FAA Clears Boeing's Delayed 737 Max 7 After Years of Safety Concerns

After years of delays and safety concerns, Boeing has finally received FAA approval for its smallest Max jetliner, the 737 Max 7. The certification comes nearly a decade after the aircraft was first unveiled.

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.

Before signing off on the aircraft, the FAA 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. 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.

The FAA said its oversight of the company would continue beyond the Max 7's approval, with safety inspectors remaining at Boeing production facilities to monitor manufacturing. 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.

Boeing's president and CEO of Commercial Airplanes, Stephanie Pope, said her team worked through challenges, an extended pandemic, and the transition to new certification processes to achieve the approval.