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The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given the long-awaited certification to Boeing’s 737 MAX 10 aircraft.
Featuring up to 230 seats, the MAX 10 is the largest aircraft in the 737 MAX family, joining the MAX 7 – which was certified earlier this year – as well as the MAX 8 and MAX 9. The announcement will be welcome news for Virgin Australia, which is expecting its first MAX 10 to arrive next year.
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“After extensive safety reviews – including thousands of hours of test flights – the team at the FAA is ready to approve this critical aircraft for sale,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“This is a major win for American manufacturing and our nation’s status as a global aviation powerhouse. We invented flight, we pioneered air travel, and we are going to continue leading the way in aviation safety and innovation.”
Boeing so far has an order book of 1,555 737 MAX 10s for 30 customers around the world. This includes 10 firm orders from Virgin Australia, which will operate the MAX 10 alongside its existing MAX 8 fleet, having received the first in June 2023.
“Completing the certification program clears the path for us to deliver a Boeing airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
“The 737-10 offers greater capacity, longer range and the best seat economics in its class, a platform that will create more value and opportunities for airlines around the world.
“We are also delighted to complete the 737 MAX family and provide our customers the most efficient and flexible single-aisle airplane portfolio in the industry.”
Boeing said the MAX 10 certification process included more than 2,000 hours of flight testing and 1,000 ground test hours, as well as “tens of thousands of pages of documentation and many hours of formal meetings with the FAA”.
“Our flight test team ran a disciplined, methodical campaign to validate every system. That rigour gives us confidence as we move toward deliveries. I’m incredibly proud of the entire team for their focus and professionalism,” said Chris Payne, vice president and general manager of 737 Airplane Development Programs for Boeing Commercial Airplanes
According to FAA administrator Bryan Bedford, the approval “follows a thorough review of the aircraft’s design and safety requirements”.
“We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest safety standards as the company begins production of the 737 MAX 10,” he said.
Virgin Australia completed its order of 26 737 MAX 8s with the arrival of the last one, VH-8VK “Woolamai Beach”, in September.
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