• 

  Boeing

  Stock Code:

  BA

  Date Founded:

  1916-07-15

  CEO:

  Dave Calhoun

  Headquarters Location:

  Chicago, USA

  Key Product Lines:

  Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787

  Business Type:

  Planemaker

On July 15th, a Boeing 737 MAX 7 took to the skies for a test flight. While this type of activity is to be expected from Boeing Field (BFI) in Seattle, this recent flight is notable in that it's the aircraft's first logged flight in three full months.

Aircraft and test flight details

Spotted and mentioned by BOE Family Flights, data from FlightRadar24.com shows that the 737 MAX 7 test aircraft registered N7201S took off from Boeing Field at 10:56 local time on July 15th. Flying for roughly 90 minutes, the jet touched down back at Boeing Field at 12:25.

Interestingly, FlightRadar24.com had logged this flight as heading to Moses Lake (MWH) and labeled it as having been "diverted" to BFI. This sort of activity is common among test aircraft, and so it may not actually have been a diversion in the normal sense. However, it's worth mentioning that the jet did actually fly to Moses Lake and twice approached one of the airport's runways, performing two go-arounds, getting as low as 1,100 feet during this test.

Are more test flights on the way?

Looking at "recent" flight history, the last test flight taken by N7201S was three months ago, on April 14th. The aircraft flew on the 12th and 13th of April as well, taking to the skies fairly frequently from mid-February.

Hopefully, this is a sign that more tests are on the way as Boeing works its way towards certifying the MAX 7 for commercial service. The company is on a tight schedule due to legislation passed by the US government, which will force it to include a centralized crew alerting system on any new aircraft after the end of 2022. With type commonality being a key selling point for the 737, Boeing is hoping that its MAX 7 and MAX 10 jets can get by without the upcoming requirements mandated by the government. The MAX 7 is slated to be certified before the end of the year but there are larger doubts for the MAX 10.

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Southwest will be watching closely

One carrier that is likely keeping a close eye on Boeing's progress is Southwest Airlines. The all-737 airline is a fiercely loyal Boeing customer and has orders for a significant number of 737 MAX 7 jets. Last year, the airline increased its Boeing 737 MAX 7 order by 34 aircraft. The updated order meant that the US carrier now expects to take 234 of the smallest MAX variant over the coming years.

While committing itself to an all-737 fleet has given it tremendous gains in operating efficiency, Southwest is now at the mercy of Boeing and its ability to get the MAX 7 certified before the end of the year. As we noted last year, the airline was hoping to begin taking deliveries of the baby Boeing this year - a year that is now more than half-finished.

Are you keeping an eye on the progress of the 737 MAX 7? When do you think it will be certified? Let us know by leaving a comment!

Sources: FlightRadar24.com, BOE Family Flights