Boeing Is Delivering 737 MAX Planes To China Again

Summary

  • Boeing has resumed deliveries of 737 MAX aircraft to China-based airlines.
  • The manufacturer delivered a 737 MAX 8 to Xiamen Airlines on July 20.
  • The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) had suspended the deliveries of all Boeing aircraft due to a potential battery problem inside the aircraft cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

After another brief hiatus, Boeing has begun delivering 737 MAX aircraft to China, with the manufacturer handing over a two-year-old 737 MAX 8 to Xiamen Airlines on July 20.

Resuming deliveries after regulatory review

According to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft, a 737 MAX 8, registered as B-225F, was delivered to Xiamen Airlines on July 20 from Zhoushan Putuoshan Airport (HSN), where Boeing’s 737 Completion and Delivery Center was located.

When Boeing delivered its first 737 MAX 8 from the center in December 2018, the aircraft manufacturer detailed that China-bound 737s would fly from Seattle, Washington, the United States, to Zhoushan, China, where the aircraft would undergo the final interior work. At the time, Boeing also detailed that it had planned to expand the site to include painting hangars.

Unpainted Air China Boeing 737 MAX 8 shutterstock_1540374575

Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock

Nevertheless, this was the first 737 MAX 8 delivery to a China-based carrier since April, according to ch-aviation data. Then, Boeing delivered a 737 MAX 8 to Hainan Airlines, registered as B-225J.

Boeing had also handed over a 737 MAX 8 to 9 Air on June 4. However, the delivery of the aircraft, registered as B-208H, was approved before China suspended deliveries of Boeing’s aircraft, as reported by AviationWeek.

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Battery issue

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) had suspended deliveries of all Boeing aircraft due to a regulatory review of the 25-hour cockpit voice recorder (CVR) batteries found inside the manufacturer’s aircraft.

China Southern Boeing 737 MAX 8

Photo: aappp | Shutterstock

In May, during the Wolfe Research Global Transportation & Industrials Conference, Brian West, the chief financial officer (CFO) and executive vice president of finance of Boeing, detailed that the CAAC asked for additional validation on a lithium battery in the CVR.

West added that the CVR has been active since 2022 and was present in all of its aircraft programs, including the 737 MAX, 777X, and 787.

“[…] because of that, we have not been delivering airplanes to China recently. We will work very closely with the regulator. We follow their lead. We will work closely with our customers. But that will very likely have an impact in the quarter on deliveries and our cash flow.”

Related

Boeing Deliveries To China Delayed By Regulator Review Of CVR Batteries

So far in May, Boeing has only delivered one aircraft to a China-based airline.

Undelivered 737 MAXs

Meanwhile, during Boeing’s Q1 2024 earnings call in April, West stated that the aircraft manufacturer had around 110 737 MAX 8 that were built before 2023, the vast majority being for customers in China and India. The number was 30 fewer than in Q4 2023, added West.

“We still expect to deliver most of these inventoried airplanes by year-end as we work towards shutting down the shadow factory.”

Ch-aviation records showed that there are 80 737 MAXs assigned to Chinese customers that have not been delivered, with the aircraft ages varying from one to more than five.

Renton, Washington / USA - September 09 2018: Multiple engineless Boeing 737 MAX outside the assembly line parked at Renton Airport waiting for flight tests, painting and delivery.

Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock

For example, a Shandong Airlines 737 MAX 8, registered as B-20E2, first flew on January 10, 2019, and still has not been delivered to the Chinese carrier.

Related

Boeing To Resume Operations At Chinese Facility

The Zhoushan facility was established in 2018.

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