US, European regulators near approval of Boeing 737 MAX 7 and 10

US and Europe Near Approval of Boeing 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10

The United States and Europe are closing in on certification of Boeing’s two remaining 737 MAX variants, with regulators on both sides of the Atlantic signaling that approval is imminent after years of delays tied to safety concerns and engineering fixes.

Regulators Signal Final Steps

FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau said Wednesday that the agency is nearing completion of the certification process for both the smaller MAX 7 and the larger MAX 10. European Union Aviation Safety Agency Executive Director Florian Guillermet echoed that optimism, telling reporters at the same event that “there are not many obstacles or significant milestones remaining” and that EASA is “simply in the concluding phase of the process”.usnews

Guillermet said he expects EASA to endorse the FAA’s certification of both MAX models either simultaneously or shortly after the U.S. approvals. He called the MAX 10 approval a “top priority” for the European regulator.gurufocus

The timeline aligns with remarks last month by FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, who said the MAX 7 would receive certification this summer and the MAX 10 before year’s end. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in late May that more than 80 percent of the flight test campaign is complete and that the company has full FAA authority to conduct all remaining tests.centreforaviation

A Long Road to Approval

The MAX 7 and MAX 10 certifications have faced repeated delays. Boeing withdrew its FAA exemption request for the MAX 7 in early 2024 following heightened scrutiny after the January 2024 Alaska Airlines door plug blowout on a MAX 9. An unresolved engine anti-ice system issue further pushed both approvals into 2026 after Boeing’s initial fix created a secondary safety problem.theaircurrent

Boeing completed the engine anti-ice redesign earlier this year, and the MAX 10 entered its final phase of certification flight testing — known as Type Inspection Authorization 2 — in the first quarter of 2026. Southwest Airlines ↗2.81% expects to begin flying the MAX 7 in the first quarter of 2027.reuters

Airlines Prepare for Deliveries

Virgin Australia confirmed on June 12 that it expects to take delivery of its first 737 MAX 10 in late 2027, with 10 firm orders for the type. The airline said the timeline is contingent on Boeing completing U.S. regulatory approvals. Alaska Airlines has ordered 105 MAX 10 aircraft, with its CEO expressing confidence in a 2026 certification. Combined, unfilled orders for the MAX 7 and MAX 10 exceed 1,500 aircraft.karryon