Boeing's 737 Max inches closer to recertification

Civil aviation authorities and airline flight crews from the U.S., Canada, Brazil and the EU will meet in London on Monday to review Boeing's proposed training for 737 Max flight crews, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

This is an important milestone in the eventual ungrounding of the jet that was involved in two crashes that killed a total of 346 people.

On Friday, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency also completed its test flights of the Max in Vancouver, British Columbia, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Canada completed its own independent test flights in late August.

While items continue to get taken off the recertification checklist, a number of key steps still remain before the Max can take to the skies.

One of those steps involves FAA Administrator Steve Dickson undergoing the recommended pilot training and flying the 737 Max himself.

The Max has been grounded since March 2019, and Boeing hopes to resume deliveries of its once-bestselling jet in the fourth quarter.

Airlines have been forced to park nearly 2,000 aircraft as the demand for air travel remains suppressed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In late July, Boeing revealed cancellations continued to outpace new orders.

Executives warned of more layoffs in the months to come, and a sharp cut to commercial aircraft production.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said on a second quarter earnings call that they "continue to see volatility in the recovery path ahead," and believe it will take three years for commercial air travel to return to 2019 levels.