Aviation giant Boeing is reportedly in the early stages of designing a new single aisle jet that would eventually replace its 737 MAX.According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the matter said that the company has been exploring engine options for the aircraft. Earlier this year, CEO Kelly Ortberg met with officials from Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.L) in the UK to discuss a potential new engine. Boeing is also working on the flight deck design, though the project is still in its planning phase and no final decisions have been made.A spokesperson told the WSJ that Boeing’s recovery plan is progressing, focusing on delivering around 6,000 backlogged commercial aircraft and certifying previously announced models. The 737 MAX, which entered service in 2017, was grounded worldwide in 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people. The tragedies caused financial losses, legal challenges, and a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The FAA lifted the grounding order in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.Last Friday, the FAA authorised Boeing to issue airworthiness certificates for some 737 MAX jets, a power it lost in 2019 following the fatal crash in Ethiopia. Boeing continues to face strict regulatory oversight.Earlier this year, the FAA capped 737 MAX production at 38 planes per month after a mid-air cabin panel blew off an Alaska Airlines (ALK.N) jet, later found missing four bolts, according to Reuters. The incident prompted the US justice department to investigate and declared Boeing had failed to comply with a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement, originally imposed after the company misled regulators during the MAX’s certification process.
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