The latest 737s feature the
same six-abreast layout
as the original examples,
but the advent of in-flight
entertainment systems
and Boeing’s Sky Interior
has transformed the cabin
almost beyond recognition.
AVIATION IMAGE NETWORKBELOW • Intended to compete
more effectively with Airbus’
A321neo, the 737 MAX 10
was launched last year
and features a stretched
fuselage and more powerful
engines. BOEING38 AIRLINER WORLD JUNE 2018
world’s best single-aisle airplane.”
Wind tunnel testing was essential
to substantiate the MAX’s aerodynamic
performance and formed a crucial
part of the aircraft’s development. In
February 2012, the manufacturer
announced the final phase of low-
speed testing at QinetiQ’s facility in
Farnborough and high-speed testing
at the Boeing transonic wind tunnel in
Seattle. Models used had modifications
to the aft fuselage, struts and nacelles.
Following completion of these tests,
Boeing made a series of design deci-
sions for the final configuration, which
was confirmed in November 2012.
The MAX bears more than a passing
resemblance to its predecessors but
incorporates several significant differ-
ences. This includes an extended tail
cone, while the section above the
elevator has been thickened to improve
air flow, eliminating the need for vortex
generators on the tail. Engine wing
integration is now similar to the 787
Dreamliner with a new pylon and strut,
and an 8in (20.3cm) nose gear
extension, maintains ground clearance.
Flying controls include new fly-by-wire
spoilers, which save weight by replacing
the previous all-mechanical system,
while the aircraft also features new in-
house developed Advanced Technology
winglets.
In the cockpit, four new large-format
wide-screen displays consolidate some
analogue functions, but other switches
and panels, such as the overhead panel,
are largely unchanged.
Testing to Delivery
Named The Spirit of Renton, the first
737 MAX 8, N8701Q (c/n 42554), was
rolled out in front of Boeing employees
on December 8, 2015, resplendent in a
special teal version of the company’s
house livery. Nine days earlier, the
aircraft went into the hangar for paint-
ing, this final stage of the aircraft’s build
starting on the precise date determined
four years previously. Keith Leverkuhn,
VP and General Manager, 737 MAX,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said:
“The team met all the milestones,
including wing-body join, power on
and roll-out.”
Notably, the manufacturer was
rather conservative with its timeline,
planning a six-year launch-to-delivery
cycle and allocating 20 months to
undertake a nine-month flight testing
programme. Progress was, however,
faster than anticipated, leading Boeing
to accelerate the estimated entry into
service by several months to autumn- The first example, 9M-LRC (c/n
42985), was in fact handed over, again
earlier than planned, to Malaysian
carrier Malindo Air on May 16.An Evolving Market
Given the popularity of its best-selling
predecessors, it’s hard to imagine the
fourth-generation 737 being anything
less than a commercial success over
its projected 15-plus year lifecycle. The
order book for the MAX is healthy and
growing – it’s the fastest selling airliner
in Boeing’s history. VietJet Air’s
signing for 100 MAXs in mid-2016 is
an indicator of wins to be had from
existing Airbus operators.
With the 737 MAX 8 now entering
service with operators around the globe
(at the time of writing, Boeing has
delivered almost 90 aircraft to 20
carriers), attention is now focused on
how to compete more effectively with
the A321neo. The US firm has never
backed down from a fight and, with
the longest member of the A320 Family
having racked up more than 1,900
orders, Boeing made its move at the
2017 Paris Air Show with the launch
of the much anticipated MAX 10. Its
unveiling was accompanied by a slew of
orders and commitments, spanning 361
airframes and 16 lessors and operators.
Commenting at the show, Boeing