CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has granted Boeing Co. (BA) an amended type certificate for the new 737 MAX 7 airplane, clearing it for commercial service.
The approval comes after nearly a decade long delay amid strict regulatory scrutiny following the deadly crashes involving the 737 MAX 8 in 2018 and 2019.
The regulatory approval clears another 737 MAX variant for service. The FAA also updated Boeing Production Certificate No. 700 (PC 700) to include the 737 MAX 7.
The 787 MAX 7 is the smallest and longest-range member of the 737 MAX family, serving an important market segment by offering 135 to 160 seats in a two-class configuration.
The regulatory approval caps a multi-year certification effort in which Boeing demonstrated through comprehensive testing and analysis that the airplane meets all commercial aviation regulations.
The test program, which began in 2018, included more than 1,000 hours of flight and ground testing, extensive system safety analysis and human factors reviews, and an updated engine anti-ice system to address a potential condition that was discovered during flight testing.
Boeing and Southwest Airlines, the 737 MAX 7 launch customer, are preparing for delivery of the first airplane.
Boeing is also awaiting certification from the FAA of another long-delayed model, the 737 MAX 10, as well as its largest plane, the 777X.
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