Boeing Wins FAA Approval for 737 MAX 7 After Decade-Long Delay

US regulators have granted Boeing certification for its smallest version of the single-aisle MAX plane, the 737 MAX 7. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the certification after nearly a decade of review following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The certification process was prolonged by new requirements under federal legislation aimed at improving safety features on Boeing aircraft.

Boeing had originally intended to commence deliveries of the MAX 7 in 2019, but that timeframe fell by the wayside after the two fatal crashes. The company completed 441 flight tests over 686 test flight hours to win certification.

The FAA approval follows a near-catastrophic incident in January 2024 where an Alaska Airlines flight experienced a fuselage panel blowout mid-flight.