FAA clears smallest Boeing 737 Max to fly after years of delays

The Federal Aviation Administration has certified the Boeing 737 Max 7, the smallest model in the best-selling family of aircraft, after nearly a decade of delays.The agency on Monday said the approval "reflects years of sustained work to resolve complex technical issues and complete a thorough review of the airplane's design and supporting safety analyses."The FAA also said it "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," adding that those changes prevent the engine from overheating.Carriers including Southwest Airlines expected to fly the plane before the pandemic, but increased regulatory scrutiny following the fatal crashes of the in-service Max 8, in 2018 and 2019, other safety and manufacturing crises, and the redesign of an engine anti-icing system delayed certification.Airlines can finally start flying passengers soon after planes are certified, but it can take them months to work them into schedules. Boeing is currently awaiting certific...