FAA certifies Boeing 737 MAX 10, the largest 737 variant, clearing the way for deliveries

The US Federal Aviation Administration certified the Boeing 737 MAX 10 on Tuesday, 20 October, making the largest member of the 737 family eligible for passenger service. The approval clears the way for deliveries, which Europa Press and Spiegel report should begin in the coming months, and puts the jet in direct competition with Airbus's A321neo.

What the certification covers

Boeing describes the 737 MAX 10 as the first commercial airplane certified in full under the Aircraft Certification, Safety and Accountability Act of 2020. The certification program included almost 1,000 test flights, along with what the company called exhaustive safety assessments and design reviews. According to the Associated Press, the decision followed a long process of technical checks and flight tests, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the review involved thousands of hours of test flying. Duffy was scheduled to mark the approval during a visit to Boeing's Everett plant in Washington state, where a new production line opened in July to raise output of the 737 family.

Capacity and economics

Boeing says the aircraft can seat up to 230 passengers in its maximum configuration, and that it burns about 30% less fuel. Its larger capacity lowers unit costs by 20%, and it offers 365 nautical miles more range than rivals without auxiliary fuel tanks. Il Sole 24 Ore gives a range of about 3,100 nautical miles (5,740 km). Mediafax, citing Boeing, gives a typical load of 185 to 210 passengers, compared with 160 to 180 on the MAX 8 and 175 to 195 on the MAX 9. The maximum seat counts for the three variants are charted below.

A troubled path to approval

Two crashes in October 2018 and March 2019 killed 346 people. Spiegel identifies the central trigger as an assistance software meant to support pilots, which intervened too strongly in the controls under certain conditions. Boeing had to halt production of the 737 MAX, and watson reports that output remains restricted. In January 2024, a fuselage panel came loose during a flight on an Alaska Airlines MAX 9, and the FAA subsequently changed its certification and oversight procedures. The MAX 10 first flew on 18 June 2021 and had been planned for delivery in 2023, while Spiegel reports that the first deliveries were originally set for 2020. Late in September, a new software flaw came to light during the review. The FAA wanted to examine it before certification, but the issue was ultimately not treated as an obstacle, and an FAA expert group concluded the anomaly posed no safety risk.

Orders, rivals and delivery timing

Orders stand at 1,555 aircraft from more than 30 customers, which Europa Press says is over 30% of the 737 MAX backlog. Spiegel, citing the consultancy IBA, puts the MAX 10 at 31% of the 737 order book. One French report gives a higher order figure of more than 1,700. Airlines named by Spiegel include United, Alaska, Ryanair, Delta and American. Mediafax reports that Boeing estimates first deliveries in 2027, while other reports expect deliveries within the coming months. The delay helped Airbus, Spiegel says, as the A321neo gained a bigger share of the large single-aisle market. The MAX 10 joins the MAX 7, 8, 8-200 and 9 in the approved list, following the MAX 7 certification in August.