FAA Certifies Boeing’s Long-Delayed 737 Max 7

The Federal Aviation Administration has certified Boeing’s 737 Max 7, the smallest model in the bestselling Max family, after nearly a decade of delays. The agency said Monday’s approval reflects years of work on complex technical issues and a thorough review of the airplane’s design and safety analyses.

Southwest Airlines, which expected to fly the plane before the pandemic, called certification an important step toward modernizing its all-Boeing 737 fleet with upgraded interiors and more fuel-efficient aircraft. Airlines can start flying passengers once planes are certified, though fitting them into schedules usually takes months. Boeing said it and Southwest are preparing for delivery of the first plane.

“This important certification validates the rigor of our airplane’s design and recognizes the determination and resilience of our 737 MAX development team,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The FAA said it required the Max 7 to include updates to flight-control software, the flightcrew alerting system, and a redesigned engine anti-icing system designed to prevent overheating.

Certification was delayed by increased regulatory scrutiny after the fatal Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019, other safety and manufacturing crises, and the anti-icing redesign. Boeing is still awaiting FAA approval for the larger 737 Max 10 and the 777X. The company has about 40 Max 7 and Max 10 planes already built, and the approval could help bring in much-needed cash, according to Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu. Boeing stock rose more than 6% in afternoon trading Monday.

Boeing, a top U.S. exporter, has been ramping up production of its 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner planes and opened a new 737 Max line in Everett, Washington, in July. The FAA had stripped its ability to issue airworthiness certificates for those aircraft after the Max 8 crashes, which killed 346 people; in mid-July, the agency said Boeing could once again receive them.