Boeing has completed planned certification flight tests of the smallest and largest 737 MAX jets, bringing much relief to the airlines awaiting the planemaker’s latest aircraft.
On July 28, 2026, Boeing confirmed in its second quarter results that as of this month the 737-7 and 737-10 flight tests have reached their conclusion.
Boeing gave more lengthy details on the 737 MAX 10, noting that the planned certification flight test had logged 976 flights with over 2,060 flight hours and about 1,040 ground test hours.
“Reaching this milestone is a huge testament to the commitment and dedication of the entire team,” Chris Payne, Vice President and General Manager of 737 Development Programs, said. “Thank you to everyone who gave so much of themselves to get us here. This is an important step on our journey, and we’re focused on building on it as we move forward.”
Among the full spectrum of certification requirements were the main landing gear, brakes on wet runways and maximum‑energy stops, the 737 Engine Anti‑Ice (EAI) solution, and the enhanced Angle of Attack (eAoA) system.
“With flight testing complete, the program now shifts to closing the remaining development assurance reviews (DARs) and system safety assessments (SSAs) and submitting final deliverables to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for regulatory review,” Boeing said.
The company added that DAR 3 is finished, DAR 4 is 60% complete and SSAs are 32% complete.
The Boeing team used the announcement to reaffirm that the 737-10 and 737-7 remain on schedule for certification in 2026 and customer deliveries in 2027.
“Seeing the program complete its planned certification flights is a proud moment for everyone who spent long hours on the test program,” Andrew Rerecich, Flight Test Engineering Operations lead for 1G003, said. “This airplane and the team’s resilience helped move us measurably closer to certification. It feels good to achieve this milestone.”
Boeing test pilot Dan Mangel said it had been an “emotional day” after first flying a test 737-10 four years ago.
Three flight-test 737-10s participated in the campaign (1G001, 1G002 and 1G003) with the Boeing team often using them in parallel.
The testing program included validation of hundreds of systems and exercised extreme conditions to prove safety and performance.
“Flight test is one of the final gates for certification,” Jennifer Uchida, 737-10 Test Program Manager, said. “Every step was taken to ensure this was done right. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s focus on safety and quality, because the work we do brings people home to their loved ones safely every day.”