Boeing’s woes related to the 737 Max approval seem to have returned with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reportedly sending a letter to Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, which states that FAA approval for 737-MAX may extend until the summer of 2023.
The letter reads: “With regard to the 737-10, Boeing's current project plan timeline has the 737-10 receiving an amended type certificate no sooner than summer 2023. We're committed to diligently and thoroughly reviewing the documentation as it is submitted.”
This letter comes right after Wicker asked Congress for an extension of the deadline for Boeing to win approval until September 2024. The current deadline expires in December 2022. Unless it gains an extension from Congress, Boeing must meet new modern cockpit-alerting requirements that could significantly delay the plane’s entry into service, Reuters reports.
The new cockpit alerting requirements are part of certification reform legislation that was passed in 2020 after the two fatal 737 MAX crashes that led to the grounding of the aircraft type.
Boeing responded last week by saying that it is safer to have one common cockpit alerting system for all versions of the 737 and currently the company is focused on meeting all regulatory requirements to certify the 737-7 and 737-10.
In the letter sent by the FAA to Boeing last month, the FAA expressed concerns about Boeing not being able to receive the approval for 737-7 MAX this year as Boeing has not completed all its required assessments. Boeing needs to turn in the remaining documents by mid-September if it intends to meet the December 2022 deadline, the letter further read.
In response to the letter, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, responded: “Boeing must get approval for the MAX 7 first as the MAX 10 approval is contingent on some MAX 7 documentation.” He also expressed hope that the FAA would approve the MAX 7 this year while the approval for MAX 10 might go well to the end of 2023.
As of now, there is no clear deadline as to when FAA would certify either the MAX 7 or the MAX 10 aircraft.