In a recent update from Boeing, it was revealed that the delivery of their first 737 MAX 7 aircraft has been postponed to 2024. This information was shared with the public through an SEC filing on Wednesday. However, the aerospace manufacturer continues to anticipate certification for the 737 MAX 7 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the beginning of the FAA certification flight testing for the 737 MAX 10 in 2023. The MAX 10 delivery remains on schedule for 2024.
Understanding the Importance of the MAX 7 and MAX 10
Both 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 play pivotal roles in Boeing’s strategy to lock horns with Airbus in the narrowbody market segments. A delay in the 737 MAX 7 delivery to its launch customer, Southwest Airlines, could potentially slow down the airline’s expansion plans, as Southwest exclusively operates the 737. This delay extends the entry into service of the 737 MAX 7, which was originally scheduled for 2022.
Despite this development, Boeing’s shares soared 7.7% on Wednesday afternoon following second quarter results that surpassed Wall Street expectations. The certification process for the 737 MAX 7 has seen back-and-forths between Boeing and the FAA regarding the necessary safety management system paperwork for several months. However, no concrete timeline has been established for when the FAA might give the green light to Boeing’s submissions. The FAA, in a statement, mentioned, “Safety dictates the timeline of certification projects. We cannot discuss ongoing certification projects.”
The 737 MAX 10 is Boeing’s contender against Airbus’ highly successful A321 neo, which has had a significant lead in head-to-head competitions against the MAX 9. On the other hand, the smaller 737 MAX 7 is aiming to compete with Airbus’ A220.
Anxieties and Expectations
Southwest CEO, Bob Jordan, expressed in March that he did not foresee the 737 MAX 7 entering service in 2023, due to a process that could take up to six months post-delivery. He suggested an early 2024 entry into service as the best-case scenario. Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines CEO, Ben Minicucci, stated last month that the airline is eagerly waiting to start receiving deliveries of the larger Boeing 737 MAX 10. This would allow the airline to accommodate more passengers once the plane is certified.
However, Boeing must first secure approval from the FAA for the smaller 737 MAX before it can receive approval for the 737 MAX 10. Both aircraft variants have encountered significant delays amidst heightened regulatory scrutiny following critiques of the earlier certification process for the MAX 8, which was involved in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
