SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday certified Boeing's 737 MAX-7 and authorized its production following almost a decade of extensive review.
The FAA said it had issued an amended type certificate confirming that the MAX-7 complies with all applicable design and safety requirements, and updated the production limitation record, authorizing Boeing to begin production of the aircraft.
The approval followed years of work to resolve complex technical issues and complete a thorough review of the aircraft's design and supporting safety analyses, according to the agency.
During the certification process, the FAA performed or directly reviewed significant work involving flight controls, system safety assessments, human factors, flight crew alerting and other novel, complex or safety-critical areas.
Before granting approval, the FAA required the MAX-7 to incorporate several safety improvements that provide pilots with clearer information and warnings while preventing the engine inlet from overheating and potentially weakening the surrounding structure.
The agency said its safety inspectors will remain on site at Boeing production facilities across the country to closely monitor the manufacturing process, including observing and assessing Boeing's safety management system and safety culture. ■