UPDATE 1-Boeing invites pilots, regulators to brief about plan to support 737 MAX's return

Boeing Co said it invited more than 200 airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an informational session on Wednesday, as part of an effort to share details about its plan to support the return of the 737 MAX to commercial service.

The meeting is a sign that Boeing's planned software patch is nearing completion, though it will still need regulatory approval. The session in Renton, Washington on Wednesday is part of a plan to reach all current and many future 737 MAX operators and their home regulators, Boeing said in a statement.

"We continue to work closely with our customers and regulators on software and training updates for the 737 MAX," the manufacturer said. "Boeing is paying for the development of these updates." Teams from the three U.S. airlines that own 737 MAX jets participated in a session in Renton reviewing a planned software upgrade on Saturday.

U.S. regulators are preparing to receive and review the fixes in the coming weeks following deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. (Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru and Jamie Freed in Singapore; Editing by Chris Reese and Michael Perry)