Boeing has completed planned certification flight testing of the 737 MAX 10, clearing a major hurdle as the company works toward approval of the long-delayed aircraft later in 2026.
The final test flight took off from and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle. It evaluated whether crews could clearly hear the lavatory smoke detector and cabin speaker system.
Boeing said the MAX 10 test fleet completed 976 flights totaling more than 2,060 flight hours. The program also logged about 1,040 hours of ground testing.
Testing covered the aircraft’s main landing gear, braking performance on wet runways and during maximum-energy stops, along with changes to the 737 MAX engine anti-ice and angle-of-attack systems.
“Reaching this milestone is a huge testament to the commitment and dedication of the entire team,” said Chris Payne, Vice President and General Manager of Boeing’s 737 development programs. “This is an important step on our journey, and we’re focused on building on it as we move forward.”
Boeing now must finish its remaining safety and design reviews and submit the final documents to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The company said its third development assurance review is complete, while the fourth is 60% finished. System safety assessments are 32% complete. Boeing continues to target MAX 10 certification in 2026, followed by the first customer deliveries in 2027.
The engine anti-ice system has been one of the main issues holding up approval of the MAX 10 and the smaller MAX 7. Boeing discovered that prolonged use of the system in certain dry-air conditions could cause parts of the engine inlet to overheat. The company developed a design change that it plans to install on newly built MAX aircraft and make available for the existing fleet.
The MAX 10 test program also covered an enhanced angle-of-attack system designed to prevent incorrect sensor information from triggering confusing cockpit warnings. Boeing plans to introduce the system on newly built MAX aircraft and offer it as a retrofit for aircraft already in service.
Three aircraft, known as 1G001, 1G002 and 1G003, took part in the MAX 10 flight-test campaign. Boeing said it plans to remove the test equipment and convert the aircraft to customer configurations ahead of delivery.
The MAX 10 is the largest member of the 737 MAX family. Boeing had originally expected to begin deliveries in 2020, but the program faced repeated delays following the MAX grounding, increased regulatory scrutiny and the need to redesign the engine anti-ice system.
Boeing also expects to certify the MAX 7 during 2026 and begin deliveries in 2027. The company said that flight testing of the smaller variant was also complete and that its certification documents were 95% finished.