According to local reports, Boeing could miss its December 31st deadline to certify
the largest 737 MAX variant, the MAX 10. But it’s not just about delays.
Missing this deadline would trigger what has been described as a new tighter safety requirement,
which has been declared impractical by the US manufacturer. This would also make the MAX
10 different from the smaller versions, the MAX 7, 8, and 9.
As reported by The Seattle Times, Boeing wants to certify its 737 MAX 10 variant
without the latest safety standards regarding the design of cockpit crew alerts warning
pilots of some system malfunctions while flying. The previous MAX variants were certified that way.
In late 2020, the US Congress passed the Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act, updating the
Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight process. This law forces any airplane certified
after December 31, 2022, to comply with the latest FAA crew alerting regulation.
In the last three years, the FAA has tightened its certification process, affecting Boeing’s MAX 7,
MAX 10, and 777X certifications, as well as the certification of new 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Missing the deadline would force airlines to provide separate pilot training for the MAX 10,
raising costs and complexities for carriers.
Developing each new generation of 737, one of the company’s main objectives has
been for airlines to avoid separate pilot training. The key selling point appealed to
airlines hoping to avoid the increased cost of acquiring newer generations of aircraft.
According to data provided by ch-aviation, Boeing has received orders from 12 carriers,
acquiring a total of 613 MAX 10 units. Notable airline customers include flydubai,
GOL, Lion Air, United Airlines, and WestJet. According to local reports, Boeing’s lobbyists
would ask congress for a legislative amendment extending the deadline past December 31st,
allowing the company to maintain previous certification requirements.
In the end, allowing Boeing more time to complete the certification of the MAX 10
would be a decision taken by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In a statement on the subject, Boeing said,
“We continue to work transparently with the FAA to provide the information they need,
and we are committed to meeting their expectations to achieve 737-10 certification.”
The Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act was passed to reform the aviation safety process
after the two MAX crashes in October 2018 and March 2019. This bill reduces the influence
of Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers in the aircraft certification process and
provides the FAA with more oversight. This is where the story intersects with
the Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System (EICAS)- a system that complies with the new
FAA regulation. EICAS tells the pilots what’s wrong onboard an aircraft and instructs them
on how to resolve the situation. Among Boeing’s aircraft families, the 737 is the only one that
doesn’t meet the new EICAS standard. The Seattle Times notes that it’s
difficult to update the 737 cockpit to comply with the EICAS due to the many
inherited systems from the original design. Nonetheless, the MAX 10 has followed a more
stringent certification process, perhaps creating a good case for Boeing lobbyists
to push for a deadline extension and avoid installing the EICAS on the MAX 10.
What’s your take on the subject? Let us know in the comments below.