Boeing (BA.US) earnings recovery engine roars! Three delayed models sprint toward certification as cash flow and balance sheet reach a key turning point

According to Zhitong Finance APP, the American aerospace giant Boeing (BA.US) has announced that three models of jet aircraft, which have experienced long-term delays in orders and certification schedules, are now approaching the completion of their production certification process. Years of strategic missteps and quality oversight failures have weakened the balance sheet of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer, resulting in tighter scrutiny from US federal regulators, but the company is now gradually restoring production capacity.

The Boeing 737 MAX 7 is the smallest model in its best-selling aircraft series and is expected to receive certification this year. Chris Payne, Vice President of 737 Aircraft Development at Boeing, stated that 95% of the company's total certification delivery projects have been completed.

At a briefing held in the Seattle area, Payne said that all required test flight programs have been completed, and Boeing is currently in the final phase of getting certification for the engine anti-ice system solution.

Payne stated that 98% of MAX 10’s flight testing has been completed, with only two test flights remaining. MAX 10 is the largest model in the series, capable of carrying 230 passengers and competing fiercely with Airbus's best-selling A321neo.

Certification for the MAX 7 and MAX 10 has been delayed for many years. In order for Boeing to restore cash generation capability and repair its balance sheet after years of losses, it is vital to certify these two models as well as the large 777X wide-body aircraft.

Two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 prompted regulators to strictly scrutinize the series’ systems, resulting in a nearly two-year grounding. As part of the approval process for resuming operation of the MAX 8 and MAX 9, European aerospace regulators required Boeing to enhance system resilience of the MAX series against single angle of attack sensor failures in the MAX 7 and MAX 10 prior to their approval. This new system must also be retrofitted to planes already in service.

The major incident that led the US federal government to impose production controls on the Boeing 737 MAX occurred on January 5, 2024, with Alaska Airlines Flight 1282: an almost brand-new 737 MAX 9 suffered an explosive decompression shortly after takeoff when the “door plug” in the mid-section of the fuselage detached in flight. Subsequent investigation revealed that four key bolts were missing from the door plug after rework at a Boeing factory, exposing systematic failures in manufacturing, documentation, and quality control. On January 24, 2024, the FAA barred Boeing from increasing 737 MAX production, effectively capping monthly output at 38 units.

The previous cap of 38 units per month has now been lifted. In October 2025, the FAA approved Boeing’s increase in production to 42 units per month, ending the hard cap implemented at the beginning of 2024; in May 2026, the FAA supported a further increase to 47 units per month, and Boeing plans to reach 52 units per month by early 2027. However, this does not mean full regulatory normalization: the FAA continues to maintain reinforced on-site supervision, and each production rate increase by Boeing requires demonstration of production system stability and coordination with regulators. Therefore, for Boeing’s production capacity, the “hard cap has been lifted, but production expansion remains in a phased and strictly supervised mode.”

Boeing 737 Deputy Chief Test Pilot Bill Quashnock said at the briefing that Boeing has developed an enhanced angle of attack system, which will alert pilots in the event of sensor failure and replace the multiple alerts that could disorient pilots. He said the company plans to complete modifications to the existing fleet within two years.

Boeing executives stated that certification work for the 777X, the twin-engine successor to the 747 jumbo jet, is also accelerating. This aircraft features an innovative folding wingtip design to fit existing airport infrastructure and was originally planned for certification in 2020, but large-scale delays were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the upheaval from the 737 MAX grounding. About 50% of the required certification test flights have now been completed, and the model is expected to enter service in 2027.