A Boeing 737 Max jet File Photo: IC

As of April 10, 43 Boeing 737 MAX planes, nearly half of China's MAX fleet, have returned to commercial service, US plane manufacturer Boeing said on Tuesday.

Boeing also said it is offering enhanced 737 MAX flight training capability in China and it has recently upgraded a training device at its Shanghai Flight Training Campus to support Chinese airline operations.

"This equipment enables us to further improve our support to operators as they expand 737 MAX operations in China and regionally," said Sherry Carbary, president of Boeing China.

The 737 MAX flight training device (FTD) is a fixed-base unit that simulates 737 MAX flight deck and aircraft operations for commercial pilots. Almost all training for normal procedures and non-normal procedures can be conducted on the 737 MAX FTD, allowing trainees to learn and practice before advancing to the final stage of the course in the 737 MAX full flight simulator.

Boeing Shanghai Aviation Flight Training Co, also known as Boeing Commercial Training Solutions Shanghai Training Campus, is a Boeing subsidiary located at Shanghai Pudong Airport Working Area. As a part of Boeing Global Services' Training Solutions, it provides innovative training solutions for pilots, maintenance crews and cabin crews to Chinese airline customers.

China suspended commercial flights of the Boeing 737 MAX in March 2019 after two fatal crashes.

In September 2022, China's aviation regulator and Boeing held a meeting, which concluded with news that China was about to finish the process for re-introducing the Boeing 737 MAX.

China Southern Airlines restarted 737 MAX flights on January 13, the first commercial service with the model since the grounding in March 2019.