Boeing Ends Production of its Best Seller Widebody Aircraft

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SEATTLE- American Aerospace Giant, Boeing 2024 delivery records indicate the company has potentially concluded production of its legendary 777-300ER aircraft, with only one final delivery recorded for the year.

The Air Current broke this significant development in commercial aviation history, highlighting the conclusion of what it termed “the best-selling widebody of all time.”

Photo: Boeing 777X Production Twitter

Boeing Ends 777-300ER Production

Despite Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope’s December announcement of resumed production across multiple aircraft lines following a machinists’ strike, the 777 program now focuses exclusively on the 777X variant, signaling a definitive shift in the company’s production strategy.

The 777-300ER’s legacy spans nearly two decades of revolutionary air travel since its 2004 debut.

Photo: By John Murphy – Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31532724

The aircraft transformed long-haul operations with its impressive 7,370 nautical mile range and efficient twin-engine design. Its General Electric GE90 engines set new standards in reliability and fuel efficiency, surpassing its predecessors’ performance metrics.

Airlines worldwide embraced the aircraft’s 392-passenger capacity in a standard two-class configuration, which proved optimal for balancing operational costs with passenger comfort on intercontinental routes.

The 777-300ER established itself as a cornerstone of global aviation, demonstrating Boeing’s technological prowess and market understanding.

Photo: Boeing Airplanes

737 MAX 7 and 10 Update

Boeing has submitted requests to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for temporary regulatory exemptions regarding the stall-management yaw damper system on its 737 Max 7 and Max 10 aircraft models.

The aerospace manufacturer filed these requests on January 17, 2025, citing difficulties in meeting enhanced regulatory standards following a system classification change.

The exemption requests specifically target the certification process requirements for both aircraft variants and would facilitate the implementation of a planned angle-of-attack system update across all Max models.

Boeing’s application, which became public through U.S. government channels on January 21, emphasizes the critical nature of these approvals for advancing the certification timeline of these delayed aircraft models.

The stall-management yaw damper, an electronic system responsible for stall warning, identification, and yaw damping functions, previously received a different exemption for the 737 Max 7 in 2023. That earlier exemption addressed lightning and radiation regulations, whereas the current request focuses on system functionality requirements and failure probability standards.

Boeing’s certification team maintains that granting these exemptions would expedite customer deliveries of the 737-7 and 737-10 aircraft while enhancing overall safety features. The manufacturer intends to implement improved angle-of-attack system safety measures across the existing Max fleet, pending temporary exemption approval.

The aerospace company assures stakeholders that currently operational 737 MAX aircraft remain unaffected by these certification matters. Boeing substantiates its safety claims by highlighting the yaw damper system’s proven track record, citing 250 million flight hours of reliable operation spanning more than 25 years.

The company reports that comprehensive testing and review processes for the Max 7 and Max 10 software configurations have confirmed the maintenance of safety and reliability standards.

737 Max; Renton Factory; 1st 737 Max on line; Aerial View from Front; K66444-03 | Photo: Boeing

Certification Challenge Reveals Complex Safety Requirements

Boeing’s stall-management yaw damper (SMYD) system requires elevation to more stringent safety standards. The system’s classification has shifted from Level B to Level A, indicating an increased recognition of potential failure risks.

Under Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics guidelines, Level A designation applies to systems where failures could prove catastrophic, marking a significant upgrade from the previous Level B classification that only addressed hazardous failures. Boeing acknowledges that its current SMYD system for the Max 7 and Max 10 does not meet these heightened Level A requirements.

The manufacturer seeks regulatory relief through October 2028, proposing this timeframe to achieve full compliance and retrofit delivered aircraft. This certification hurdle adds to Boeing’s ongoing challenges with the Max 7 and Max 10 variants, though the full impact of a potential FAA rejection remains uncertain.

While all 737 Max variants utilize similar SMYD systems with minor adjustments, the Max 10 introduces an Enhanced Angle of Attack (EAOA) feature. This enhancement, developed in response to previous Max accidents, aims to improve error detection in angle-of-attack data across all Max models. Boeing emphasizes that the requested exemption directly affects its ability to implement these critical EAOA safety improvements across the fleet.

The SMYD certification issue emerges amid Boeing’s efforts to resolve earlier system complications. In June 2023, Boeing’s 737 Max development chief project engineer Gary Hamatani identified non-compliance issues regarding radiation and lightning protection standards. The FAA granted Boeing relief from these requirements through early 2027, allowing the company to address these concerns while maintaining development progress.

Boeing plans to demonstrate SMYD compliance after securing certification for the Max 7 and Max 10 and completing the AOA enhancement implementation. The manufacturer warns that without the temporary exemption, the deployment of EAOA safety features faces delays, potentially affecting critical safety improvements across the Max fleet.

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Boeing Will Restart 777X Certification Flights

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