FAA Certifies Boeing 737 MAX-7 After Nearly a Decade

The Boeing 737 MAX-7 has finally been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after nearly a decade of development, but Southwest Airlines still doesn't plan to fly it until 2027. The FAA originally intended to certify the aircraft in 2019, but certification work was suspended following two fatal crashes of larger 737-8 aircraft.

The 737 MAX-7 has a range of up to 3,800 nautical miles, making it the furthest-flying model in the MAX lineup. Southwest plans to take delivery of up to 82 Boeing 737-7 aircraft by the end of this year, but the exact timing of deliveries will be affected by FAA certification and continued manufacturing delays.

The airline had initially ordered over 300 Boeing 737-7s, but has since converted some of these orders into larger 737-8 models. The company's CEO welcomed the long-awaited certification of the aircraft, saying it is an important step towards modernizing their all-Boeing 737 fleet.

The certification comes after significant design changes were made to address issues with the CFM-manufactured engines and flight controls. It remains to be seen whether Southwest will order more of these aircraft or convert some orders into larger variants like the 737-8.