US FAA certifies Boeing 737 MAX 7

WASHINGTON:

The US Federal Aviation Administration gave long-awaited approval on Monday to Boeing's 737 MAX 7, a milestone for the American planemaker that has waited years to sell the smallest version of its best-selling airplane.

The jetliner's certification was years behind schedule. At one point, Boeing had said it expected the plane to be approved before the end of 2022.

Boeing said last month that it was in the final stages of getting regulatory certification for an engine anti-ice system fix for its 737 MAX. FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau told Reuters last month that he thought approval of the larger MAX 10 would be "right behind" the MAX 7.

Boeing already has built about 30 MAX 7s and nine MAX 10s, which are awaiting delivery, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The MAX 10 accounts for at least 28% of outstanding MAX orders. Reuters