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Boeing 737 MAX 10 certified: the race with the A321neo
Original title: Finally Certified But Boeing Still Has A PROBLEM!
Mentour Now! · 23:23 · 2 Nov 2026 · Watch on YouTube

Ben Watts of Mentour Now looks at the FAA approval of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 and at the production race with the Airbus A321neo.

What the video covers

Written in our own words. It only describes what the video shows and says.

In this Mentour Now episode, Ben Watts looks at the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 10. He starts with the news that the FAA approved the MAX 10 for airline service on 20 October 2026, after a certification campaign that took years. Customers had already ordered more than 1,500 of the type. Watts then asks whether Boeing can build and deliver enough of them to win back ground from the Airbus A321neo.

A stretched 737 and a long road to approval

Watts goes back to 2017, when Boeing launched the MAX 10 at the Paris Air Show. Boeing stretched the MAX 9 by another 1.7 metres for up to 230 passengers in an all economy layout, while keeping commonality with the rest of the 737 family. Because the 737 sits low to the ground, the longer fuselage raised the risk of tail strikes. Boeing answered with a semi-levered main landing gear that gives extra height on takeoff and shortens again before retraction. The aircraft was meant to enter service in 2020. After the two fatal MAX accidents in 2018 and 2019, Watts says, the FAA changed how it oversees manufacturers. The MAX 10 faced closer scrutiny of its flight controls and software, a new synthetic angle of attack indicator, flight management software issues and engine anti-ice issues. By certification Boeing had flown more than 2,000 test hours.

Production and the Airbus backlog

Watts notes that Boeing built only a handful of MAX 10s for testing, so few aircraft are ready to hand over. Airlines still need to train crews and prepare their cabins. Regulators outside the United States still have to validate the type. He says WestJet is expected to receive the first MAX 10 in early 2027, followed by United Airlines and Ryanair. Boeing opened a fourth MAX final assembly line in Everett in July 2026 and is working towards about 52 aircraft per month across the MAX family by 2027. Airbus targets 70 to 75 A320 family aircraft per month by the end of 2027 and had a reported backlog of almost 5,700 A321neos at the end of August 2026.

Larger narrowbodies and the range question

Watts explains that airlines increasingly choose larger narrowbodies, because 230 seats cost little more to operate than 180, especially at slot limited airports. By August 2026 about three out of four A320neo family orders were for the A321neo. Boeing advertises up to 230 seats for the MAX 10 against 244 for the A321neo. Boeing quotes a range of about 3,100 nautical miles for the MAX 10. The standard A321neo reaches about 4,000 nautical miles and the A321XLR about 4,700. Watts adds that most narrowbody flights do not need that range, so commonality with an existing 737 fleet can weigh more for many airlines. He closes with the 777X certification that Boeing now faces and the question of whether Renton and Everett can raise output.

Statements in the video

6:31Boeing accumulated more than 2,000 test hours in the air before the MAX 10 was certified.Ben Watts adds that this made it the first commercial aircraft certified under the full requirements of the safety legislation introduced after the MAX accidents.
11:14Airbus had a reported backlog of almost 5,700 A321neos at the end of August 2026, against more than 1,500 orders for the MAX 10.Watts says that gives Airbus roughly 3.7 times as many outstanding orders in this segment, including the A321LR and A321XLR.
18:13Boeing quotes a range of about 3,100 nautical miles for the MAX 10, while the standard A321neo reaches about 4,000 nautical miles.Watts calls this a significant difference between the two aircraft, with the A321XLR going further at about 4,700 nautical miles.

Moments from the video

0:00“Boeing has been waiting for this news for a very long time. So long, in fact, that some wonder if it might even be a little too late. On October 20th, 2026, the American Federal Aviation Administration officially approved the Boeing 737 MAX 10 for airline…”3:16“Boeing's answer was to stretch the 737 MAX 9 by another 1.7 metres, creating an aircraft capable of carrying up to 230 passengers in an all economy configuration, while retaining as much commonality as possible with the rest of the 737 family.”4:59“Now, when the MAX 10 was originally launched in 2017, it was supposed to enter service in 2020. But then came the two fatal 737 MAX accidents in 2018 and 2019, which changed everything.”6:31“But all of this meant that by the time the MAX 10 finally received its certification, Boeing had accumulated more than 2000 test hours in the air, making it the first commercial aircraft certified under the full requirements of the safety legislation…”10:01“So it's fair to say that Boeing has had more than their fair share of disruptions over the past few years. But more recently, they've gradually been rebuilding their 737 production capacity and normalising various problems with their suppliers. Then in…”11:14“But here is where competition comes into play, and some comparisons with Airbus put Boeing's challenge into context. The 1500 plus orders that Boeing has reportedly secured for the MAX 10 look a lot less impressive against Airbus' reported backlog of…”14:26“Now, here we need to explain something that I mentioned at the start of the video. That this standoff between the A321neo and the MAX-10 is coming at a time when airlines are changing what they want from their narrow-body fleets. For the past few decades,…”17:45“Well, on paper, the two aircraft are reasonably close in terms of passenger capacity, with Boeing advertising a maximum of 230 seats for the MAX 10 compared to the 244 for the A321neo. In practice, though, those numbers are likely lower. Even in an…”

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Boeing 737 MAX 10 certified: the race with the A321neo

Original title: Finally Certified But Boeing Still Has A PROBLEM!
Mentour Now! · 23:23 · 2 Nov 2026 · Watch on YouTube

Ben Watts of Mentour Now looks at the FAA approval of the Boeing 737 MAX 10 and at the production race with the Airbus A321neo.

IN THIS VIDEO
  1. 0:00FAA approval after a long wait
  2. 3:16Stretching the MAX 9 into the MAX 10
  3. 4:59Accidents, new rules and delays
  4. 10:01Production lines in Renton and Everett
  5. 14:26Airlines move to larger narrowbodies
  6. 17:45Seats and range against the A321neo

What the video covers

Written in our own words. It only describes what the video shows and says.

In this Mentour Now episode, Ben Watts looks at the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 10. He starts with the news that the FAA approved the MAX 10 for airline service on 20 October 2026, after a certification campaign that took years. Customers had already ordered more than 1,500 of the type. Watts then asks whether Boeing can build and deliver enough of them to win back ground from the Airbus A321neo.

A stretched 737 and a long road to approval

Watts goes back to 2017, when Boeing launched the MAX 10 at the Paris Air Show. Boeing stretched the MAX 9 by another 1.7 metres for up to 230 passengers in an all economy layout, while keeping commonality with the rest of the 737 family. Because the 737 sits low to the ground, the longer fuselage raised the risk of tail strikes. Boeing answered with a semi-levered main landing gear that gives extra height on takeoff and shortens again before retraction. The aircraft was meant to enter service in 2020. After the two fatal MAX accidents in 2018 and 2019, Watts says, the FAA changed how it oversees manufacturers. The MAX 10 faced closer scrutiny of its flight controls and software, a new synthetic angle of attack indicator, flight management software issues and engine anti-ice issues. By certification Boeing had flown more than 2,000 test hours.

Production and the Airbus backlog

Watts notes that Boeing built only a handful of MAX 10s for testing, so few aircraft are ready to hand over. Airlines still need to train crews and prepare their cabins. Regulators outside the United States still have to validate the type. He says WestJet is expected to receive the first MAX 10 in early 2027, followed by United Airlines and Ryanair. Boeing opened a fourth MAX final assembly line in Everett in July 2026 and is working towards about 52 aircraft per month across the MAX family by 2027. Airbus targets 70 to 75 A320 family aircraft per month by the end of 2027 and had a reported backlog of almost 5,700 A321neos at the end of August 2026.

Larger narrowbodies and the range question

Watts explains that airlines increasingly choose larger narrowbodies, because 230 seats cost little more to operate than 180, especially at slot limited airports. By August 2026 about three out of four A320neo family orders were for the A321neo. Boeing advertises up to 230 seats for the MAX 10 against 244 for the A321neo. Boeing quotes a range of about 3,100 nautical miles for the MAX 10. The standard A321neo reaches about 4,000 nautical miles and the A321XLR about 4,700. Watts adds that most narrowbody flights do not need that range, so commonality with an existing 737 fleet can weigh more for many airlines. He closes with the 777X certification that Boeing now faces and the question of whether Renton and Everett can raise output.

Statements in the video

6:31Boeing accumulated more than 2,000 test hours in the air before the MAX 10 was certified.Ben Watts adds that this made it the first commercial aircraft certified under the full requirements of the safety legislation introduced after the MAX accidents.
11:14Airbus had a reported backlog of almost 5,700 A321neos at the end of August 2026, against more than 1,500 orders for the MAX 10.Watts says that gives Airbus roughly 3.7 times as many outstanding orders in this segment, including the A321LR and A321XLR.
18:13Boeing quotes a range of about 3,100 nautical miles for the MAX 10, while the standard A321neo reaches about 4,000 nautical miles.Watts calls this a significant difference between the two aircraft, with the A321XLR going further at about 4,700 nautical miles.

Moments from the video

0:00“Boeing has been waiting for this news for a very long time. So long, in fact, that some wonder if it might even be a little too late. On October 20th, 2026, the American Federal Aviation Administration officially approved the Boeing 737 MAX 10 for airline…”3:16“Boeing's answer was to stretch the 737 MAX 9 by another 1.7 metres, creating an aircraft capable of carrying up to 230 passengers in an all economy configuration, while retaining as much commonality as possible with the rest of the 737 family.”4:59“Now, when the MAX 10 was originally launched in 2017, it was supposed to enter service in 2020. But then came the two fatal 737 MAX accidents in 2018 and 2019, which changed everything.”6:31“But all of this meant that by the time the MAX 10 finally received its certification, Boeing had accumulated more than 2000 test hours in the air, making it the first commercial aircraft certified under the full requirements of the safety legislation…”10:01“So it's fair to say that Boeing has had more than their fair share of disruptions over the past few years. But more recently, they've gradually been rebuilding their 737 production capacity and normalising various problems with their suppliers. Then in…”11:14“But here is where competition comes into play, and some comparisons with Airbus put Boeing's challenge into context. The 1500 plus orders that Boeing has reportedly secured for the MAX 10 look a lot less impressive against Airbus' reported backlog of…”14:26“Now, here we need to explain something that I mentioned at the start of the video. That this standoff between the A321neo and the MAX-10 is coming at a time when airlines are changing what they want from their narrow-body fleets. For the past few decades,…”17:45“Well, on paper, the two aircraft are reasonably close in terms of passenger capacity, with Boeing advertising a maximum of 230 seats for the MAX 10 compared to the 244 for the A321neo. In practice, though, those numbers are likely lower. Even in an…”
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