Gallery: The Boeing 737 MAX Timeline

2011 - JUL. 20:  Faced with the prospect of losing marquee customer American Airlines, Boeing announces it will re-engine the 737 instead of developing a clean-sheet successor later in the decade. American commits to 100 of them.

2012 - JUN. 30:  Boeing submits application to U.S. FAA to amend type certificate A16WE to include 737-8.

2016 - JAN. 29: First flight of the inital version of the MAX, 737-8 1A001.

2017 - MAR. 17: MAX family baseline, the 737-8, certified by U.S. FAA.

2017 - APR. 13: First flight of second MAX version, the 737-9, 1D001.

2017 - MAY. 22: MAX enters commercial service with Malaysia’s Malindo Air.

2017 - JUN. 19: Fourth MAX variant, the 737-10, is launched.

2018 - MAR. 16: First flight of third MAX version, the 737-7, 1E001.

2018 - MAR. 21: First 737-9 delivered.

2018 - OCT. 29: Lion Air Flight JT610, a three-month-old 737-8, crashes 13 min. after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 on board.

2018 - NOV. 6: Boeing issues an operators’ bulletin explaining that “erroneous (angle-of-attack) data” can cause “the pitch trim system [to] trim the stabilizer nose down in increments lasting up to 10 sec.” and references the correct emergency procedures. This is the first public description of the MAX’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), though it is not referenced by name.

Read about the many mistakes Boeing and the FAA made during the MAX’s design and certification.

2018 - NOV. 7: FAA issues emergency directive warning that data from one faulty AOA sensor creates “potential for repeated nose-down trim commands of the horizontal stabilizer.” Operators are ordered to update MAX flight manuals to include Boeing’s Nov. 6 bulletin. The MCAS is not referenced.

2018 - NOV. 10:  Boeing issues bulletin to operators with more details about the MCAS and identifies the system by name. Many airlines issue internal bulletins to their pilots. This is how most pilots learn that the MCAS exists.

2019 - JAN. 13: First flight of high-density MAX version, the 737-8 200

2019 - MAR. 10: Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 (ET302), a 737-8, crashes 6 min. after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing all 157 on board.

2019 - MAR. 11: Chinese regulators ban all MAX operations. The FAA issues update providing details of Boeing’s planned MCAS software changes, saying it “anticipates mandating these design changes no later than April 2019.”

2019 - MAR. 12: Regulators in Singapore, Australia and across Europe ban MAX operations. Boeing releases details of planned changes to the MCAS.

2019 - MAR. 13: FAA becomes the last regulator to ban MAX operations, citing refined satellite data and evidence from the ET302 crash site that links the two MAX accidents.

2019 - MAR. 14: Boeing pauses MAX deliveries.

2019 - APR. 5: Boeing temporarily cuts 737 production to 42 airplanes per month from 52.

2019 - MAY. 16: Boeing announces that its MCAS software updates are complete, and it is addressing related requests from the FAA as part of recertifying the MAX.

Read about the details of the MCAS software updates.

2019 - JUN. 26: Boeing confirms that the FAA has requested another flight-control issue be addressed, further delaying a return to service. This issue is not related to the MCAS.

2019 - JUL. 18: Boeing announces $4.9 billion in quarterly charges related to the MAX grounding and customer compensation.

2019 - JUL 24: Boeing warns it could completely suspend MAX production if return-to-service time frame continues to slip.

2019 - OCT. 25: JT610 final report issued, citing design and certification problems among contributing factors to accident.

2020 - JAN. 7: Boeing reverses years-long stance, endorses simulator training for all MAX pilots, regardless of their experience.

Revamped MAX training prioritizes getting pilots information. Get details here.

2020 - JAN. 10: Internal documents released as part of U.S. government probe show Boeing purposely minimized MCAS’ presence to avoid “greater certification and training impact” and dismissed Lion Air’s concerns that transitioning MAX pilots needed simulator sessions.

2020 - JAN. 20: Boeing pauses MAX production.

2020 - MAR. 9: Interim report on ET302 cites design, certification and required training failures as contributing factors in accident.

2020 - MAY. 27: Boeing announces resumption of MAX production at low rate.

2020 - JUL. 1: Boeing and FAA complete three days of MAX certification flight tests.

2020 - AUG. 3: FAA issues draft airworthiness directive (AD) outlining required MAX changes.

2020 - SEPT. 24: Joint Operations Evaluation Board of Brazilian, Canadian, U.S. and European Union regulators completes review of new proposed MAX training.

2020 -OCT. 6: FAA publishes draft Flight Standardization Board (FSB) report outlining revised minimum training for all MAX pilots.

2020 - OCT. 6: FAA publishes draft Flight Standardization Board (FSB) report outlining revised minimum training for all MAX pilots.

2020 - NOV. 16: Approved 737 FSB revision 17 is released with new 737 MAX training.

2020 - NOV. 18: FAA releases AD finalizing required MAX changes and rescinds its operations ban.

2020 - NOV. 24: EASA outlines its proposed return-to-service parameters in a draft AD.

2020 - NOV. 25: Brazil’s ANAC approves 737 MAX’s return.

2020 - DEC. 8: Boeing resumes 737 MAX deliveries.

2020 - DEC. 9: The 737 MAX returns to service, with Brazil’s GOL operating the first post-grounding revenue flights.

2020 - DEC. 29: American Airlines operates the first U.S. MAX flights post-grounding.

2021 - JAN. 18: Transport Canada issues its final AD and clears the MAX to return starting Jan. 20.

2021 - JAN. 21: WestJet re-starts 737 MAX service in Canada.

2021 - JAN. 27: EASA issues AD and approves 737 MAX return to service.  

2021 - FEB. 17: TUI becomes the first European operator to return MAXs to revenue service.

TODAY - Of the 484 MAX in the active fleet, 316 aircraft, or 65% of the total fleet, remain in storage despite recent recertification. Excluding the 97 aircraft in China, 57% of the fleet is currently in storage, according to Jefferies.