Crisis-Hit Boeing Readies Huge Effort to Return 737 MAX to the Skies

The tails of Boeing 737 MAX airplanes are seen as they sit parked at a Boeing facility adjacent to King County International Airport, known as Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, on May 31, 2019. David Ryder/Getty Images

SEATTLE/CHICAGO/PARIS—As Boeing Co. sets its sights on winning approval to fly its 737 MAX within weeks, following a six-month safety ban, engineers around the world are rolling out plans for one of the biggest logistical operations in civil aviation history.

Inside Boeing’s 737 factory at Renton, Washington, south of Seattle, workers have pre-assembled dedicated tool kits for technicians tasked with installing software updates and readying over 500 jets that have sat idle for months, insiders said.