Chief pilot 737 Program and pilot in command Captain Ed Wilson together with VP of Flight Test Craig Bomben took the Boeing 737 MAX to its maiden flight las Friday. It started with a short taxi down to Runway 34 at Renton Municipal Airport in Washington state, CNN reports.
The takeoff took place at around 9:48 a.m. local time, with at least 4,000 spectators composed of Boeing employees, guests, and media members to witness the event.
"It flew beautifully. We worked through checks but there were no issues," Wilson said.
It has been reported that the Boeing 737 MAX flew under typical Seattle stormy, threatening skies.
"Other [than] deteriorating weather at Renton, we had no butterflies or jitters in our stomachs. We did get out of Renton in the nick of time," Bomben noted.
This particular Boeing 737 MAX is named Spirit of Renton. It flew the west Washington skies for about two hours and 47 minutes. For technicalities' sake, it is reported that the aircraft limited its speed to only 250 knots - never exceeded the limit - and initially climbed to 15,000 feet (4,570 meters), before flying higher than 20,000 feet (6,096 meters).
It is said that this version of 737 provides efficiency, reliability, and passenger appeal. It is guaranteed to deliver 8% lower operating costs as compared to its main competitor. It also offers 99.7of % dispatch reliability. Meaning to say it will avoid delaying over 65,000 passengers. Its Boeing Sky Interior also dramatically elevates the passenger experience and provides better environmental performance.
Indeed, this fourth-generation family aircraft is something that provides a lot for passengers. This will also serve as the first MAX aircraft to be used for testing and certifying the program with the Federal Aviation Administration.
According to Boeing's chief project engineer Michael Teal, the aircraft's test fleet will wrap up the campaign by the end of the year.
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