FAA chief says 737 MAX won’t be cleared to resume flying in 2019

WASHINGTON : Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Steve Dickson confirmed Wednesday the agency will not allow Boeing Co’s (BA.N> grounded 737 MAX, involved in two fatal crashes in five months, to resume flying before the end of 2019.

Dickson told CNBC in an interview ahead of his testimony before the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that there are nearly a dozen milestones that must be completed before the plane can return to service.

Federal officials told Reuters earlier this week the FAA is not expected to authorize the plane to fly until January at the earliest, citing significant work still to be done. Some U.S. officials think it may not be until at least February that Dickson gives the green light.