 2019 – Steve Dickson, head of the FAA, says 737 MAX will not be released before the end of 2019
DES. 12, 2019 – Boeing abandons its goal of resuming regulatory approval for the 737 MAX to fly again in December, after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane would not be released before 2020.
DES. 23, 2019 – Boeing dismisses CEO Dennis Muilenburg
JAN. 6, 2020 – An audit conducted in December shows that wiring in the tail of the 737 MAX could cause a short circuit and lead to an accident if pilots do not know how to respond correctly
JAN. 9, 2020 – Last week, Boeing released hundreds of internal messages between employees to Congress and the FAA, which raised serious questions about its development of simulators and showed that employees could handle problems
JAN. 13, 2020 – Budget plane Ryanair reveals that it could receive its first deliveries of up to 10 grounded 737 MAX aircraft against Boeing by April, but warns it depends on regulators
JAN. 16, 2020 – Committee, appointed by Transport Secretary Elaine Chao in April, finds that the FAA approval process was not guilty
JAN. 21, 2020 – Boeing announces that it does not expect federal regulators to approve its changes to the grounded 737 Max until this summer, a few months longer than the company said just a few weeks ago.