No safety OK for Max 8 aircraft until all issues resolved, Garneau says

By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Transport Minister Marc Garneau says Boeing’s Max 8 aircraft won’t be allowed to fly in Canadian skies until officials believe all safety concerns have been addressed.

He says in a statement that Transport Canada will work with its American, European and Brazilian counterparts before giving the aircraft a stamp of approval.

Transport Canada officials took part in test flights of the 737 Max 8 aircraft in recent days and are analyzing the results before giving the thumbs-up to proposed changes to the aircraft.

Now, the plane will be further tested in Vancouver starting Sept. 7 under an agreement between Boeing, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Europe’s aviation safety regulator.

With a new round of test flights about to start, Garneau says he still expects the FAA and the company to prove the aircraft is safe.

Canada closed its skies to the Boeing aircraft after an Ethiopian Airlines flight crashed in March 2019, killing all 157 people on board, including 18 Canadians.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2020.

The Canadian Press

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