The Boeing 737 MAX was Boeing’s response to the Airbus improvisations on the A320 family with the Neo engines, amongst other changes. The 737 MAX was supposed to be available in four versions; however, only two have been certified: the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and the 737 MAX 9. Last night, Boeing said that the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has given it the go-ahead for the third variant to be tested for certification.

FAA clears the Boeing 737 – 10 for testing

Boeing said on Wednesday that the US aviation regulator had cleared it to begin certification flight testing of its 737 MAX 10, which will be the largest version of its bestselling aircraft, and aimed at seizing the top of the narrowbody market.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), on Tuesday, November 21, granted type inspection authorisation for the 737 MAX 10. This is typically the kickoff of the certification process, where FAA pilots fly on board as well. This milestone will indicate that flight testing can begin to certify the plane for normal operations.

The 737 MAX 10 is Boeing’s equivalent of the A321neo made by Airbus, which has seen a massive demand from customers due to its ability to carry more passengers on the same aircraft. It can seat up to 204 passengers on board and fly 3300 nautical miles with the payload.

The MAX 10 has logged more than 400 flights and almost 1,000 flight hours during Boeing’s test programme. However, the test hours for the flight that count towards certification will only count when the FAA pilots are on board.

The Boeing 737 MAX 7, the smallest aircraft in the 737 MAX family, is still awaiting the FAA nod, which is expected by 2023.

The certification process is expected to be tighter now, with the two crashes involving the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft earlier on, and the FAA nor Boeing would like to take any chances with this one.

Bottomline

Boeing has received FAA permission to kickstart the testing that needs to be put in on the Boeing 737 MAX 10, and it hopes to have the first one delivered in 2024. Meanwhile, the OEM continues waiting for approval to test the smallest variant, the 737 MAX 7.

What do you make of the timelines for approval of the 737 MAX 10?

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