Multiple countries join US-led panel probing Boeing 737 Max certification

Aviation authorities from eight countries and the European Union (EU) will join several U.S. agencies in reviewing the certification of the Boeing 737 Max automated flight control system after a pair of deadly crashes in six months forced the aircraft to be grounded globally.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Friday that civil aviation authorities from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the EU would join the U.S.-led Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) panel.

The panel, which was formed earlier this month, is chaired by former National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairman Chris Hart and includes experts from the FAA, NASA and other international aviation authorities.{mosads}

The group will probe aspects of the airplane’s automated flight control system, including its design and pilots’ interaction with it, to determine whether it complies with regulations and find necessary modifications.

The JATR will begin its work, which is expected to take 90 days, on April 29.

Boeing admitted earlier this month that “erroneous” information that activated the planes’ Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System contributed to the deadly crashes involving two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

The Trump administration temporarily grounded Boeing 737 Max planes, as have several other governments.

Last month, 157 people were killed on an Ethiopian Airlines flight that took place on a Boeing 737 Max aircraft. In October, 189 were killed on a Lion Air fight.