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Boeing is seeking approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to increase or remove the production cap on its 737 MAX series as it works toward certification of the aircraft’s longest variant, the MAX 10. The company expects design corrections addressing recent engine issues to be completed in the coming months.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA have directed Boeing to address problems involving engine overheating and thrust loss during extended taxiing. Another concern was identified when a bird strike could potentially trigger a load-reduction mechanism in the engine, leading to oil leaks and smoke entering the cabin.
Despite several setbacks that have delayed certification for years beyond initial projections, Boeing continues development efforts. The MAX 7 model was close to receiving a waiver that would have allowed production with deicing issues to be resolved post-delivery, similar to what has been permitted for the MAX 8 and 9 models. However, following a midair blowout incident involving an Alaska Airlines MAX 8 last year, quality control concerns led regulators to deny this waiver.
