By Skies Magazine | October 5, 2022 Estimated reading time 4 minutes, 39 seconds.
Airframe manufacturer Boeing has projected that its 737 Max 10 plane, the largest member of the Max family, is not likely to receive an amended type certificate any sooner than next summer, according to an Oct. 3 letter from FAA acting administrator Billy Nolen, as reported by Reuters.
However, Boeing currently faces a December 2022 deadline to achieve certification for the Max 10. In order for that to happen, the company must also win certification for its smaller Max 7 version, as approval of the Max 10 is dependent on some Max 7 documentation, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said.
In an earlier letter from the FAA to Boeing (dated Sept. 19), the regulator noted that it was concerned Boeing would not achieve certification for its smaller Max 7 plane by the end of 2022.
Certification of new aircraft is subject to extensive paperwork submissions and safety assessments by the FAA; according to the Sept. 19 letter, Boeing had not yet submitted all of its required documents, but needed to have done so already if it wanted to meet the December certification deadline.
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker recently proposed a deadline extension to September 2024 for the Max 7 and Max 10 planes to receive certification, according to Reuters. However, the proposal is subject to approval by Congress.
If Boeing is unable to meet the current December deadline, the OEM will be required to redesign and upgrade the crew alerting system on both the Max 7 and Max 10 aircraft, which would slow entry into service. This requirement is thanks to the new Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act that is to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2023.
The new legislation was passed in 2020, following two 737 Max crashes that killed 346 people and led to a nearly two-year grounding of the plane. It requires any airplane certified after Dec. 31, 2022, to comply with the new FAA safety regulation regarding the types of alerts that pilots receive when something goes wrong in flight. The 737 jet family — including the Max 8 and Max 9 which are already in service, and the Max 7 and Max 10 — does not meet that latest safety standard. While Boeing is to introduce two system enhancements on the Max 10 that improve the crew alerting system, the type still does not meet the latest FAA standard.
Boeing said recently that it “is focused on meeting all regulatory requirements to certify the 737-7 and 737-10,” but the OEM has argued in the past that it is safer to have one common cockpit alerting system across all 737 types.
Less than a week ago, Boeing announced a major order from WestJet for 42 737-10s and options for an additional 22 jets. The Calgary-based airline’s CEO, Alexis von Hoensbroech, said in a Sept. 30 press release that WestJet will accept delivery of at least 50 Max 10 planes in the next six years.
However, the FAA’s Nolen said in his Oct. 3 letter that the regulator could not provide an estimate for when certification work will be completed for the Max 7 or Max 10.
