SEATTLE, 6 Nov. 2011. Designers of Boeing's newest passenger jetliner, the fuel-efficient 737 MAX, are choosing a 68-inch fan diameter for the new aircraft's engine that will provide efficient fuel burn and operating costs for the single-aisle passenger jet, which is scheduled to enter service in 2017 as a direct competitor to the rival Airbus A320neo.
Meanwhile, the Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) Commercial Airplanes segment in Seattle has taken more than 600 order commitments for the future 737 MAX from eight airlines, up from 496 airplanes from five airlines when the program launched in August, Boeing officials say.
The new-engine, fuel-efficient variant of the company's venerable 737 narrow-body passenger jet will have LEAP-1B engines from CFM International S.A. in Aérodrome de Villaroche, France -- a joint venture of General Electric in the U.S. and Snecma in France. Firm configuration for the 737 MAX airplane is scheduled for 2013, flight is scheduled in 2016, and first deliveries will be in 2017.
The Boeing 737 MAX family will consist of three models -- the MAX 7, MAX 8, and MAX 9 -- that will have different lengths and different seating configurations. The new jets will feature the 737 Boeing Sky Interior with spacious cabin headroom, overhead bins that disappear into the ceiling yet carry more bags that previous interior configurations, and light-emitting diode (LED) lighting.
Like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the Boeing 737 Max has serrated edges called chevrons for the back of the engine nacelle and the engine exhaust nozzle to reduce jet blast noise by controlling the way the air mixes after passing through and around the engine.
Boeing officials claim that when compared to a fleet of 100 of today's most fuel-efficient airplanes, the 737 MAX will emit 277,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide and save nearly 175 million pounds of fuel per year. Worldwide demand for single-aisle passenger jets over the next two decades will be 23,000 aircraft, worth about $2 trillion, Boeing officials predict.
For more information contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes online at www.boeing.com/commercial.
