The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an amended type certificate for Boeing’s 737-7, clearing the smallest 737 MAX variant for commercial service. The regulator also updated Boeing Production Certificate No. 700 to include the aircraft, allowing production to begin under the approved configuration.
The certification follows almost a decade of review, during which the FAA resolved technical issues and completed safety analyses tied to the type’s design. Boeing framed the approval as the key regulatory step needed before deliveries can start, though no first-delivery date was provided in the official material.
The 737-7 is commercially significant because Southwest Airlines is the launch customer and has long awaited the aircraft for its fleet plans. The jet’s approval removes one of the final hurdles in Boeing’s MAX certification backlog and opens the way for the model to enter airline service.