EVERETT- Boeing has completed the final planned certification flight for its 737-10, marking a significant milestone in the development of the largest member of the 737 MAX family.
The aircraft conducted its last certification mission from King County International Airport (BFI), also known as Boeing Field, in Seattle, as the manufacturer now shifts its focus to the final regulatory review with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The milestone concludes a lengthy flight-test campaign that included 976 certification flights, more than 2,060 flight hours, and approximately 1,040 hours of ground testing. Boeing said the 737-10 program remains on track for certification in 2026, with customer deliveries expected to begin in 2027, pending FAA approval.
Boeing 737-10 Final Test Complete
The final certification flight focused on cabin safety rather than aircraft performance. Boeing evaluated the audibility of the lavatory smoke detector and the cabin public-address speaker system to ensure flight crews can clearly identify and respond to onboard alerts during operations.
According to the company, the broader certification campaign validated critical systems, including the main landing gear, wet-runway braking performance, maximum-energy rejected stops, the updated Engine Anti-Ice (EAI) system, and the enhanced Angle of Attack (eAoA) system.
These tests were designed to demonstrate compliance with FAA certification requirements under a wide range of operating conditions.
Boeing pilot Dan Mangel, who flew both the aircraft’s first flight four years ago and its final certification mission, described the last flight as an emotional milestone after following the airplane throughout its development.
Certification Progress
With flight testing now complete, Boeing will concentrate on closing the remaining Development Assurance Reviews (DARs), completing System Safety Assessments (SSAs), and submitting final certification documents to the FAA.
The manufacturer said certification flight testing is now 100% complete. DAR 3 has been finished, DAR 4 is approximately 60% complete, and system safety assessments have reached 32% completion.
These remaining engineering and documentation activities are required before the FAA can complete its regulatory review.
The certification campaign used three dedicated flight-test aircraft—designated 1G001, 1G002, and 1G003—which frequently operated simultaneously to accelerate testing.
Once certification is complete, all three aircraft will undergo refurbishment, including removal of test equipment, installation of production interiors, repainting, and final preparation before customer delivery.
Next Steps for Boeing 737-10
Boeing said updates to the Engine Anti-Ice system and the enhanced Angle of Attack system developed during the 737-10 program will become standard on future production of all 737 MAX variants.
The company also plans to retrofit both systems across the in-service MAX fleet
The 737-10 and the smaller 737-7 remain Boeing’s final uncertified members of the 737 MAX family. Their certification programs have experienced multi-year delays as regulators imposed additional scrutiny following earlier MAX safety issues and subsequent design updates.
However, Boeing recently reported that both programs remain on schedule for certification during 2026, while the FAA has restored the company’s authority to issue airworthiness certificates for production 737 MAX and 787 aircraft under continued regulatory oversight
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