Boeing 737- Max takes it maiden Flight

RENTON, Wash. -- Boeing’s 737 MAX jet took off for its maiden flight on Friday morning, ushering in the next chapter for the aerospace giant’s longest-running and best-selling airplane. The company said it is on track to deliver the first of its upgraded aircraft in 2017.

The jet, nicknamed “Spirit of Renton," took off Friday at 9:46 a.m. local time from the airfield here where Boeing manufactures the airplane. The flight lasted about three hours before landing at nearby Boeing Field in Seattle at 12:33 p.m. local time. (3:33 p.m. ET).

Pilots, speaking in a post-flight press conference, praised the jet’s handling and performance.

“It flew beautifully, the engines were extremely quiet – we worked through the checklist quickly, because there weren't any problems,” said Craig Bonben, one of Boeing's test pilots who flew alongside Ed Wilson on the flight.

The first airplane, a 737 MAX-8, will soon be joined by four other 737 MAX aircraft in a rigorous flight test and certification program expected to be completed in 2017. The first delivery is expected to go to launch customer Southwest Airlines later in the same year.

The 737 MAX is Boeing's updated version of its popular 737 family of jetliners, used mostly for medium and short-haul flights by airlines across the globe. This latest "MAX" iteration marks the third major overhaul to the 737 since the program launched in 1967 and features new engines and other aerodynamic enhancements.

Boeing predicts these improvements, led by the jet’s CFM-manufactured LEAP-1B engines, will cut operating costs by as much as 14% compared to current-generation 737s.

Boeing offers three variations of the jet: the MAX 7, 8, and 9. The models will seat between 126 and 220 passengers, depending on the type and how airlines choose to configure it.

Boeing also created a sub-variant of the MAX 8 specifically for penny-pinching ultra-low-cost carriers. Dubbed the "MAX 200," it can seat up to 200 passengers – 11 more than the standard MAX 8 limit.

Boeing's overhaul to the 737 is expected to keep the jet in production for years to come. Already, the U.S. jetmaker announced earlier this week that it would boost 737 production to 57 jets per month in 2019 -- the highest rate to date for the program.

Friday’s successful first flight comes just over one week after rival Airbus delivered its firstA320neo jet to launch customer Lufthansa. Much like Boeing’s MAX, Airbus’ neo — short for "new engine option" — is an upgraded version of the European jetmaker's successful A320-family line of single-aisle jets that competes directly against Boeing's 737. Like Boeing's 737 MAX variants, the A320neo family comes in three versions with seat counts that range from 140 to 240.

Boeing and Airbus have maintained a duopoly on the market for narrowbody jets since Airbus first introduced the A320 in 1988.

While Boeing has historically sold more 737s than Airbus has sold A320s, Airbus’ neo jets have so far outsold Boeing’s MAX models by almost 1,400 airplanes.

But Boeing remains optimistic that the gap will close. Executives point out that Airbus’ neo program launched a solid nine months before the MAX, allowing the neo to gather substantial momentum. Boeing further notes that a large number of current 737 operators have not yet chosen a replacement for the jets, leaving plenty of opportunity to recover lost ground if those carriers choose to replace their aging 737s with the new MAX versions.

To date, Boeing has recorded 3,072 firm orders for the MAX jets.

The 737 is the most popular commercial passenger jetliner ever made, with 8,888 airplanes delivered through this week. It is also among the longest running, with the first 737 taking flight 48 years ago, in April of 1967.