Boeing’s latest airliner 737 MAX 7 took to the skies for its maiden flight on Friday from Renton Field, Washington State. Boeing Test and Evaluation Captains Jim Webb and Keith Otsuka were at the controls. The duration of the flight was three hours and five minutes to test flight control, systems and handling tests before it landed at Boeing Field in Seattle.
MAX 7 is the third version of the Boeing 737 is derived from the MAX 8 which started service in 2017 and is the longest plane belonging to the MAX family. Boeing says that it is designed to replace the Boeing 737-700 and is ideal for operation from airports at high altitudes and hot climates. It will also compete with the Airbus A319neo.
The MAX 7 has two extra rows of seats as compared to MAX 8 and can carry up to 172 passengers. It also has the longest range in the MAX family of 3,850 nautical miles owing to the two LEAP-1B engines from CFM International. It also has 18% fuel savings per seat as compared to the 737-700 and boasts a redesigned undercarriage and wings with advanced technology winglets, a strengthened airframe, and the Boeing Sky Interior.
Boeing says the MAX 7 will be undergoing comprehensive flight tests to certify everything works before rolling it out for delivery next year. “The MAX 7 will provide airlines an efficient product for opening and flying thinner markets and accessing challenging airports while enjoying all the benefits of being part of the 737 MAX family,” says Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
We will have to wait and see those other tests before it is declared ready for delivery.