CHICAGO, Dec 5 (Reuters) - The head of the Federal

Aviation Administration said on Thursday that Boeing ( BA ) has not yet

resumed producing 737 MAX airplanes following a machinists

strike, but plans to begin later this month.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker this week met with Boeing ( BA )

CEO Kelly Ortberg and toured Boeing's ( BA ) 737 plant in Renton,

Washington, as it boosts oversight following the strike, which

ended Nov. 4.

Whitaker said Boeing's ( BA ) plan is to slowly restart production

later this month and he plans another trip to Seattle in January

as the company ramps up.

"The thing that I was most struck by was we're four weeks

post-strike and they're still not producing airplanes, because

they're focused on their workforce, the training, making sure

they have the supply chain sorted out," Whitaker told Reuters in

an interview.

Boeing ( BA ) did not immediately comment.

Whitaker capped production at 38 737 MAX planes per month in

January after a door panel missing four key bolts flew off an

Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in midair that month, exposing serious

safety issues at Boeing ( BA ). He declined to say when he thought the

FAA would restore Boeing's ( BA ) ability to produce more than 38

planes per months, but said he would be surprised if it was less

than "multiple months" before they get close to the 38 maximum.

Whitaker said he expected to receive a proposed 737 MAX

engine deicing as soon as later this month that has been holding

up certification of the MAX 7. "We have done everything we can

our side awaiting that solution on the deicing" Whitaker said.

"That solution has to go into the current production line and

then has to be part of the certification (application)."