The Boeing 737 MAX is a narrow-body
aircraft series designed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes as the
fourth generation of the Boeing 737, succeeding the Boeing 737 Next Generation
(NG).
The new 737 series was launched on August 30, 2011. It had performed its first flight on January 29, 2016. The new series gained FAA certification on March 8, 2017. The first delivery was a MAX 8 on May 6, 2017 to Malindo Air, which placed the aircraft into service on May 22, 2017. The 737 MAX is based on earlier 737 designs. It is re-engined with more efficient CFM International LEAP-1B engines, aerodynamic improvements (including distinctive split-tip winglets), and airframe modifications.
WestJet Boeing 737 MAX 8
The 737 MAX series has been offered in four variants, typically offering 138 to 230 seats and a 3,215 to 3,825 nmi (5,954 to 7,084 km) range. The 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, and MAX 9 are intended to replace the 737-700, -800, and -900, respectively. Additional length is offered with the further stretched 737 MAX 10. As of January 2019, the Boeing 737 MAX has received 5,011 firm orders and delivered 350.
Following two fatal crashes of MAX 8 aircraft in October 2018 and March 2019, regulatory authorities around the world have grounded the aircraft series.
Initially, the customers for the 737 MAX were not disclosed, except for American Airlines. On November 17, 2011, Boeing released the names of two other customers – Lion Air and SMBC Aviation Capital. At that time, Boeing reported 700 commitments from 9 customers for the 737 MAX. On December 13, 2011, Southwest Airlines ordered 150 737 MAX aircraft with 150 options.
By December 2011, Boeing had 948 commitments and firm orders from 13 customers for the 737 MAX. On September 8, 2014, Ryanair signed an agreement with Boeing to purchase up to 200 new Boeing 737 MAX 200 "gamechanger" aircraft—comprising 100 firm orders and 100 options. In January 2017, aircraft leasing company GECAS ordered 75 more 737 MAX 8 airliners.
As of January 2019, Boeing had 5,011 firm orders from 78 identified customers for the 737 MAX. The top three identified airline customers for the 737 MAX are Southwest Airlines with 280 orders, flydubai with 251 orders, and Lion Air with 251 orders. The first new series aircraft, a MAX 8, was delivered to Malindo Air on May 16, 2017.
On March 11, 2019, in response to the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents,China
The 737 MAX's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), implicated for reacting to faulty angle-of-attack readings in the Lion Air accident, came under renewed scrutiny due to the apparent similarity of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Previous to the Lion Air crash, some pilots flying the 737 MAX were not trained on the MCAS and were not aware of its installation. When they did learn of the system after the Lion Air crash, American pilots were "deeply disturbed and concerned over the fact that [for] a system that automatically takes over one of the flight controls in the air during a critical time, we weren't even aware that it existed", according to APA spokesman Dennis Tajer. On November 6, 2018, in response to the Lion Air flight 610 crash, Boeing issued an Operations Manual Bulletin warning pilots that the angle-of-attack sensor can produce erroneous signals, causing the MCAS system to put the plane in a steep dive, and reemphasizing the procedures for disengaging the MCAS system in such cases. On November 7, 2018 the FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (2018-23-51) for MAX Runaway Stabilizer procedure directing operators to “existing flight crew procedures" to address circumstances involving erroneous angle-of-attack sensor information.
On March 11, Boeing issued a statement saying that pilots can always use trim to override the flight control law, and that both the Flight Crew Operations Manual and the November 6 bulletin detail procedures for handling incorrect angle-of-attack readings. In the 737 Manual, the information is under the Max 8 aircraft runaway stabilizer checklist and is filed under “additional information”. Based on satellite tracking data, aviation experts believe the MCAS system may have been deployed erroneously during both crashes. On March 12, Boeing announced that it had been working on a flight control software upgrade for the 737 MAX fleet, partly in response to the Lion Air crash, that includes updates to the MCAS flight control law, pilot displays, operation manuals and crew training. The upgrade is to be deployed in "the coming weeks", and is expected to be made mandatory by April by an FAA airworthiness directive.
On March 13, 2019, it emerged that pilots on at least two 2018 flights in the US filed safety concerns after the nose of a 737 MAX tilted down suddenly when they engaged the autopilot. In response, the FAA made a statement, "Some of the reports reference possible issues with the autopilot/autothrottle, which is a separate system from MCAS, and/or acknowledge the problems could have been due to pilot error." MCAS only activates if the autopilot is turned off. Boeing had advised pilots to disengage autopilot in nose-down incidents, though MCAS initiates nose-down in response to stall incidents.
The new 737 series was launched on August 30, 2011. It had performed its first flight on January 29, 2016. The new series gained FAA certification on March 8, 2017. The first delivery was a MAX 8 on May 6, 2017 to Malindo Air, which placed the aircraft into service on May 22, 2017. The 737 MAX is based on earlier 737 designs. It is re-engined with more efficient CFM International LEAP-1B engines, aerodynamic improvements (including distinctive split-tip winglets), and airframe modifications.
The 737 MAX series has been offered in four variants, typically offering 138 to 230 seats and a 3,215 to 3,825 nmi (5,954 to 7,084 km) range. The 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, and MAX 9 are intended to replace the 737-700, -800, and -900, respectively. Additional length is offered with the further stretched 737 MAX 10. As of January 2019, the Boeing 737 MAX has received 5,011 firm orders and delivered 350.
Following two fatal crashes of MAX 8 aircraft in October 2018 and March 2019, regulatory authorities around the world have grounded the aircraft series.
Orders and Deliveries
Initially, the customers for the 737 MAX were not disclosed, except for American Airlines. On November 17, 2011, Boeing released the names of two other customers – Lion Air and SMBC Aviation Capital. At that time, Boeing reported 700 commitments from 9 customers for the 737 MAX. On December 13, 2011, Southwest Airlines ordered 150 737 MAX aircraft with 150 options.
By December 2011, Boeing had 948 commitments and firm orders from 13 customers for the 737 MAX. On September 8, 2014, Ryanair signed an agreement with Boeing to purchase up to 200 new Boeing 737 MAX 200 "gamechanger" aircraft—comprising 100 firm orders and 100 options. In January 2017, aircraft leasing company GECAS ordered 75 more 737 MAX 8 airliners.
As of January 2019, Boeing had 5,011 firm orders from 78 identified customers for the 737 MAX. The top three identified airline customers for the 737 MAX are Southwest Airlines with 280 orders, flydubai with 251 orders, and Lion Air with 251 orders. The first new series aircraft, a MAX 8, was delivered to Malindo Air on May 16, 2017.
Accidents and Incidents
- On October 29, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610, a
737 MAX 8 registration PK-LQP, crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after
take off from
- On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight
302, a 737 MAX 8 registration ET-AVJ, crashed approximately six minutes
after takeoff from
Worldwide Grounding
On March 11, 2019, in response to the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents,
The 737 MAX's Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), implicated for reacting to faulty angle-of-attack readings in the Lion Air accident, came under renewed scrutiny due to the apparent similarity of the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Previous to the Lion Air crash, some pilots flying the 737 MAX were not trained on the MCAS and were not aware of its installation. When they did learn of the system after the Lion Air crash, American pilots were "deeply disturbed and concerned over the fact that [for] a system that automatically takes over one of the flight controls in the air during a critical time, we weren't even aware that it existed", according to APA spokesman Dennis Tajer. On November 6, 2018, in response to the Lion Air flight 610 crash, Boeing issued an Operations Manual Bulletin warning pilots that the angle-of-attack sensor can produce erroneous signals, causing the MCAS system to put the plane in a steep dive, and reemphasizing the procedures for disengaging the MCAS system in such cases. On November 7, 2018 the FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (2018-23-51) for MAX Runaway Stabilizer procedure directing operators to “existing flight crew procedures" to address circumstances involving erroneous angle-of-attack sensor information.
On March 11, Boeing issued a statement saying that pilots can always use trim to override the flight control law, and that both the Flight Crew Operations Manual and the November 6 bulletin detail procedures for handling incorrect angle-of-attack readings. In the 737 Manual, the information is under the Max 8 aircraft runaway stabilizer checklist and is filed under “additional information”. Based on satellite tracking data, aviation experts believe the MCAS system may have been deployed erroneously during both crashes. On March 12, Boeing announced that it had been working on a flight control software upgrade for the 737 MAX fleet, partly in response to the Lion Air crash, that includes updates to the MCAS flight control law, pilot displays, operation manuals and crew training. The upgrade is to be deployed in "the coming weeks", and is expected to be made mandatory by April by an FAA airworthiness directive.
On March 13, 2019, it emerged that pilots on at least two 2018 flights in the US filed safety concerns after the nose of a 737 MAX tilted down suddenly when they engaged the autopilot. In response, the FAA made a statement, "Some of the reports reference possible issues with the autopilot/autothrottle, which is a separate system from MCAS, and/or acknowledge the problems could have been due to pilot error." MCAS only activates if the autopilot is turned off. Boeing had advised pilots to disengage autopilot in nose-down incidents, though MCAS initiates nose-down in response to stall incidents.
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