After years of delays, Boeing’s 737 MAX 10 has been certified by the FAA.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and FAA announced the approval Tuesday afternoon.
“After extensive safety reviews – including thousands of hours of test flights – the team at the FAA is ready to approve this critical aircraft for sale,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “This is a major win for American manufacturing and our nation’s status as a global aviation powerhouse. We invented flight, we pioneered air travel, and we are going to continue leading the way in aviation safety and innovation.”
The MAX 10 is the last of the MAX-family aircraft to be certified. The MAX 7, which also faced years of holdups, received the FAA’s official sign-off in August.
The MAX 10 was initially expected to enter commercial service in 2020 or 2021, but two deadly MAX crashes, an overhaul of the FAA’s certification system, and issues with the variant’s engine anti-ice system caused years of delays.
Canada’s WestJet is the launch customer for the MAX 10. Other confirmed buyers include United, Delta, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Ryanair.