Transport Canada
Transport Canada provides additional requirements to return Boeing 737 MAX to service. Credit: LunchWithaLens via flickr.

Transport Canada has concluded its review of the grounded Boeing 737 MAX and issued an airworthiness directive (AD) for the aircraft.

The AD provides an outline for the necessary modifications before returning the aircraft to service in Canadian airspace.

During the independent review process, Transport Canada’s civil aviation certification and flight safety experts were instrumental in making the aircraft design changes.

The department also introduced new Canadian measures for additional improved aircraft safety.

Furthermore, Transport Canada issued an interim order that outlines requirements for airlines on extra crew training.

Canada Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said: “Over the last 20 months, Transport Canada’s civil aviation safety experts, by their rigour and thoroughness, have ensured the safety concerns the department had identified have been addressed.

“Canadians and the airline industry can rest assured that Transport Canada has diligently addressed all safety issues prior to permitting this aircraft to return to service in Canadian airspace.”

On 20 January, Transport Canada has decided to cancel the existing Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), which banned the commercial operation of the aircraft in Canadian airspace.

The department spent more than 15,000 review hours and worked with various authorities, including the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC) and more.

Earlier this month, Boeing and the US Department of Justice (DOJ) signed an agreement to resolve the 737 MAX aircraft conspiracy fraud. The company agreed to pay more than $2.5bn to settle the case.

Boeing temporarily grounded its 737 MAX following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in October 2018 and March 2019 respectively. The crashes claimed the lives of 346 people.