The first flight of a new aircraft is something to be celebrated – and for Boeing, their newest version of the 737 took off for the first time today. Welcome, the 737-10.
The Boeing 737-10 in-flight – Image, The Boeing Company.
The Boeing 737-10, the largest airplane in the 737 MAX family, today completed a successful first flight. The airplane took off from Renton Field in Renton, Washington, at 10:07 a.m. and landed at 12:38 p.m. at Boeing Field in Seattle, for a 2-hour 31-minute sortie.
It is 4.33 metres / 14ft 2 inches longer than the base-line 737-8, with the ability to carry 204 passengers in a two-class configuration, or 230 in a single class configuration, with a range of 3,300 nautical miles.
A first flight is of course not the end – rather than the beginning of the start of a comprehensive test program for the 737-10. Boeing as usual, will need to work with regulators to ensure that it can be certified to be produced serially and safely.
The planned entry into service is currently 2023.
Who is shopping for the Boeing 737-10?
Boeing has 17 customers for the 737-10 currently. Major customers include:
- United Airlines (100 commitments)
- VietJet (80 commitments)
- flydubai (50 commitments)
- Lion Air (50 commitments)
- GOL (30 commitments)
- Virgin Australia (25 commitments)
Other carriers include TUI, Copa Airlines, WestJet, Malaysia Airlines and Skyup Airlines.
Lessors are invested in the type too, with Aviation Captial Group, GECAS, AerCap, CALC China, BOC Aviation and China Development Bank all having orders for the type.
In Quotes
737 Chief Pilot Captain Jennifer Henderson said:
“The airplane performed beautifully,”
“The profile we flew allowed us to test the airplane’s systems, flight controls and handling qualities, all of which checked out exactly as we expected.”
Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said
“The 737-10 is an important part of our customers’ fleet plans, giving them more capacity, greater fuel efficiency and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle airplane,”
“Our team is committed to delivering an airplane with the highest quality and reliability.”
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Can we trust this any more than the (Max) Max-8 ?!?
Sure hope Boeing takes extra time to FULLY test and review its computer systems AND the FAA has real, professional , non-Boeing inspectors handling ALL of the certifications and follow-ups. I’m not convinced about Boeing’s veracity with new 737’s yet.