CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - The 737 MAX 10, Boeing Co.'s largest 737 Max model, is taking its maiden flight today, reports said citing people familiar with the matter.
The flight after months of testing and certification will be around 10 a.m. local time from the Seattle area. The schedule could change depending on weather or other factors. Meanwhile, the jetliner is expected to enter commercial service in 2023.
The Max 10 will be the first one from the 737 MAX family to take flight since it received U.S. regulators' clearance in November last year to resume service after being grounded for nearly two years.
The Boeing 737 MAX, which was the world's biggest-selling aircraft, was grounded worldwide in March 2019 following two accidents within just six months, which together claimed 346 lives.
The Federal Aviation Administration in mid November had lifted its 20-month safety ban on the 737 Max aircraft, and on November 30, it issued first airworthiness certificate for one of the new Boeing 737 Max jets.
In January this year, the European Union and Britain cleared Boeing's 737 Max for return to service in their respective regions.
As per reports, the Max 10, the largest of the single-aisle jets, is the final planned Max model. The aircraft can seat up to 230 travelers in a single-cabin configuration and fly 3,300 nautical miles or about 6,000 kilometers if outfitted with an auxiliary fuel tank.
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