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Table of contents
Quick Links
737 MAX: A Story
The History Of The 737 MAX
- Future MAX: What's Happening With The Certification Of The MAX 7 And 10?
- How Is The MAX Performing?
A Guide To The 737 MAX
- How To Tell If It's A Boeing 737 MAX
- Why Are The Engine Covers Serrated?
- The Differences Between Each Family Member
- In Photos: The Whole MAX Family
- What's Different From The Next Generation 737 To The MAX?
Analyzing The 737 MAX
- The Biggest Operators 2023
- The Longest 737 MAX Routes 2023
- The Biggest Airine Orders
Technical Specifications Of The 737 MAX
- The Performance Of A Boeing 737 MAX In Cruise
- The CFM LEAP And Its Performance On The MAX
Reviewing The 737 MAX
- Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 In First Class
- Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX In Premium Class
- Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 In Economy Class
- Icelandair's Boeing 737 MAX 8 From London Heathrow To Keflavik International
- Aeromexico's Boeing 737 MAX 8 In Economy
- Ryanair's Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 To Vilnius
- Arajet Boeing 737 MAX Economy Class From Mexico City To Santo Domingo
FAQs About The Boeing 737 MAX
The MAX series is Boeing’s latest iteration of its best-selling family of airplanes, the 737. First conceived back in the 1960s, the 737 has risen to become one of the most popular narrowbody airplanes in the world, operated by hundreds of airlines all over the world. This is the Simple Flying Ultimate Guide to everything you ever needed to know about the MAX.
737 MAX: A Story
Since the original 737 first flew on April 9th, 1967, the family has been through numerous developments and improvements. The original -100 and -200 were succeeded by the -300, -400, and -500, known as the ‘Classics’. Then came the ‘next generation’ or NG versions, which got bigger and more powerful again. The mid-sized NG, the -800, was and still is Boeing’s best-selling aircraft ever.
But time and technology moves on, and in 2006, Boeing began considering what the next plane to replace the NG would be. At first, it was thought that the planemaker would work on a clean sheet design, something fresh and new, leaning on technologies it had perfected for the 787 Dreamliner. The ‘Future Small Airplane (FSA),’ as it became known, was hotly anticipated by the industry as the next great narrowbody from the US manufacturer.
Opting for a newer 737 instead
But that wasn’t to be. As Airbus launched the A320neo family in late 2010, Boeing came under pressure to bring to market something that could compete with the neos. While an FSA would undoubtedly achieve this goal, starting from a blank slate would take too long. Boeing customers were in need of a replacement pathway for aging NGs now, and developing a new airplane risked losing too much market share to its European competitor.
This was further compounded by the announcement from Boeing’s long-term customer, American Airlines, that it would order Airbus aircraft for the first time. That revelation came in July 2011 and included an indication that it would also be interested in 100 more 737s if Boeing were to offer it with a new engine, like the CFM LEAP used on the neos.
Photo:Karol Ciesluk IShutterstock
Boeing was stuck between a rock and a hard place and had no choice but to abandon the FSA project and focus on re-engining the 737. In August of that year, its board of directors approved the concept, and Boeing pressed ahead with an attempt to bring a 1960s airplane up to date to match or even better the A320neo family.
Making the 737 new again
Studies commenced into drag reduction, including adding natural laminar flow nacelles, a hybrid laminar flow vertical stabilizer, and revising the tail cone. In short, Boeing was doing everything it could to squeeze every ounce of efficiency out of this airplane and hoped to deliver better fuel savings than the Airbus aircraft.
In terms of finances, it was a win for Boeing, as the redesign of the 737 cost less than $4 billion. In contrast, a clean sheet airplane would have set the company back $10-$12 billion at least, plus years in time. It also meant Boeing could bring the aircraft to market sooner, presenting options to airlines that were already having their heads turned by the highly efficient neo jets.
But that rush to come to market, which ended up being just five years from approval to first flight, came with some downsides too. Some of those have led to minor teething troubles; others have meant the MAX has become the most discussed airplane in the history of aviation.
All eyes on the MAX
Ask anyone who flies as a passenger to name an aircraft type and even the least aviation-enthused would probably be able to recall the name of the 737 MAX. Following two tragic crashes in 2018 and 2019, the airplane hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Over the 20 months of its prolonged grounding, and even after it was certified to fly again, worrying stories of deception, poor workmanship, and a lack of attention to detail floated through the press time and again.
In effect, Boeing had made some fatal errors of judgment in the way it brought the MAX to service. The first mistake was relying on just one sensor to activate what turned out to be a critical computer system, which ultimately led to the crashes. Aviation people understand that redundancy is key, which is why you have two pilots, two engines (or more), two ailerons… and much more. Having just one sensor feeding information that was so critical meant erroneous data, due to a sensor fault, would not be picked up.
That sensor is the Angle of Attack sensor (AOA), which effectively judges how steeply the airplane’s nose is pointing up. AOA sensors are used in almost all commercial aircraft, as it’s good data for the pilots to have. However, in the case of the 737 MAX, it was far more critical than just providing spatial awareness to pilots.
MCAS
The AOA sensor was feeding data to a system known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. MCAS is not installed on most commercial aircraft; in fact, it was developed specifically for the 737 MAX to solve a specific problem. That problem was, with the addition of the bigger LEAP engines under the wings, the airplane’s center of gravity had shifted.
This made it prone to a nose-up attitude. What this means, in effect, is that, particularly on takeoff, there would be a bigger risk of pilots pointing the nose too high and inadvertently entering a stall. MCAS, using data from the AOA sensor, was designed to point the nose back down to prevent a stall from occurring.
Image: Dirk Pons via Flickr
The system itself is fine. The problem with it was two-fold. First, with only one AOA sensor, there was a risk the sensor would report incorrect information, activating MCAS when it’s not needed. The second problem was that the pilots flying this airplane had no idea it was even there.
One can only begin to imagine the terror for the pilots operating those two fateful flights when, for no reason apparent to them, the airplane began trying to point its nose at the ground. Back then, MCAS was fixed to keep inputting the nose-down command over and over again, regardless of what the pilots were doing with the control column. Ultimately, it led to the loss of 346 lives and the worldwide grounding of the aircraft for 20 months.
Righting the wrongs
The reasons for the single sensor, the lack of training on MCAS, and its ability to override pilot inputs has been the subject of numerous court cases and investigations over the years. Most recently, Boeing was arraigned on a charge of fraud in relation to the crashes, to which it pled not guilty, but the dispute between the planemaker and the victims’ families continues.
The planemaker was forced to pay compensation to families of the victims, although they are asking for more. It has also had to pay airlines for their non-deliveries and non-use of the MAX for the 20 months of the grounding. Overall, it has paid a high price for its mistakes but has also worked hard to put them right.
Improvements have been made to MCAS to prevent it from overriding pilot input. It will also now activate only once; if the pilot overrides the nose-down command, MCAS will not activate again. Most importantly, Boeing has installed a second AOA sensor, and MCAS will now only be triggered if both sensors agree on the information they are receiving.
Photo: MPS
Added to this, pilots flying the MAX are now being trained in simulators to respond to the MCAS system kicking in and to fly the new plane under a variety of conditions where MCAS could be triggered. The software has made its way into the manual for the aircraft, and there is not a pilot or airline in the world now who is not aware of its presence.
Roaring back into service
The MAX comeback has been astounding. Boeing has been working hard to reactivate parked airplanes while also ramping up the speed of production of brand-new jets. Orders for the type have been flooding in thick and fast, and multiple new airlines have launched in the past couple of years with their bets firmly on the 737 MAX.
Despite its shaky start, the 737 MAX is a solid competitor to the Airbus A320neo family and is proving to be a reliable workhorse for the airlines that fly it. With lower fuel burn and a smaller noise footprint, it’s delivering everything Boeing hoped it would and more. And, as they say, the proof is in the pudding - thousands of MAX flights operating safely and successfully every week shows just how effective Boeing’s modifications have been.
We take a look at this impressive narrowbody airplane, with everything you ever needed to know below.
The History Of The 737 MAX
The Boeing 737 is one of the most successful aircraft in history. Its latest generation, the 737 MAX, carries on this long success and brings further updates. Here's the story of the development and production of the 737 MAX.
The Boeing 737 MAX: Its Rise, Fall And Re-EmergenceFuture MAX: What's Happening With The Certification Of The MAX 7 And 10?
In December 2022, Boeing won backing from US Congress to lift the looming deadline for its new safety co*ckpit alert system for its popular737 MAXaircraft. Boeing had been lobbying heavily to persuade lawmakers to waive a deadline that would affect itsMAX 7andMAX 10airplanes. With that now waived, certification is expected in mid-2023. Read more at the link below.
Boeing 737 MAX Certification Deadline Delay Gets Backing Of Congress
How Is The MAX Performing?
Following a prolonged grounding in the wake of two tragic crashes, 2022 saw a resurgence in the use of the MAX with airlines around the world. By summer 2022, more than 600 aircraft were back in service. We caught up with CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Stan Deal to find out how it was performing...
More Than 600 Boeing 737 MAX In Service: How Is It Performing?
A Guide To The 737 MAX
Is it a MAX or an NG? Is it a MAX 8, 9 or 7? What's the difference between the types and why does it have those funny shapes around the back of the engine? For answers to all these questions and more, check out our guides below.
How To Tell If It's A Boeing 737 MAX
TheBoeing 737 MAXhas had its fair share of troubles since it entered service but has been safely flying since December 2020, with hundreds of units in the sky every day. But what if you're curious about what aircraft type you're flying, whether it's the MAX or one of the 737NGs (next generation) still prevalent? Here are some tips to identify the 737 MAX.
How To Tell If You're Flying On The Boeing 737 MAX
Why Are The Engine Covers Serrated?
One way you can tell theBoeing 737 MAXfrom its non-MAX siblings is by the 'teeth' on the rear of its engines. These are also found on a couple of Boeing's other latest-generation widebody jets, such as the 787 Dreamliner and the 747-8. But why are they there?
Why Boeing 737 MAX Engine Covers Are Serrated-
Photo: Wirestock Creators / Shutterstock
The Differences Between Each Family Member
Let's take a look at the differences between the MAX 7, 8, and 9.
In Photos: The Whole MAX Family
Simple Flying had the chance to observe a lineup of all five Boeing 737 MAX variants at the US manufacturer's delivery center at King County International Airport/Boeing Field (BFI) just outside Seattle, Washington. This provided a useful opportunity to visually compare the different versions of the new jet.
In Photos: A Lineup Of Boeing's Complete 737 MAX Family
What's Different From The Next Generation 737 To The MAX?
The 737 MAX incorporates a whole host of new technologies and other improvements over its predecessor, the 737 NG (next generation). Let's take a look at what's changed with the latest narrowbody from Boeing.
Analyzing The 737 MAX
The 737 MAX is proving to be as popular as all the 737 variants gone before. Despite being based on a 1960s airframe, the technological improvements make the MAX family a truly advanced aircraft. So who flies the most of them, who's ordered the most, and who flies them the furthest? We take a look!
The Biggest Operators 2023
It has been nearly 2.5 years since the FAA recertified the Boeing 737 MAX. While the type's initial recovery was pretty slow, it has gathered pace since. Last spring, there were approximately 580 operational aircraft. Today, there are 954 active 737 MAXs, but which airline flies the most? Let's take a look
1160 Active Aircraft: Which Airlines Fly The Most Boeing 737 MAX?
The Longest 737 MAX Routes 2023
The 737 MAX has an impressive range, and some airlines love to operate it to the, well, max! Some of the routes it will be flying this summer exceed eight hours in length, putting this capable narrowbody well in the realms of some long haul flying. We take a look at the longest routes set to be operated by the MAX this year.
8 Hours Plus: The World’s 5 Longest Boeing 737 MAX Flights This Summer
The Biggest Airine Orders
TheBoeing737 MAX has survived the storm and come out the other side as a high-demand aircraft again. The American giant has managed to bag some significant orders in the last few years and is in talks to make sure its largest operators come back for more. Here's a look at the top five biggest orders for the 737 MAX ever.
The Top 5 Boeing 737 MAX Customers - Which Airline Has The Most?
Technical Specifications Of The 737 MAX
The technical advancements in the 737 MAX have made it a narrowbody aircraft that can handle very long routes, and one which is far more efficient than its predecessors. Bringing increased passenger comforts and a 50% lower noise footprint than the airplanes it replaces, it's a 1960s airframe repurposed for the modern world.
Technical specifications for the MAX, as per Boeing, are below:
We dive into some of the features that give the MAX its impressive performance below.
The Performance Of A Boeing 737 MAX In Cruise
Like any other aircraft, the performance of the Boeing 737 MAX is realized at cruise flight conditions. This is important because modern airliners spend nearly 90% of their mission in cruise mode. We look at the lift-to-drag ratio and how it delivers exemplary fuel efficiency.
What Factors Determine The Performance Of A Boeing 737 MAX When Cruising?
The CFM LEAP And Its Performance On The MAX
TheCFM InternationalLEAP(Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines arehigh-bypass ratio turbofan enginesthat power theBoeing 737 MAXfamily of aircraft. We dive into the performance of this engine, and how it helps Boeing deliver on its promise of quieter, more efficient flight.
How CFM LEAP Engines Enhance The Performance Of The Boeing 737 MAX
Reviewing The 737 MAX
Want to know what it's like to fly on the Boeing 737 MAX? You're in luck, because the Simple Flying team simply loves to fly! Here is a selection of our flight reviews on board the newest Boeing narrowbody. Please do let us know about your own experience, and read more of our trip reports here.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 In First Class
Read what our author thought of the Alaska Airlines first class experience here...
Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX In Premium Class
You can compare the premium class experience with Alaska here...
Onboard Experience On Ryanair's Boeing 737-800 & MAX 8-200 Compared
Is the MAX any better for the passenger experience than the NG? Find out here...
Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 In Economy Class
Let's see how a premium full-service airline delivers with the MAX...
Icelandair's Boeing 737 MAX 8 From London Heathrow To Keflavik International
With the MAX replacing the iconic 757 for Icelandair, is the experience any good?
Aeromexico's Boeing 737 MAX 8 In Economy
Let's head to Mexico and see how the flag carrier's MAX performs...
Ryanair's Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 To Vilnius
The controversial 8-200 has more seats, but does that mean less legroom?
Arajet Boeing 737 MAX Economy Class From Mexico City To Santo Domingo
One of the newest MAX operators and a future MAX-heavy airline, let's see what Arajet has in store...
FAQs About The Boeing 737 MAX
Do you still have questions about the 737 MAX? We will try to answer them below. Still have questions? Feel free to add a comment with your queries and we’ll do our best to add an answer in this list.
About the MAX
What’s the difference between a 737 MAX and a 737?
The MAX is the most advanced member of the 737 family developed by Boeing. It features new, highly efficient engines and a more modern flight deck design. It also has advanced avionics and a top-of-the-range weather radar system.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
How do I know if my flight is on a MAX?
When you’ve booked your flight, you may see an aircraft scheduled to operate it in the booking confirmation. As well as terms like 737 MAX and 737 MAX-8 or -9, you might see the airplane referred to as 737-8 or 737-9. It also sometimes appears as 7M8 and 7M9, or even B38M and B39M.
Be aware that airlines regularly swap aircraft about, so you might not get the MAX you were expecting, or could even get a MAX when you were expecting a different variety of 737. To check what you’re flying when you get to the airport, see our spotting guide above.
Is the passenger experience any different on the MAX?
You might notice that the engines are a little quieter than on previous generations of the 737. Other than that, there is nothing in particular that will be noticeably different. Airlines control what goes inside the cabin, and if you’re lucky, you might find that the overhead bins are more spacious, or that the legroom has been improved through the use of slimline seats.
Photo: Joe Kunzler / Simple Flying
About the return to service
Why was the 737 MAX grounded?
The 737 MAX suffered a worldwide grounding following two crashes within five months. The October 29, 2018 Lion Air crash and the March 10, 2019 Ethiopian Airlines crash were remarkably similar in nature, with reports of the airplanes nose pitching down uncontrollably shortly after takeoff. Various aviation authorities around the world took the decision to ground the plane, and the FAA issued a worldwide grounding order shortly after.
For how long was the MAX grounded?
In total, the plane did not fly for 20 months - the longest grounding of its type in history. The FAA approved it to fly again in the USA on November 20, 2020.
Have all aviation authorities re-approved the aircraft?
Some countries took longer than others to approve the MAX following grounding, but almost all have since resumed flights with the plane. The outlier is China, which has still not officially ungrounded the aircraft, although Chinese airlines have been quietly flying the type again since January 2023.
Photo: VDB Photos/Shutterstock
What was wrong with the airplane?
The causes of the accidents was complicated, but largely linked to a piece of software called the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system, or MCAS. This was introduced to manage changes in its flying behavior caused by having much larger engines than previous versions of the 737. A lack of pilot training on this new system was also thought to be a contributing factor.
What did Boeing do to fix the airplane?
Boeing made some changes to MCAS to make it safer. This included introducing a second Angle of Attack (AOA) sensor, so that measurements can be compared between the two rather than relying on input from just one sensor. This means MCAS will only be activated if both sensors agree. In addition, MCAS will now only be activated once, rather than repeatedly trying to push the nose of the aircraft down. It can also be overridden by pilot input using the control column.
Photo: flydubai
What about pilot training?
Boeing has updated the training protocol for pilots of the MAX, and anyone set to fly this aircraft will now require additional training before they can begin operations. Enhancements have been made to the software used in full motion flight simulators, so that pilots can experience MCAS firsthand under various conditions.
Is the aircraft safe?
The ultimate Boeing 737 MAX question is always, ‘is it safe now?’. The answer to that is a resounding yes. The plane has been described as one of the most scrutinized aircraft in aviation history, with authorities like the FAA, EASA, and many more taking a very close look at the plane. Pilots sing the praises of its performance and handling, and its successful return to service with zero major incidents should be a confidence booster.
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