Dhaka: The Federal Aviation Administration is not the barrier to Boeing receiving certification for its two new variants of Boeing 737 MAX, said the agency on January 21.

Following a speech in Washington, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said to the media that the agency had devoted necessary resources to help Boeing get the smaller 737 MAX 7 and larger MAX 10 planes certified, however, the plane manufacturer still had to do its own work.

"We can only help get them there, but they have got to do the work, and they're doing the work," Bedford said. "I don't think FAA is the roadblock on 7 and the -10 certification," he added.

Earlier this month, reports said, FAA approved MAX 10 to move to the second phase of flight testing on the plane's long-delayed certification campaign.

Boeing executives had previously said they expect to finish certification this year for the MAX 7 and 10, the smallest and largest variants of the popular single-aisle aircraft. The company has more than 1,200 orders for the MAX 10 in its backlog, according to reports.

The American plane manufacturer plans to assemble the MAX 10 at its plant in Everett, Washington, on a new assembly line, dubbed the 737 North Line. The MAX 10 is too long to efficiently assemble at Boeing's plant in Renton, Washington, where the company started making 737s in 1966.

Boeing has faced delays in ⁠the certification of its MAX 7 and MAX 10 models due to an engine de-icing issue. The US planemaker has also faced delays in certifying its widebody 777X jet. In October, the FAA gave Boeing approval to raise 737 MAX production to 42 ‍planes per month, ending a ⁠38-plane cap in place since January 2024.