Industry Boeing 737 MAX 7 completes maiden flight

  • Boeing

Boeing’s new B737 MAX 7 has successfully completed its first flight on March 16, 2018.

  • 8

The aircraft, which is scheduled for a first delivery in 2019, begins a flight test program in the next days.

"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 the 737 MAX program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "I know our airline customers are going to enjoy the capabilities this airplane will bring to their fleets."

Boeing pilots Jim Webb and Keith Otsuka after completing the first flight of the B 737 MAX 7. © Boeing

The B737 MAX 7 is designed to carry up to 172 passengers or 138 in a two-class configuration. With a range of 7130 kilometers, the jet offers more than 1200 kilometers greater range, compared to its successor, the Boeing 737-700. It offers the longest range of all MAX generation Boeing 737 aircraft.

"The MAX 7 will provide airlines an efficient product for opening and flying thinner markets and accessing challenging airports, while enjoying all the benefits of being part of the 737 MAX family," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. 

Similar to its major competitor, the Airbus A319 Neo, Boeing has problems to sell the smallest new generation aircraft. Until now, only WestJet (23), Southwest Airlines (30) and the Canadian start-up Jetlines (5) have ordered the B737 MAX 7.

Boeing has delivered its first B737 MAX, a B737 MAX 8, to Malindo Air in May 2017. Since then, over 80 new aircraft were delivered to several customers. The B737-900 successor, the Boeing 737 MAX 9 is planned to enter into regular service for its launch customer Lion Air in the next weeks.

Source © Boeing.com

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