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FAA certifies Boeing's 737 MAX 10, clearing the way for first deliveries early next year
US regulators approved the largest MAX model after years of delay, giving Boeing a direct answer to the Airbus A321neo and opening a path to deliveries on more than 1,500 orders.
HedgeWeekly News Desk ·
The Federal Aviation Administration certified Boeing's 737 MAX 10 on Tuesday, ending a wait of several years for the biggest model in the MAX family. The agency issued an amended type certificate and an updated Production Limitation Record, the document that authorises Boeing to begin producing the jet. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy marked the approval at Boeing's plant in Everett, Washington.
Airlines have ordered more than 1,550 MAX 10s, according to aviation consultancy IBA, or about 31% of Boeing's outstanding 737 backlog. United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Ryanair, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines are among the largest buyers. Boeing has already built a handful of the jets, and the first delivery, to Canada's WestJet, is planned for early next year. Boeing executive Mike Sinnett said approval from Transport Canada and Europe's EASA would probably follow in a couple of months.
The FAA made approval conditional on changes, including flight-control updates and an enhanced angle-of-attack sensor that will also be fitted to the existing MAX fleet over the coming years. A navigation-software glitch found in late September was judged not to be a safety risk, and the agency did not require a fix before certification. An engine anti-ice problem identified in 2023 had also held up the programme. Boeing shares closed about 0.5% lower on Tuesday.
Why it matters: with the MAX 7 approved in August after a review lasting more than eight years, Boeing now has its whole MAX family certified and a direct rival to Airbus's A321neo, which won market share during the delays. For investors, the question now shifts from certification to delivery pace. Boeing will build the MAX 10 in Renton and on the new Everett line it opened in July. The next things to watch are the Canadian and European approvals and the 777X, which is still in flight testing and has not been certified.