Boeing’s long-delayed 737 MAX 10 programme has moved closer to a major milestone after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed an important stage of its safety review.
According to reports published on October 16, the FAA’s Type Certification Board had completed its key review, bringing the aircraft closer to a possible certification decision.
The 737 MAX 10 is the largest variant of Boeing’s popular 737 MAX family and is designed to serve high-demand routes with greater passenger capacity.
The aircraft programme has experienced several years of delays, allowing Airbus to strengthen the position of its A321neo in the narrow-body aircraft market.
Boeing has received nearly 1,500 orders for the MAX 10, representing approximately 30 per cent of its outstanding 737 backlog.
Major customers include United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Ryanair, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.
Certification is particularly important for Boeing as the company continues working to restore confidence following previous 737 MAX safety controversies and production challenges.
A successful certification would be a significant development for Boeing’s commercial aircraft business and could strengthen its competitive position against Airbus.
However, completing a regulatory review does not itself mean that certification has been granted. The final approval remains subject to the FAA’s decision.