Boeing is approaching the end of the certification process for the 737 MAX 10, with flight testing completed and only three remaining company deliverables awaiting submission to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
CEO Kelly Ortberg described certification of the largest 737 MAX variant as “very soon” during the Morgan Stanley Laguna Conference on Wednesday, while cautioning that the FAA still has a substantial amount of documentation to review.
Ortberg said that when he left Seattle a day earlier, Boeing had three remaining deliverables to complete. All flight testing and other required tests have been finished, shifting the remaining work largely to documentation and regulatory review.
The FAA's remaining workload is greater than it was at the equivalent stage of the 737 MAX 7 certification, according to Ortberg. The smaller variant received its FAA type certification in August after years of delays that also affected the MAX 10.
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EASA has also begun its final work on the aircraft. Ortberg said European regulators flew the MAX 10 last week and gave Boeing positive feedback following the evaluation.
MAX 10 accounts for 30% of backlog
Certification would clear the way for Boeing to begin delivering an aircraft that has become an increasingly important part of the 737 order book.
Ortberg said the MAX 10 now represents approximately 30% of Boeing's 737 backlog. The manufacturer intends to gradually move its production mix toward a similar proportion as deliveries of the variant begin.
Boeing has already been assembling MAX 10s ahead of certification, creating an inventory of aircraft that can be prepared for customers once regulatory approval is obtained. The company expects to work through its stored MAX 7 and MAX 10 aircraft over roughly 18 months.
The MAX 10 is the longest member of the 737 family and is designed to compete at the upper end of the single-aisle market. Its greater capacity has attracted orders from major carriers including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Ryanair.
Everett line starts with two MAX 10s
The variant will also have an important role at Boeing's new 737 production line in Everett, Washington, which has begun assembling its first aircraft.
Boeing is building four airplanes as part of the process to certify the new production line, two of which are MAX 10s. Ortberg said Everett provides greater flexibility for the longest 737 because the aircraft cannot be positioned nose-to-tail along an entire production line inside the existing Renton factory.
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The additional line is part of Boeing's plan to increase 737 output beyond the current target of 47 aircraft per month. The manufacturer has encountered difficulties stabilizing production at that rate and now expects the next increase, to 52 per month, in 2027.
The MAX 10 certification and the expansion of production capacity therefore come together as Boeing prepares for the variant to account for a considerably larger share of its monthly output.
