Boeing is in the final stages of getting regulatory certification for an engine anti-ice system fix for its 737 MAX jetliner, company executives said. The redesign addresses an issue that could cause overheating and possible engine failure and has been the biggest obstacle to certification of the smallest and largest versions of Boeing’s best-selling jet.

Certification Delays

Certification of the MAX 7 and 10 is years behind schedule, which has allowed European planemaker Airbus to expand its lead in the narrowbody market. Boeing has had to work through a more stringent certification process following two fatal MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said in May it expected to certify the smaller 737 MAX 7 this summer. Southwest Airlines is the biggest customer for that version. The more profitable MAX 10 is 98% through certification flight testing, executives told reporters ahead of next week’s Farnborough Airshow.

Fix Details

The fix to the system also reduces engine noise and mitigates fan flutter, based on testing at GE Aerospace’s facility in Ohio. The 737 MAX’s LEAP-1B engine is produced by CFM International, a joint venture of GE Aerospace and France’s Safran.

For the existing MAX fleet, Boeing says most of the engine anti-ice retrofit can be done within a maintenance shift, but it also requires installing new wiring that is more invasive. Executives said Boeing was working with regulators on a schedule that would allow airlines to make the repair when their planes are already in the hangar for heavy maintenance checks, reducing disruption and costs.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.