The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not expect the Boeing 737 Max 7 to be certified before the end of this year. It is still unclear what effects this will have. The manufacturer threatened a few weeks ago with the termination of the program.

Boeing is in a hurry for good reason, because new regulations will come into force on January 1, 2023. This would mean that additional components would have to be installed and pilots would need different training for the individual Max types. This means that the aircraft manufacturer would lose an important sales argument. Not being able to deploy B737 Max pilots to Max-7, -8, -9 and 10 at will is unlikely to be attractive for airlines. The manufacturer expects many cancellations.

Boeing has now asked Congress for an exemption. So far, however, this has not yet decided whether an exception will be made for the new safety standard for the Max-7 and the Max-10. Acting FAA director Billy Nolen said he doesn't expect certification before the end of the year. He also said, according to Reuters, that he has the impression that the work could not continue after the deadline.

The FAA chief's latest statement can also be interpreted, if you will, as pressure on Congress. This must quickly decide whether an exception is made for the two Max models or not. From December 27, 2022, all machines that are re-certified must have the modernized security system. If approval is not granted, the aircraft manufacturer would have to make significant changes and there would then no longer be continuity between the individual models.