Updated 52m ago · Business
FAA Certifies Boeing 737 MAX 7 After Years of Delays
The FAA on Monday certified the Boeing 737 MAX 7, the smallest model in the MAX family, following nearly a decade of delays.
- 346 people died in two MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019.
- The agency required updated flight-control software, alerting systems, and a redesigned engine anti-ice system.
- Southwest Airlines called the certification an 'important step' toward modernizing its 737 fleet.
- Boeing opened a new 737 MAX production line in Everett, Washington, in July.
Why it matters: Airlines can begin flying passengers soon after certification, but scheduling the MAX 7 into routes could take months.
- Boeing depends on aircraft deliveries for the bulk of its revenue, making new certifications central to its recovery.
How 5 sources split on this story
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Coverage by lean
5 sources · 8 articles · 60% Center coverage
Center coverage, 3 sources: The center frames the certification as a milestone in Boeing's long road back from crisis, with recovery still incomplete.
Left1 source
Right coverage, 1 sources: The right frames the certification as a regulatory conclusion to years of delays, noting practical limits on how fast airlines can deploy the plane.
What’s next: The FAA has yet to certify the 737 MAX 10, the largest in the family, and the 777X.
- In mid-July, the FAA restored Boeing's ability to issue airworthiness certificates for the MAX and 787 Dreamliner.
- How quickly will Southwest and other carriers integrate the MAX 7 into their flight schedules?
- When will the FAA complete its review of the 737 MAX 10 and 777X?