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Certification of the Boeing 737 Max 7 represents a milestone in
the company's work to overcome years of safety, quality and
production challenges. The long-delayed Max 7 is part of
Boeing’s 737 family of commercial jets, which is the company's
bestseller and has been at the center of its troubles.
The FAA said it cleared the new plane after years of additional
testing, design changes and an extensive review of its design
and safety systems. The certification was delayed as Boeing
addressed technical issues and heightened regulatory scrutiny
following two crashes involving the larger Max 8 that killed 346
people in 2018 and 2019.
Since the crashes off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia,
the FAA overhauled how it certifies Boeing aircraft. It said its
oversight of the company would continue beyond the Max 7's
approval.
Before signing off on the aircraft, the FAA said, it required
Boeing to make several safety changes, including updating
flight-control software, improving cockpit alerts for pilots and
redesigning the engine anti-ice system to prevent overheating.
“Our team of dedicated engineers and test experts worked through
challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new
certification processes,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO
of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Safety inspectors will remain at Boeing production facilities to
monitor manufacturing, including observing the company’s Safety
Management System and overall safety culture, the agency said.
The Max 7 is expected to be used primarily on short- and
medium-haul routes. Several carriers, including Southwest
Airlines, have outstanding orders for the plane.
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