Boeing unveils first 737 MAX 8
Boeing celebrated the completion of its first 737 MAX 8 as the 'Spirit of Renton' was last night unveiled at Boeing’s factory in Renton, near Seattle.
The B737 MAX is the successor to Boeings popular B737 series and will be 20 percent more fuel efficient than the 737s with lower operating costs per seat than the A320. The wings of the aircraft feature Boeing’s new, exclusively designed winglets. The distinctive curled-up wing-tips offer 1.8 percent additional fuel-efficiency over today’s inline winglet designs, according to Boeing.
Spirit of Renton, the first 737 MAX 8 “Today marks another in a long series of milestones that our team has achieved on time, per plan, together. 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,” said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Spirit of Renton, the first 737 MAX 8 The aircraft, freshly painted in a special teal version of the Boeing livery, will undergo pre-flight preparation in the factory before departing for Renton Field to continue flight test readiness. The aircraft is on track for its first flight in early 2016 and delivery to launch customer Southwest Airlines in the third quarter of 2017.
Boeing employees welcome the Spirit of Renton, the first 737 MAX 8 The 737 MAX 8 is the first member in Boeing’s new family of single-aisle airplanes – the 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 200 and MAX 9 – to begin production. The 737 MAX family has nearly 3,000 orders from 60 customers worldwide.
