Boeing (NYSE: BA) and American Airlines have completed the first landing gear exchange for a 737 MAX aircraft, extending Boeing's existing Landing Gear Exchange Program to the MAX platform, according to a company press release.

Under the program, Boeing supplies overhauled and certified main and nose landing gear assemblies with installation kits, delivered ready to install. Wheels, tires, and brakes are excluded from the exchange. The completed swap validated the end-to-end process, from technical overhaul and documentation through delivery.

"Extending the program to the 737 MAX gives operators another proven tool to shorten downtime, manage costs and align heavy maintenance with operational needs," said William Ampofo, senior vice president of Parts & Distribution and Supply Chain at Boeing Global Services.

The Landing Gear Exchange Program allows airlines to reserve forward-exchange slots rather than purchase and store costly spare gear. Boeing handles the technical overhaul, service bulletin incorporation, certification, and supplier coordination, taking on inventory and obsolescence risk from operators.

Boeing said it plans to increase global overhaul capacity and work with certified MRO partners to expand geographic availability and shorten lead times. Near-term priorities include enlarging 737 MAX-capable exchange inventory and adding forward-exchange slots closer to customer operations.