Boeing 737 MAX

Boeing 737 MAX. The Boeing 737 MAX is a narrow-body airliner family developed as the fourth generation of the Boeing 737, succeeding the Boeing 737 Next Generation. It was launched in August 2011 by Boeing Commercial Airplanes to compete with the Airbus A320neo family, featuring more fuel-efficient CFM International LEAP engines and aerodynamic refinements like distinctive split-tip winglets. The family entered service in May 2017 with Malindo Air, but its operational history was soon dominated by a worldwide grounding following two fatal crashes.

Development and design

The program was formally announced on August 30, 2011, following pressure from key customers like American Airlines, which had placed a major order for the rival Airbus A320neo family. The primary design goal was to improve fuel efficiency by 14% over the Boeing 737 Next Generation, achieved primarily through the adoption of larger, more efficient CFM International LEAP-1B engines. To accommodate the engines' size on the low-slung 737 airframe, Boeing repositioned them slightly forward and upward, altering the aircraft's aerodynamic handling. This change contributed to the development of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, a new flight control software. Other design features include the Advanced Technology winglet and updates to the Rockwell Collins-supplied flight deck avionics.

Operational history

The first flight of the initial variant, the 737 MAX 8, occurred on January 29, 2016, from Renton, Washington. The type received joint certification from the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in March 2017. The first commercial delivery was to Malindo Air, a Malaysian subsidiary of Lion Air, with the aircraft entering revenue service on May 22, 2017, on a route from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Major global carriers like Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Air Canada introduced the aircraft shortly thereafter. By early 2019, over 350 MAX aircraft were operating with more than 50 airlines worldwide, accumulating over 500,000 revenue flights before the global grounding in March of that year.

Safety concerns and grounding

The aircraft family was involved in two catastrophic accidents within five months: Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019. Investigations by Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee and Ethiopia's Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, implicated the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System. Faulty data from a single angle of attack sensor could trigger repetitive nose-down commands that pilots were unable to counteract. These findings, revealing flaws in the system's design, certification, and pilot training, led aviation regulators worldwide, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, to ground the entire 737 MAX fleet globally on March 13, 2019.

Return to service and modifications

The return to service process was lengthy and rigorous, spearheaded by the Federal Aviation Administration under Administrator Steve Dickson. Boeing was required to implement extensive software and hardware modifications to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, including integrating data from two angle of attack sensors, adding a disagree alert, and ensuring the system cannot activate repeatedly. Additional changes included revising flight control computer architecture and updating pilot training requirements, which were reviewed by regulators like Transport Canada and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The Federal Aviation Administration rescinded the grounding order on November 18, 2020, with the first post-grounding passenger flight operated by American Airlines on December 29, 2020, from Miami to New York City.

Variants

The 737 MAX family comprises four main variants designed to cover a range of capacities and routes. The 737 MAX 7, the shortest variant, typically seats 138-153 passengers and is designed for long, thin routes. The 737 MAX 8, the most popular model, seats 162-178 passengers and was the first to enter service. The stretched 737 MAX 9 offers increased capacity for up to 193 passengers, with launch customer United Airlines. The largest variant is the 737 MAX 10, which can seat up to 230 passengers and directly competes with the Airbus A321neo; it performed its first flight on June 18, 2021. A dedicated freighter version, the 737-800BCF, is also offered, with launch customer DHL Aviation.

Category:Boeing 737 Category:Aircraft first flown in 2016 Category:Twinjets