Boeing hires pilots
for airlines to help relaunch 737 MAX - sources
SEATTLE (Reuters) -
Boeing Co is hiring up to 160 pilots to be embedded at airlines in its
latest bid to ensure its 737 MAX has a smooth comeback after a 20-month
safety ban, according to a recruitment document seen by Reuters and people
familiar with the move.
The new "Global
Engagement Pilots" will act as instructors or cockpit observers on
35-day assignments at an equivalent annual salary that could reach
$200,000, for a total potential cost of $32 million, one of the people
said.
The unusual hiring
spree is part of a Boeing campaign to protect the re-launch of its
redesigned 737 MAX from operational glitches and rebuild trust following
crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed a total of 346 people.
The strategy also
includes 24/7 surveillance of 737 MAX flights globally and talking points
for flight attendants to reassure passengers who express concern.
"Duties
include: consulting activities and assist in customer support, including
flying opportunities," according to a summary seen by Reuters of job
terms from a contracting firm carrying out the recruitment on behalf of
Boeing.
Pilots must have
1,000 hours of instructor experience and "no incidents, accidents,
losses or violations," and be licensed on the 737 and other Boeing
jetliners, it said.
"We continue to
work closely with global regulators and customers to safely return the
737-8 and 737-9 to service worldwide," a Boeing spokeswoman said.
Boeing and the U.S.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have said the plane is among the
world's safest after improvements to cockpit software and pilot training.
But a smooth return
to service is seen as vital for Boeing, which faces costs of $20 billion
over the grounding.
Boeing has already
drawn up plans for a $1 billion initial investment in pilot recruitment,
training, and developing a fight deck for the next generation of pilots.
But safety experts
said its decision to recruit pilots directly is unusual and signals
Boeing's wish to jumpstart the return to service and normalize the MAX as
soon as possible.
EXTRA PILOTS
CCL Aviation, based
in Isle of Man, UK, is hiring the pilots on behalf of Boeing, according to
the sources and document. The company calls itself the world's largest
provider of flight training personnel and instructor pilots.
CCL Aviation could
not immediately be reached for comment.
Extra pilots are
just one way Boeing is keeping close tabs on the 737 MAX's rollout.
Boeing has also set
up a 24/7 war room at its Seal Beach, California facility where staff using
massive LCD screens will handle "real-time fleet monitoring" for
"rapid issue resolution" if emergencies arise, sources briefed on
the plan told Reuters.
Boeing has also
deployed "onsite specialized teams" with 154 team members
supporting five global regions.
It has held
discussions with dozens of airlines to produce documents the carriers will
use to discuss the 737 MAX safety with passengers, according to a person
with knowledge of the effort.
That includes a
one-page primer offering flight attendants short, simple responses to
questions from passengers about what went wrong during the 737 MAX crashes,
and how Boeing fixed the problems, the person and a second industry source
said.
But the inclusion of
language about "shared accountability" led to delays and irked
some airlines, the second person said.
Indonesian
investigators have said Boeing failed to grasp risks in the design of
cockpit software on the MAX, sowing the seeds for a 2018 crash that also
involved errors by airline workers and crew. U.S. regulators cleared the
MAX last month.
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