Statement on Transport Canada’s validation tests of updated Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft

August 28, 2020            Ottawa, Ontario             Transport Canada

“The Government of Canada remains committed to keeping Canadians, the travelling public, and the transportation system safe and secure.

“Transport Canada continues to work extensively with the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and civil aviation authorities in Europe and Brazil throughout the validation process of the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft.

“Transport Canada will not lift the flight restrictions on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 until the department is fully satisfied that all safety concerns have been addressed by the manufacturer and the FAA, and that enhanced flight crew procedures and training are in place.”

Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau

Background information

Transport Canada has successfully completed a series of flight test activities of the updated aircraft as part of the validation process. From August 23 to 25, 2020, Transport Canada’s flight test crew were flown to Seattle, Washington, to conduct evaluations on the engineering simulator at the Boeing facility and then at the end of the each test day, were flown back to Vancouver.

The flight test evaluations took place on August 26 and 27 in U.S. airspace using the Boeing test aircraft.

Mitigation measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic were established for the validation activities, including the flight tests, to ensure the health and safety of Transport Canada employees.

Canada is the first international regulator to complete validation testing activities of the aircraft. Transport Canada is now analyzing the results of these tests. Transport Canada will determine, through its own independent review, whether to validate the proposed changes.

This fall, once our analysis is completed, Transport Canada will participate in a Joint Operational Evaluation Board, which is made up of representatives from global certification authorities. The results of the Board will be used to establish the minimum training requirements for the return to service of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft.