PARIS AIR SHOW - Boeing has moved the schedule for the first delivery of the 737 MAX 8 forward by a few months. The manufacturer originally scheduled the first 737 MAX to be delivered to launch customer Southwest Airlines in the fourth quarter of 2017 but now has scheduled the delivery for the third quarter.
Since the program to re-engine the 737 family launched in August 2011, the 737 MAX team has worked to define the final configuration of the airplane, including new LEAP-1B engines from CFM International, a redesigned tail cone and the Advanced Technology winglet. Boeing says that wind tunnel testing and data analysis prove that the 737 MAX configuration, set to be final in July, will give customers a 13 percent fuel-burn improvement over today's most fuel efficient single-aisle airplanes.
The work done by Boeing has enabled the program to accelerate the 737 MAX schedule. "We continue to follow our knowledge points through the development process and we have an executable plan. Testing, improvement workshops, and solid early data have allowed us to validate the airplane's performance and move the schedule forward," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager, Airplane Development, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After firm configuration is achieved, the 737 MAX team will begin detailed design of the airplane, scheduled for completion in 2014.
