The American justice system is preparing to shed light on one of the thorniest chapters of recent civil aviation. The United States District Judge Reed O'Connor has set the hearing for June 23 in which the American aerospace giant Boeing will have to answer to the fraud charges related to the certification of the B-737 Max, the aircraft involved in the tragic accidents of 2018 and 2019 that cost the lives of 346 people.

The judge's decision was welcomed by the victims' families, who see this trial as an opportunity to seek justice. "After years of waiting, we will finally have answers", a spokesperson for the families said. "We want Boeing to take responsibility for its actions and to take steps to prevent such tragedies from happening again".

It was October 29, 2018 when Lion Air flight 610, operated with a Boeing -737 Max 8, crashed into the Java Sea, Indonesia, shortly after takeoff from Jakarta. All 189 people on board lost their lives in the accident (see AVIONEWS). Then, on March 10, 2019, it was the turn of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302: another B-737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, causing the death of all 157 people on board. Both accidents were linked to a defect in the flight control system of the -737 Max, known as MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System). See for details also AVIONEWS.

Of course, the hearing comes at a delicate time for Boeing, which in 2021 reached a settlement with the Department of Justice admitting its liability and agreeing to pay a fine of $2.5 billion (see also another plea deal the following year, and related link). However, according to recent rumors in the "Wall Street Journal," the company is now trying to renegotiate the terms of the settlement, aiming for more lenient treatment from the government. This has sparked outrage among the families of the victims and industry observers, who accuse the industry of trying to avoid its responsibilities. "It is unacceptable for Boeing to try to minimize its guilt", said a lawyer for the families. "The 346 victims deserve justice and we will not allow them to be forgotten".

The trial promises to be complex, and full of twists and turns. The families of the victims are determined to get answers and make Boeing pay for its mistakes. The stakes are very high: the credibility of an aviation giant and the public's trust in the safety of its planes.