Boeing to invest $1 billion in global safety drive

Outlines of the new investment were drawn up in the wake of the crashes as Boeing executives acknowledged that stall-prevention software known as MCAS confused the pilots due to an overwhelming workload, the people said.

Investigations have raised questions over whether that was in part due to faulty assumptions about the hazards involved, leading to a design that placed unrealistic demands on pilots.

Investigators and global regulators have also pinpointed concerns about certification and training.

Boeing says it followed industry practice on reaction times.

Experts say that Boeing, as the largest planemaker in the world, and its regulator, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, have played a key role in shaping global standards around aircraft design and operations.

Even before the crashes, the aircraft industry was bracing for a staffing shortfall of 1.5 million aircraft technicians and pilots over the next 20 years.

Both Boeing and Europe's Airbus have already launched beginner training programs to help ease the shortages.

The crashes have also sped up a rethink of safety needs in emerging markets, where demand for new jets is driving a huge share of Boeing's business. But airlines face gaps in regulation and infrastructure.

Safety experts have voiced concerns that the sheer growth of aviation has lowered the bar for the skills required to enter training, adding pressure for cockpit and training improvements.

"There is a large generation of pilots that will be needed over the next 20 years and we need to be thinking about designing our airplanes for that next generation," Muilenburg said at the hearing last week.