The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just certified the Boeing 737 MAX 7, which is the smallest variant of the 737 MAX family. This is a development that Southwest Airlines has been anticipating for years, but that’s about the only airline that cares.
Before granting approval, the FAA required the MAX-7 to incorporate key improvements that address requirements in the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act and NTSB recommendations, including updates to the flight-control software, flightcrew alerting system, and a redesigned engine anti-ice system. These changes provide pilots clearer information and warnings and prevent the engine inlet from overheating and potentially weakening the surrounding structure.
This has been a key component in Southwest’s fleet renewal strategy for years. The 737 MAX 7 is the updated version of the 737-700, and the airline has 288 of these planes in its fleet. So Southwest is basically planning a 1:1 fleet renewal, and who knows, maybe we’ll see even more of the planes ordered.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
