Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 28,000 lbst CFM International Leap-1B turbofans

Specifications:

History:

The Boeing 737 MAX was a development of the 737 Next Generation series and has been described as the fourth generation of the 737 series of narrow-body airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It has been fitted with variants of the CFM International Leap-1B turbofans, split-tip winglets and various modifications to the airframe to increase efficiency. At the beginning of 2017 firm orders for 3,605  examples of the series had been received, the prototype of the series flying for the first time on 29 January 2016.

In 2010 Airbus launched the Airbus A320neo, which was a development of the A320 series with new engines with improved fuel economy and better operating efficiency.

Over the years airlines have requested the two main airliner producers, Airbus and Boeing, to produce more fuel efficient aircraft and, after looking at a number of ideas, Boeing indicated it would produce a development of the Model 737, the Boeing Board of Directors announcing on 30 August 2011 that it was expected to provide a 16 per cent lower fuel burn than the A320 and 4 per cent better than the newly developing A320neo as well as have a range better than that of the A320neo.

To meet orders, production rate of the Model 737 was increased to 47 aircraft per month in 2017, and was expected to increase to 52 per month in 2018. Boeing did not plan major modifications to the flight deck of the new series as commonality throughout the series was important, but it was fitted with four large-format display screens supplied by Rockwell Collins.

A number of variants of the new design were announced. In July 2016 at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom the Model 737 MAX7 was announced replacing the Model 737-700 with seating for 138 and an additional two-rows of seats. This model had the Model 737-8 series undercarriage, two overwing exits, a 116.8 cm (46 in) extended fuselage aft and 76.2 cm (30 in) extension forward, with some structural strengthening, this model to have a range of 7,130 km (4,430 miles).

It was proposed the Model 737 MAX8 replace the 737-800 series with the fuselage extended, this model having a range of 6,690 km (4,150 miles). New variants of the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) were proposed, these using the fuselage of the MAX8 and MAX 9, the latter having a range of 11,584 km (7,198 miles).

The Model 737 MAX200 was a high-density variant of the Model 737 MAX8, this model to accommodate 200 passengers in a single-class high-density configuration with slimline seats, first orders for this model coming from Ryanair in Europe with an order for 100 aircraft. The 737 MAX9 replaced the Model 737-900 and had the fuselage of the MAX8 lengthened, having a range of 6,500 km (4,040 miles).

The Model 737 MAX10 was a new model which, when initially proposed, would have the fuselage lengthened but would need more powerful engines of 31,000 lbst and would not be available until 2019. Eventually in early 2017 it was decided to finalise this model with a 1.7 m (66 in) stretch, this allowing for a capacity of 230 seats in a single-class or 189 in two-class but fitted with the same CFM Leap 1B engine. It was expected to be introduced in 2020 with a trailing-link undercarriage.

The first Model 737 MAX seen in this part of the world was a Boeing demonstrator which made a demonstration tour of Australasia in January 2017.

First orders locally were from Virgin Australia with an order for 40 aircraft for delivery from 2018, followed by Air New Guinea with an order for four aircraft to be delivered from 2020. Subsequently Fiji Airways ordered five examples of the 737 MAX8, these aircraft to replace one Model 737-700 and four Model  737-800s used on the short and medium haul routes to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

In addition to new generation CFM Leap 1B engines the new model introduced a new flightdeck, fly-by-wire spoilers and new technology winglets. To accommodate the engines, nacelles 1.76 m (5 ft 7 in) in diameter were designed compared to the CFM-56 engines 1.55 m (5.08 ft) diameter. Certification from the FAA in the United States was received after 14 months of testing.

First operator of the type in the south Pacific was Air Vanuatu which replaced its Boeing 737-8SH with a Model 737 MAX8. The first overseas airline operating into Australia was Silkair based in Singapore, the first aircraft 9V-MBC arriving in Darwin, NT on a scheduled flight on 7 January 2017, the aircraft flying a service into Cairns, QLD the following day. On 13 March 2018 the 10,000th Boeing 737, a Model 737 MAX8 (N8717M) was delivered to Southwest Airlines in the United States.

In October 2018 a Lion Air 737 MAX8 crashed into the Java Sea after take-off from Jakarta in Indonesia; and five months later in March 2019 an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa.  These two fatal accidents had similarities which involved repeated nose-down commands from the flight control system which the pilots were unable to control.  This led to the 737 MAX series being grounded by airworthiness authorities around the world.  At that time 350 aircraft had been delivered and Boeing was producing 52 aircraft a month.

Following grounding of the type the Silkair aircraft were flown to Australia where they were placed in storage at Alice Springs, NT, pending approval to commence operations again.

Following the accidents production was cut back to 42 aircraft a month and new aircraft were parked at the Boeing facility pending software updates to the MCAS system, the type expected to return to service in late 2019. However, overcoming the problem was lengthy and in mid 2020 the type was still not permitted to operate.  Then the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic caused the closure of almost all scheduled air services throughout the world causing further delays for the airline manufacturers.