Boeing poised to finally unlock 737’s potential as FAA certifies Max 7

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Boeing’s financial turnaround took a major step forward after the Federal Aviation Administration cleared its 737 Max 7 to enter commercial service, the company’s first major airplane derivative to win an amended type certificate in nearly a decade.The milestone, announced during an internal Boeing ceremony in Seattle on Aug. 3, reflects the FAA’s growing confidence in the plane maker’s ability to maintain quality and safety standards in its aircraft and factories after years of crisis sparked by two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

First unveiled 15 years ago, the Max 7 is the slowest selling of Boeing’s latest-generation single-aisle aircraft, making up less than 6% of its 4,846 Max backlog at mid-year as airlines the world over look to upsize their fleets. The initial deliveries of the jets, overwhelmingly slated for Southwest Airlines, are expected to play a crucial role in boosting Boeing’s cash flow next year along with the yet-to-be-certified 737 Max 10.

Related: Boeing history echoes through $10 billion 737 Max production overhaul

While it’s the smallest member of Boeing’s product family, the Max 7 holds outsized significance for the company by breaking a regulatory logjam with the FAA. Boeing had accumulated a list of required fixes for the 135- to 160-seat jet and its sibling Max 10, spending seven years in a strategic penalty box as the manufacturer navigated post-crash political perils and a significantly revamped certification process.

“This is a pivotal moment in Boeing’s recovery and puts us in a stronger position for the future,” Stephanie Pope, the chief executive of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, said in a message to employees.

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