Boeing’s Single-Aisle 737 MAX 7 Makes Maiden Flight, 2019 Entry Expected

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Boeing pilots Jim Webb (left) and Keith Otsuka depart Boeing’s 737 MAX 7 after taking the aircraft on its maiden flight March 16 in Washington. (Photo courtesy of Boeing.)

Over the course of a 3-hour, 5-minute flight that started mid-morning March 16 at Renton Field in Renton, Washington, and ended with an early afternoon landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field, Boeing test and evaluation pilots Jim Webb and Keith Otsuka successfully completed the first flight for Boeing’s upcoming 737 MAX 7 jetliner. As part of the aircraft’s maiden flight, the captains tested the MAX 7’s flight controls and ran systems and handling-quality checks. Boeing expects the 737 MAX 7, the third and most recent member of Boeing’s 737 MAX family of commercial aircraft, to receive certification and enter delivery in 2019.

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(Photo courtesy of Boeing.)

High & Hot

Beyond the single-aisle 737 MAX 7, which offers a maximum 172-seat capacity, the 737 MAX family also includes the 210-seat MAX 8, 220-seat MAX 9, and 230-seat MAX 10. The MAX 8 entered service in 2017 and reportedly has already transported more than 1.8 million passengers. The MAX 9 wrapped up a flight test program in April 2017, and its first delivery is expected this week. The MAX 10, which stretches the MAX 9’s fuselage by 66 inches (1.7 meters), is expected for 2020 delivery. Boeing reports a backorder of 416 orders for the MAX 10.

Notably, the MAX 7’s 3,850-nautical mile (7,130-kilometer) range tops the other aircraft in the 737 MAX family. Designed for “exceptional performance for airline customers flying out of airports at high altitudes and hot climates,” Boeing states the aircraft can transport 12 passengers 400 more nautical miles (740.8 kilometers) on 7% lower fuel costs than the A319neo, a member of Airbus’ A320neo product line.

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Boeing’s upcoming 737 MAX 7 will power on CFM International LEAP-1B engines and sport Advanced Technology wingtips designed to enhance wing efficiency. (Photo courtesy of Boeing.)

"Everything we saw during today's flight shows that the MAX 7 is performing exactly as designed," said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager of Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ 737 MAX program. "I know our airline customers are going to enjoy the capabilities this airplane will bring to their fleets."

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(Photo courtesy of Boeing.)

Up To The Challenge

Stretching 116.7 feet (35.6 meters) long with a wingspan of 117.8 feet (35.9 meters), the narrow-body MAX 7’s features include the use of Advanced Technology wingtips designed to enhance wing efficiency. The aircraft will also feature Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays, and CFM International LEAP-1B engines. In a statement, Randy Tinseth, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of marketing, noted that the MAX 7 will “provide airlines an efficient product for opening and flying thinner markets and accessing challenging airports.”

While Boeing hasn’t reported how MAX 7 orders it has taken, it has reportedly indicated it has eight customers for the aircraft thus far, including Southwest Airlines and Westjet Airlines. Overall, Boeing states that it has taken 4,300-plus orders from 93 global customers for 737 MAX aircraft, which Boeing touts as its fast-selling airplane ever.

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The single-aisle 737 MAX 7 will offer a maximum 172-seat capacity and 3,850-nautical mile (7,130-kilometer) flight range. (Photo courtesy of Boeing.)

Source: Boeing

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