With Airbus having their A320neo in the air (and now certified), Boeing are playing catch up with their Boeing 737 MAX programme.
This programme took a step forward today with the roll-out of the first prototype – a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 rolled out the paint shop – Note the logos of the airlines on the fuselage, the CFM Leap 1A engine – Image (c) The Boeing Company
A closer look at the CFM Leap 1A Engine attached the Boeing 737 MAX 8. Also note all the logos of the airlines who have ordered the 737 MAX – Image (c) The Boeing Company.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 with Boeing employees at the roll-out – Image (c) The Boeing Company
The plane rolled out of Boeing’s plant at Renton in Washington, and named after the area as “Spirit of Renton”
The Spirit of Renton will be joined by three other aircraft that will form the test flight cadre of aircraft to be used in the flight testing of the 737 MAX 8.
Boeing is happy with the roll-out, with Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX, Boeing Commercial Airplanes stating:
“Today marks another in a long series of milestones that our team has achieved on time, per plan, together”
“With the rollout of the new 737 MAX – the first new airplane of Boeing’s second century – our team is upholding an incredible legacy while taking the 737 to the next level of performance.”
The first flight of the Boeing 737 MAX is due for early 2016, with delivery on target for Southwest Airlines (the launch customer) in late 2017.
And it’s still got some amazing looking wingtip devices.
Boeing 737 MAX wingtip device – Image (c) The Boeing Company.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is a beginning of the next generation of the venerable Boeing 737, and so far the first of the MAX’s. Others include:
- 737 MAX 7 (akin to the 737-700)
- 737 MAX 8 (akin to the 737-800)
- 737 MAX 200 (a variation of the MAX 8 for Ryanair)
- 737 MAX 9
Serial production and roll-out cannot come soon enough for Boeing. Whilst the 737 MAX family has nearly 3,000 orders from 60 customers worldwide, it has serious competition from Airbus who have roll-out and certified their A320neo series aircraft.
The race for narrow-body customers and the shift to the newest and latest generation aircraft has begun.
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