Boeing flies final stored 737 MAX from Moses Lake

Boeing has flown the last 737 MAX stored in Moses Lake, Washington, closing a storage and reactivation effort that began after the model’s grounding in 2019.

The 737 MAX fleet was grounded by the FAA for 20 months following two fatal accidents. During the suspension, Boeing paused production of the 737 MAX and redirected resources to manage parked aircraft.

In 2020, the COVID-19 downturn increased the number of undelivered jets in storage as airlines canceled deliveries. Moses Lake became one of the primary sites for parking and maintaining the aircraft.

Over six years, Boeing maintained and reworked a total of 450 airplanes linked to the grounding and the pandemic disruptions, with 250 stored at Moses Lake. All parked aircraft were returned to flight status for delivery, culminating in the departure of the final jet.

While stored, mechanics preserved critical systems and performed periodic checks. The aircraft also received updated flight-control software intended to address issues identified after the accidents.

The last aircraft will be delivered to Air China after receiving new paint, according to FlightGlobal.

The maintenance and rework of the stored fleet placed a financial burden on Boeing and affected output of new airplanes. With those processes concluded, the company expects margins to improve as resources from its ‘shadow factories’ are shifted to regular production and development work.

Boeing will continue working through inventories of the 737 MAX 7 and 10, which remain pending FAA certification. Deliveries of those variants will depend on regulatory approval, which is expected in 2026.

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