The Boeing 737 MAX 10 is expected to carry out its maiden flight in the coming days.
More than a year after its first runway test, the 737-10 resumed high-speed taxiing tests on May 20, 2021, at Boeing’s Renton facility. The first flight should take place in the following days, the manufacturer told Aviation Week.
After the 7, 8, and 9, it is the fourth version of the MAX family. It is also the largest to date. The Boeing 737 MAX 10 will be able to transport up to 230 passengers in one class, 12 seats more than the MAX 9, as its cabin is extended by about 5 feet compared to the -9.
The 737-10 has accumulated more than 550 orders from 20 customers, according to Boeing. The launch customer will be United Airlines, with 100 aircraft ordered. In February 2021, Boeing postponed until 2023 the first deliveries of the 737-10.
While it was used during the recertification campaign of the family, the Boeing 737 MAX 7, the smallest MAX aircraft, has yet to be certified.
The Boeing 737 MAX was recertified and authorized by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to return to service in November 2020, after a 20-month hiatus that followed two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia, claiming 346 lives.
In April 2021, over 109 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft across the globe were temporarily grounded and deliveries suspended after issues affecting the aircraft’s electrical grounding were found. A fix was approved by the FAA and service resumed on May 19, 2021.