A Reuters report this week says that Boeing is planning to increase the production rate of its 737 MAX jet to 52 per month.

The rate is currently at 38 per month, and the company plans to gradually increase the rate until it hits the goal in 2025.

However, with continued supply and labor shortages, it's an open question if Spirit Aerosystems can hire enough people to build the planes.

Boeing's head of commercial business Stan Deal told Reuters last month, "We're making sure our factory is stable, but you will see that [rate] turn up this year."

Sen. Roger Marshal expressed enthusiasm for the potential business increase.

"It's a great opportunity for Wichita, it's a great opportunity for Spirit Aerosystems as well."

Marshall said the possible hurdles could be avoided if more people were in the workforce.

"We need to end the COVID emergency, the President signed our bill just a couple of days ago to end the emergency, stop all the extra aid, and encourage people to get back to work."

He adds that his office has worked for a long time on grant programs for students to get experienced in the tech field who want to go into aerospace.

He gave credit to how schools like Wichita Tech have utilized those grants and apprenticeship programs.

"Something as simple as allowing the federal grants for shorter terms for maybe a six or eight-week course as well," Marshal said. "But, whatever we can do to get those juniors and seniors in high school, or students already in the technical program to start working toward credits."

This would be the highest rate of production for the 737 MAX since 2019.

KAKE News reached out to both Boeing and Spirit AreoSystems on the matter and hasn't heard back from either.