FAA certifies Boeing 737 Max 10 for passenger service after years of delays

The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday approved Boeing's 737 Max 10 for passenger service, ending years of delays, according to AP, The Seattle Times and others. The Seattle Times reported that the FAA issued an amended type certificate, which confirms that the plane complies with all design and safety requirements, and an updated Production Limitation Record, which authorizes Boeing to begin producing the aircraft. AP said that with production approved, the aircraft can now be sold to domestic and foreign carriers. [ 3 , 4 , 6 , 10 ]

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement that the decision followed a thorough review of the aircraft's design and safety requirements, and that the FAA would continue to hold Boeing to the highest safety standards as it begins production. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement that after extensive safety reviews, including thousands of hours of test flights, the FAA team was ready to approve the aircraft for sale, calling it a major win for American manufacturing. Duffy visited Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington, on Tuesday. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]

Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said completing the certification program clears the path to deliver an airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation. At a celebratory event at the Everett delivery center, she said it marks another major milestone in Boeing's recovery and unlocks a key to its future growth. Boeing says the Max 10 will typically seat 185-210 passengers, compared with 175-195 on the Max 9 and 160-180 on the Max 8. [ 3 , 4 , 6 , 10 ]

The jet was introduced at the Paris air show in 2017, and technical and regulatory hurdles repeatedly delayed certification. Boeing said in its 2020 annual report that it expected to make the first delivery in 2023. AP reported that the company now expects to begin deliveries in 2027, while UPI said the approval clears the way for first deliveries in the next few months of more than 1,500 orders. [ 3 , 4 , 10 , 13 ]

Boeing said in a news release that the Max 10 completed a certification process that included almost 1,000 test flights. It said the jet brings an improved Angle-of-Attack system, set to become standard across the 737 Max family, and was the first to be certified to the full extent of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act. UPI noted that Duffy told CNBC the U.S. system was hurting America's global competitiveness, saying certification in Europe takes less than half the time. [ 13 ]

The FAA approved the Max 7, the smallest Max model, in early August. The Seattle Times reported that Boeing is still working to certify its 777X family. CNBC reported that Boeing opened a fourth production line in Everett in July for its 737 Max airplanes. It also reported that United CEO Scott Kirby said in August that the lie-flat seats the airline expected for the plane no longer make sense, and that Alaska Airlines plans to put lie-flat seats on some of its Max 10s. [ 6 , 8 ]

Reuters had reported on 19 October, citing sources, that the U.S. was set to announce certification of the Max 10 on Tuesday. [ 1 , 2 ]