Boeing and American Airlines have completed the first landing gear exchange for a 737 MAX, marking a milestone as Boeing extends its Landing Gear Exchange Program to the MAX platform. The program lets airlines swap in overhauled, Boeing-certified landing gear assemblies instead of buying and storing expensive spare gear or sending gear out for in-place overhaul.
For the exchange, Boeing supplied an overhauled and certified main and nose landing gear assembly along with an installation kit, with wheels, tires and brakes excluded. The swap validated Boeing's process from technical overhaul and paperwork through delivery, and confirmed the model can apply consistently across the MAX fleet.
William Ampofo, senior vice president of Parts and Distribution and Supply Chain for Boeing Global Services, said the milestone reinforces what customers have experienced with the exchange program for years. He said extending it to the 737 MAX gives operators another tool to shorten downtime and manage maintenance costs.
Boeing said it is increasing global overhaul capacity and working with certified MRO partners to expand where exchanges are available and shorten lead times. Near-term plans include growing the MAX-capable exchange inventory, adding exchange slots closer to customer operations, and tracking downtime and cost data as the program grows.
The exchange model shifts inventory and obsolescence risk away from operators, letting airlines reserve forward-exchange slots rather than hold costly spare parts in storage.
Source: Boeing - https://investors.boeing.com/investors/news/press-release-details/2026/Boeing-American-Airlines-Complete-First-737-MAX-Landing-Gear-Exchange/default.aspx