The US Federal Aviation Administration has certified Boeing’s 737-10, the largest member of the 737 MAX family, clearing the aircraft for production and delivery to domestic and international airlines. The approval, issued in Everett, Washington, follows an extensive design, safety and flight-test review and allows Boeing to begin deliveries in the coming months, although each aircraft and airline must complete further operational approvals before passenger service.
The FAA issued an amended type certificate confirming compliance with applicable design and safety requirements, together with an updated Production Limitation Record authorising Boeing to manufacture the aircraft. The approval completes the main 737 MAX family after certification of the smaller 737-7 in August.
Certification required the MAX-10 to incorporate safety improvements mandated under the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act and recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board. These include an enhanced angle-of-attack sensor and related flight-control-system updates designed to identify and manage erroneous sensor data more effectively. Faulty angle-of-attack readings contributed to the two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019.
The programme involved nearly 1,000 test flights, more than 2,000 flight hours, about 1,000 hours of ground testing and extensive design and safety reviews. The aircraft can carry up to 230 passengers, making it the highest-capacity MAX variant. A recent navigation-system software issue was reviewed by the FAA and was not considered a flight-safety concern or a certification delay. The agency will continue overseeing production as the aircraft enters service.