The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday certified Boeing’s 737 MAX 10, the largest version of the 737 MAX family, clearing the way for the manufacturer to begin deliveries after years of delay, Boeing and Reuters said.

Boeing said in a statement that deliveries would start “in the coming months”. Reuters reported that the first aircraft is due to go to Canada’s WestJet early next year.

The MAX 10 can seat up to 230 passengers in a maximum-capacity layout, against up to 195 for the MAX 9 and 160 for the MAX 7, according to Reuters. Boeing said it typically carries 185 to 210 passengers in a two-class layout and has a range of up to 3,100 nautical miles (5,740 km).

“Completing the certification program clears the path for us to deliver a Boeing airplane that will set a new standard in commercial aviation,” said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Boeing said more than 30 customers have ordered 1,555 MAX 10s, or more than 30 percent of the 737 MAX program’s order book. Reuters, citing aviation consultancy IBA, put the figure at more than 1,550 aircraft, or 31 percent of Boeing’s outstanding 737 backlog. Customers include United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Ryanair, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines, Reuters reported.

Boeing said the MAX 10 is the first commercial airliner certified to the full extent of the 2020 Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act. The law requires enhanced documentation of safety assessments and human factors evaluations. The certification programme involved more than 2,000 flight hours and 1,000 ground test hours, the company said.

The aircraft includes an enhanced angle-of-attack system, which Boeing said will become standard across the 737 MAX family. Reuters reported that the FAA required the improvement and that existing aircraft will receive it over the coming years.

“Our flight test team ran a disciplined, methodical campaign to validate every system,” said Chris Payne, vice president and general manager of 737 Airplane Development Programs at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Reuters said certification by Transport Canada and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency should be completed in “probably a couple of months," according to Mike Sinnett, a Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior vice president.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking at Boeing’s Everett plant, said the United States wants to compete with Europe and China. “But if we want to continue to do that, I have to allow you all to certify aircraft faster,” Reuters quoted him as saying.

The MAX 10 is central to Boeing’s competition with Airbus in the single-aisle market, where China’s COMAC C919 trails in third place, Reuters reported. The delays helped Airbus’s A321neo gain a larger share of the large single-aisle segment, it added.

Boeing has faced tougher certification scrutiny since two fatal 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people, as well as a January 2024 cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines MAX 9. Reuters reported the FAA approved the smaller MAX 7 in August after a review of more than eight years.

Reuters said Boeing disclosed a navigation software glitch in late September that threatened to cause further delay. The FAA determined it did not pose a safety concern and did not require a fix as a condition of certification, according to Reuters. Boeing shares closed down about 0.5 percent on Tuesday.

Some members of the 737 MAX certification team will now work on certification of the 777-9, which is six years behind schedule. Boeing expects to complete certification and begin deliveries in 2027, Reuters said.

Sources: Boeing/Reuters