Washington (dpa) - US aircraft maker Boeing on Monday said deliveries of its grounded 737 MAX commercial jets could resume next month.

Boeing said in a statement that US regulators at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are to determine the timing of certification and of return to commercial service, but the company continues to target certification of the MAX flight-control software updates during the current quarter.

"Based on this schedule, it is possible that the resumption of MAX deliveries to airline customers could begin in December, after certification, when the FAA issues an Airworthiness Directive rescinding the grounding order," the Boeing statement said.

It is also working towards updated training requirements that must be in place before the MAX returns to commercial service.

The troubled 737 MAX, grounded since March after crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia killed 346 people, has been the company's focus since the grounding as it works to correct software that appears to have caused the problem.

Boeing said it is working closely with the FAA and other regulatory authorities as it works towards certification and spelled out five key milestones Boeing must reach before return to service.

"With the rigorous scrutiny being applied, we are confident the MAX will be one of the safest airplanes ever to fly," its statement said.

American Airlines, one of Boeing's top customers, on Friday set March 5 as the anticipated date of the resumption of 737 MAX commercial service in American's fleet.

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