The Boeing 737 MAX sent over to China to conduct recertification testing has completed its first test flight this Wednesday. The MAX-7 took off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 09:24 local time before touching down at Zhoushan Putuoshan Airport, about 150km south of Shanghai.
Boeing 737 MAX completes first test flight
As Simple Flying reported last week, Boeing sent over a 737 MAX to China as part of its efforts to get the jet recertified. After arriving in Shanghai on August 7th, the MAX-7 has now completed its first test flight. The jet (registration: N7201S) is the first-ever MAX-7 built and is destined for Southwest Airlines after its testing.
Flight BOE701 departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 09:24 local time (CST). Flight data shows the jet heading south but stopped tracking the plane after 10 minutes. Chinese aviation bloggers reported the aircraft arriving at Zhoushan Putuoshan Airport, which is around 150km south of Shanghai.
According to flight data from RadarBox.com, the MAX has since flown back to Shanghai from Zhoushan, arriving at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 13:41 local time. Interestingly, Boeing has a 737 MAX completion plant in Zhoushan, which is used to paint liveries and install interiors on its jets.
Neither Boeing nor Chinese officials have commented on the test flight at this stage. According to Reuters, a source close to the recertification process has said that China will now issue an aircraft evaluation report before it begins pilot training.
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How soon until the MAX is recertified?
Despite around 30 airlines and 175 countries recertifying the MAX after it was grounded in March 2019, China has been reluctant to do so.
Prior to the MAX being pulled, Boeing was selling around a quarter of all MAX jets to Chinese customers. China's three largest airlines, China Eastern, Air China, and China Southern, are all operators of the MAX.
On an earnings call in July, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said that he fully expected the MAX to gain approval in China by the end of the year.
Calhoun said,
“We continue to work with global regulators and still anticipate that the remaining regulatory approvals will occur this year, including China, and as always we will follow global regulators lead in the steps ahead.”
China has issued three primary requirements to get the MAX recertified: design changes, pilot training, and definitive findings from the crash investigations.
Calhoun has noted that talks with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) have been “encouraging and constructive.” China is set to host the Winter Olympics in February 2022, giving it every reason to get the MAX back in service.
Are you happy to see the MAX on its way to recertification in China? Can you see it happening before the end of the year? Let us know your insights in the comments.