Boeing plans to discuss an increase in the monthly production rate of the B737 MAX from 38 to 42 units with the FAA.
The company aims to implement rate increases in increments of five no earlier than every six months. Concerns regarding the timeline for production rate increases are acknowledged, as Boeing has experienced intervals of nine to twelve months historically.
A fourth production line at Everett is being established for the B737-10 to enhance efficiency in the Renton facility.
The FAA has postponed lifting the production cap implemented after a mid-air incident involving a B737-9 in January 2024, with inspections of Boeing’s supply chains still pending.
Kelly Ortberg shared, “On the MAX, we are at the 38-per-month rate. And we are stabilising right now. We’ve got a tremendous amount of inventory in place. So, I think in the near-term, as we ramp the MAX up, supply chain is not going to be a challenge for us because of the inventory levels. The agency was not yet considering lifting the production cap.”
