Aerospace Manufacturing
Boeing to Seek FAA Approval to Boost 737 Max Production
The aerospace giant hopes to assemble 42 jetliners per month.
Boeing 777 fuselage panels are produced at a world-class factory in Hiroshima, Japan. Photo courtesy Broetje-Automation GmbH
CRYSTAL CITY, VA—Boeing will ask for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to ramp up production of its bestselling 737 Max jets to 42 a month later this year, CEO Kelly Ortberg said Wednesday, as airplane deliveries picked up this year and the company narrowed its losses.
Boeing reported a first-quarter net loss of $31 million, an improvement from a loss of $355 million a year earlier, as revenue rose 18 percent to $19.5 billion, slightly ahead of analysts’ estimates.
The company’s cash burn of about $2.3 billion was an improvement over the nearly $4 billion it used in the first quarter of 2024, and was better than analysts expected.
“While we are closely watching the developments in global trade, our strong start to the year combined with the demand for airplanes and our half trillion-dollar backlog for our products and services gives us the flexibility we need to navigate this environment,” Ortberg said.
Hired last year, Ortberg has been tasked with leading Boeing past a series of safety and manufacturing crises. In the past few months, he has touted improved safety and manufacturing processes at Boeing’s factories.
In January 2024, a door plug blew out from a 737 Max during a flight in January 2024.
Since then, Boeing must receive approval from the FAA to increase output of the 737 Max to above 38 jets a month. Boeing had been producing significantly below that level after the accident, and a nearly two-month union strike last year halted much of the company’s manufacturing.
Revenue in Boeing’s commercial airplane unit rose 75 percent during the first quarter from a year ago to $8.1 billion, with deliveries up to 130 planes from 83 a year ago.Looking for quick answers on assembly and manufacturing topics? Try Ask ASM, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ASM
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