Boeing Max Edges Toward China Return as Test Flights Near
- Jet still grounded in China, but tests would signal progress
- Status of Max is harbinger of broader U.S.-China relations
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Chinese aviation officials have signaled they are open to conducting flight tests on Boeing Co.’s 737 Max, a step toward lifting the plane’s grounding in that nation after more than two years, according to people familiar with the matter.
Details of a validation flight for the Max in China are still being worked out, but the discussions are a sign of possible progress in what has become a lengthy standoff over the plane, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private. Boeing is preparing to send a delegation of around 35 pilots and engineers to meet with regulators in late July after they undergo weeks of quarantine, one of the people said.