The largest member of Boeing's 737 Max 10, took off on its maiden flight today, Friday, June 18, at 10.07 a.m. PDT from the Renton Municipal airport near Seattle under clear skies.
The 737 MAX 10 was airborne for 2.31 hours and landed at Boeing Field at 12.38 PDT.
The 230-seat 737 MAX 10 is Boeing's answer to the Airbus 185-to-244-seat A321neo, which has been a big winner for the European planemaker.
However, the Airbus A321neo has a superior range of 4,000nm compared to the MAX 10s 3,300nm. The Airbus A321XLR which will enter service in 2023 has an even greater range of 4,700nm.
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"The airplane performed beautifully," said 737 Chief Pilot Capt. Jennifer Henderson. "The profile we flew allowed us to test the airplane's systems, flight controls, and handling qualities, all of which checked out exactly as we expected."
Today's flight was the start of a comprehensive test program for the 737-10. Boeing will work closely with regulators to certify the airplane prior to its scheduled entry into service in 2023.
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"The 737-10 is an important part of our customers' fleet plans, giving them more capacity, greater fuel efficiency, and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle airplane," said Stan Deal, president, and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Our team is committed to delivering an airplane with the highest quality and reliability."
Boeing holds orders for 431 MAX 10 aircraft but is expecting another large order from United Airlines for the jet.
Credit: Jon Ostrower @jonostrower Editor-in-chief of @theaircurrent
