The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the Boeing 737 Max 7, the smallest model in the Boeing 737 Max aircraft family.
The certification follows nearly a decade of delays. The FAA stated the approval reflects years of work to resolve technical issues and complete reviews of the airplane's design and safety analyses.
Certification was delayed by increased regulatory scrutiny following the fatal crashes of the Boeing 737 Max 8 in 2018 and 2019, other manufacturing crises, and the redesign of an engine anti-icing system.
Total killed in the Boeing 737 Max 8 fatal crashes
The FAA said the Boeing 737 Max 7 required improvements to the flight-control software, flightcrew alerting system, and a redesigned engine anti-ice system to prevent engine overheating.
Following the Max 8 crashes, the FAA had previously stripped Boeing of the ability to issue airworthiness certificates for its 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Production and pending certifications
Boeing opened a new production line for 737 Max airplanes in Everett, Washington, in July.
The manufacturer is currently awaiting FAA certification for the Boeing 737 Max 10, the largest model in the 737 Max family, as well as the Boeing 777X, which is the company's largest plane.
