Boeing MAX 8 completes a key milestone
May 2, 2016, 9:51 AM
The new 737 MAX 8 hit a major milestone after completing a high-altitude flight test in La Paz, Bolivia. (Boeing)
(Boeing)
Boeing’s new 737 MAX 8 hit a major milestone after completing a high-altitude flight test in La Paz, Bolivia.
El Alto International Airport in La Paz is located more than 13,300 feet above sea level, which tested the Boeing plane’s capability to take off and land at high altitudes.
It was the first international trip for the 737 MAX flight-test fleet.
Related: Boeing debuts first 737 MAX 8
“The engines and other systems performed well, as expected, under extreme conditions,” said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager of the 737 MAX 8 program. “That’s exactly what we wanted to see.”
Flight testing for the MAX is on schedule, according to Boeing. Three test airplanes have completed more than 100 flights combined. The final test airplane will make its first flight in the next few weeks.
The program is on track for first deliver in the third quarter of 2017.
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