Boeing’s 737 MAX-9 plane wins FAA approval after US green light

LONDON: Boeing said on Friday that US authorities had officially certified its 737 MAX-9 aircraft for commercial service.
The aircraft received an amended type certificate (ATC) from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the world’s largest plane maker said in a statement.
“Our teams built superior capabilities into the MAX-9 and proved them all the way through flight test. We’re looking forward to bringing this airplane to market for our valued customers,” said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager of the 737 MAX program at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Boeing is now in the final stages of preparing the MAX-9 for its first delivery to launch customer Lion Air Group.
The 737 MAX-9 is designed for a capacity of up to 220 passengers and a maximum range of 3,550 nautical miles.
The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane series in Boeing history, accumulating more than 4,300 orders from 93 customers worldwide.
In December, Boeing and carrier FlyDubai finalized the purchase of 175 737 MAX airplanes, in what was billed as the largest single-aisle jet order in Middle East history.
The deal — which includes options for an additional 50 jets — is valued at $27 billion at current list prices.
It allows FlyDubai to add a range of the MAX-8, MAX-9 and MAX-10 aircraft to its network.