FAA finally gives stamp of approval to 737 MAX 7

The news comes as Boeing awaits certification of the largest 737 MAX variant, the MAX 10, with Virgin Australia expecting its first MAX 10 aircraft next year.

“The approval reflects years of sustained work to resolve complex technical issues and complete a thorough review of the airplane’s design and supporting safety analyses,” the regulator said in a statement.

“The FAA performed or directly reviewed significant work involving flight controls, system safety assessments, human factors, flight crew alerting, and other novel, complex, or safety-critical areas, while also requiring testing, design changes, and additional analysis where necessary.”

The FAA required a number of key improvements before granting certification, including “updates to the flight-control software, flight crew alerting system, and a redesigned engine anti-ice system”.

“These changes provide pilots clearer information and warnings and prevent the engine inlet from overheating and potentially weakening the surrounding structure,” it said.

“FAA safety inspectors will remain on site at Boeing production facilities across the country to closely monitor the manufacturing process, including observing and assessing Boeing’s Safety Management System (SMS) and safety culture.”

VIEW ALL

>

The MAX 7 will offer 135 to 160 seats in a two-class configuration, with a range of up to 3,800 nautical miles (7,040 km).

According to Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the aircraft – which succeeds the 737-700 – is “designed for exceptional performance for operators flying out of airports at high altitudes and hot climates”.

“This important certification validates the rigour of our airplane’s design and recognizes the determination and resilience of our 737 MAX development team,” she said.

“Our team of dedicated engineers and test experts worked through challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new certification processes.

“Through it all, our team stayed focused on completing all requirements and delivering a safe and more capable airplane to our customers.”

The test program, which began in 2018, included more than 1,000 hours of flight and ground testing, as well as “extensive system safety analysis and human factors reviews”.

“Our Boeing team held regular and detailed discussions with the FAA to ensure Boeing understood the requirements and provided transparency of our progress,” said Mike Sinnett, Boeing’s senior vice president of product strategy, product development and development programs.

“With this certification program, Boeing has developed a clearer understanding of the latest regulatory requirements, which is expected to accelerate future airplane development with a renewed emphasis on human factors, safety and quality.”

Boeing will now work with its 737 MAX 7 launch customer, US-based Southwest Airlines, for delivery of the first aircraft.