Samwise Aeronautical Mechanics
Monday, June 1, 2026
Boeing Raises 737 MAX Production Rate to 47 Aircraft Per Month
Boeing has increased its 737 MAX production rate to 47 aircraft per month following a capstone review with the Federal Aviation Administration, CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on May 27. The increase, from 42 aircraft per month, required Boeing to demonstrate manufacturing quality and process controls before receiving FAA approval. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the regulator was comfortable with the rise and anticipated further increases within 30 to 90 days. Ortberg said Boeing’s target is a rate of 52 aircraft per month, with a longer-term ambition of 63, as the company works to satisfy strong narrowbody demand from airlines worldwide.
Sources: Aviation A2Z
Boeing 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 Near End of FAA Certification Flight Testing
Boeing’s 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 variants are within roughly 20 percent of completing their FAA certification flight test programs, CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed on May 27. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said he expects the MAX 7 to receive its type certificate this summer and the MAX 10 before year-end. Boeing has cleared all remaining Test Inspection Authorization requirements, meaning no further TIA approvals are needed for the outstanding test regime. The engine anti-icing system, a longstanding technical hurdle, has been substantially resolved. Both programs run concurrently, with the larger MAX 10 package expected to follow the MAX 7 closely.
Sources: Aviation A2Z
New Aluminum Alloys Advanced Aircraft Structures While Introducing Fatigue Challenges
Aerospace engineer Björn Fehrm’s ongoing aircraft structures series on Leeham News examines how zinc-alloyed 7000-series aluminum advanced structural capability beyond the earlier copper-alloyed 2000-series Duralumin. The 7000-series alloys deliver higher strength-to-weight ratios enabling thinner stressed-skin construction, but introduced persistent fatigue vulnerabilities. Fehrm details how this became critical when the British de Havilland Comet — the first jet airliner cruising at 35,000 feet with cabin pressure differentials exceeding 8 PSI — suffered catastrophic fatigue failures attributable to pressurization cycles. The series illustrates how material advances and structural failure modes have been inseparably linked throughout aviation history.
Sources: Leeham News
FAA Issues Directive Targeting Flutter Risk from Airbus A320 Family Rudder Repainting
The FAA issued an airworthiness directive effective June 15 for Airbus A319, A320, and A321 family aircraft addressing potential flutter risk caused by accumulated mass from rudder repainting or repair work. Aeroelastic stability assessments found the additional mass can reduce stability margins and, if combined with a rudder actuator disconnection, could create conditions for flutter and loss of directional control. The directive, published May 29, requires operators to conduct airframe vibration troubleshooting after any vibration event, report results to the FAA, and take applicable corrective actions. Parts installation restrictions under specified conditions are also mandated.
Sources: Federal Register
NTSB Restores Aviation Dockets After AI Cockpit Audio Reconstruction Threat
The National Transportation Safety Board largely restored public access to its investigation docket system after temporarily restricting it over concerns that artificial intelligence can reconstruct cockpit voice recorder audio from sound-spectrum imagery published in safety reports. The NTSB is legally barred from releasing CVR recordings, but AI-based audio reconstruction from spectral images created a potential workaround to that restriction. The board removed access to dozens of dockets while reviewing materials for exposure risk, including those tied to the 2025 UPS Kentucky crash investigation. Most dockets have been restored. Forty-one dockets remain under review pending implementation of additional safeguards.
Sources: FlightGlobal
ZeroAvia Founder Val Miftakhov Steps Down as CEO Amid Leadership Transition
ZeroAvia founder and chief executive Val Miftakhov stepped down effective May 26, with the announcement published May 29. Miftakhov, who founded the hydrogen-electric aviation startup in 2017, will remain on ZeroAvia’s board of directors. Executive Chair Christine Ourmières-Widener will assume the chief executive role on an interim basis while a search for a permanent replacement proceeds. The transition follows a difficult period for ZeroAvia that included cutting approximately 50 percent of its global workforce in early 2026. Miftakhov described the departure as a move to pursue new opportunities. The company is developing hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for regional commercial aircraft.
Sources: Air Data News
South Korea Launches First Indigenous Turbofan Engine Development Program
Hanwha Aerospace launched Korea’s first dual-use turbofan engine development program in partnership with the Korea AeroSpace Administration, targeting a 4,500-pound-force high-bypass turbofan for collaborative combat aircraft and unmanned platforms. The engine is designed for military UAV and potential civil applications including small business jets, and will integrate a starter-generator on the engine shaft providing up to 100 kilowatts of electrical power. KASA is providing government funding for the initiative, with Hanwha leading engine design, core component development, and test infrastructure. Korea Aerospace Industries is participating in the program, which targets operational deployment by 2029.
Sources: Global Defense Corp
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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