Boeing executives announced on Tuesday that the company is in the final stages of securing regulatory approval for a redesign of the 737 MAX engine anti-ice system. The technical fix addresses a risk of engine overheating and potential failure, a primary obstacle that has delayed the certification and delivery of the MAX 7 and MAX 10 variants.
According to Boeing, the MAX 10 model has completed 98% of its certification flight testing, with two flight tests remaining. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) previously indicated it expects to certify the smaller MAX 7 version during the current summer season. Once certified, Boeing plans to begin deliveries of the new variants and initiate retrofits for existing MAX 8 and MAX 9 aircraft already in service.
The redesign also includes an updated flight crew alerting system for the MAX 10, a requirement mandated by Congress following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. Boeing Vice President Mike Sinnett stated that the new anti-ice system also demonstrated reductions in engine noise and fan flutter during testing at GE Aerospace facilities.
Boeing is currently working with regulators to establish a retrofit schedule for the existing fleet. Executives said the goal is to allow airlines to install the new wiring and hardware during regularly scheduled heavy maintenance checks to minimize operational disruptions. At present, approximately 30 MAX 7s and nine MAX 10s have been built and are awaiting delivery.