The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Boeing an amended type certificate for the new 737-7 airplane, clearing the aircraft for commercial service.
“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.
“Our team of dedicated engineers and test experts worked through challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new certification processes,” Pope added. “Through it all, our team stayed focused on completing all requirements and delivering a safe and more capable airplane to our customers.”
The 737-7 is the smallest and longest-range member of the 737 MAX family. The aircraft is designed to serve the 135- to 160-seat market in a two-class configuration while offering about 10% more range potential than its 737 MAX siblings.
Like other 737 MAX aircraft, the 737-7 is designed to reduce fuel use and CO2 emissions by 20% and its noise footprint by 50% compared with the aircraft it typically replaces.
The regulatory approval concludes a multi-year certification effort during which Boeing conducted comprehensive testing and analysis to demonstrate that the aircraft meets commercial aviation regulations. The test programme began in 2018 and included more than 1,000 hours of flight and ground testing, extensive system safety analysis and human factors reviews.
The programme also included an updated engine anti-ice system to address a potential condition discovered during flight testing.
“Our Boeing team held regular and detailed discussions with the FAA to ensure Boeing understood the requirements and provided transparency of our progress,” said Mike Sinnett, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy, Product Development and Development Programs.
“With this certification program, Boeing has developed a clearer understanding of the latest regulatory requirements, which is expected to accelerate future airplane development with a renewed emphasis on human factors, safety and quality,” Sinnett added.
Boeing and Southwest Airlines, the 737-7 launch customer, are preparing for delivery of the first aircraft. A team is readying the initial aircraft, including implementing updates to the aircraft’s final configuration.
The FAA has also updated Boeing Production Certificate No. 700 (PC 700) to include the 737-7.
