Boeing debuts first 737 MAX 8
Dec 8, 2015, 10:45 AM | Updated: 11:00 am
The 737 MAX 8 is on track for its first flight in early 2016, according to Boeing. (Boeing)
(Boeing)
Boeing’s latest airplane is one step closer to flying.
The first Boeing 737 MAX 8 was unveiled in Renton on Tuesday.
Crews still need to complete pre-flight preparation before being moved to the airfield to continue flight test readiness. The airplane is on track for its first flight in early 2016, according to Boeing.
“Today marks another in a long series of milestones that our team has achieved on time, per plan, together,” said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager of 737 MAX Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the rollout of the new 737 MAX – the first new airplane of Boeing’s second century – our team is upholding an incredible legacy while taking the 737 to the next level of performance.”
The second and third 737 MAX flight test airplanes are in final assembly. The fourth is in sub-assembly. The 737 MAX is on schedule for first delivery in the third quarter of 2017, according to Boeing.
The single-aisle airplane will use 20 percent less fuel than the first Next-Generation 737s, and the lowest operating costs. It is the first in Boeing’s newest line of airplanes to begin production.
