SEATTLE, Washington — Today, Boeing celebrated the completion of its first 737 MAX 8 airplane with thousands of its employees in attendance.
“This is a great day for Boeing and the entire CFM Team is excited to celebrate this tremendous milestone with them,” said Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM International. “We can’t wait to see the MAX take to the air in 2016. We have worked together with Boeing to develop an engine that will help set a new standard in commercial aviation. We believe the LEAP-1B engine will provide exceptional operating economics coupled with unprecedented levels of efficiency and environmental responsibility, all while maintaining the legacy of the CFM56 family, aviation’s most reliable product line.”
The LEAP-1B engine was launched in August 2011 as the exclusive powerplant for the 737 MAX, with the engine uniquely optimized for the airplane. Since 1984, CFM has provided the sole powerplant for all Boeing 737 models from the Classic and Next-Generation 737 airplanes to the entire 737 MAX family. To date, more than 11,750 737 aircraft powered by CFM engines have been ordered.
CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran) and GE, is the world’s leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines. For more information, visit us at www.cfmaeroengines.com or follow us on Twitter @CFM_engines.
Below is the text of the Boeing news release:
Boeing Debuts First 737 MAX 8
New single-aisle airplane rolls out of paint in striking livery
Program prepares for flight test to begin in early 2016
RENTON, Wash., Dec. 8, 2015 – Today, thousands of Boeing (NYSE: BA) employees in Renton, Wash., celebrated the completion of final assembly of the first 737 MAX 8.
“Today marks another in a long series of milestones that our team has achieved on time, per plan, together,” said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the rollout of the new 737 MAX – the first new airplane of Boeing’s second century – our team is upholding an incredible legacy while taking the 737 to the next level of performance.”
The production-complete airplane rolled out of the Renton factory and into paint on Nov. 30, the precise date determined when the MAX development schedule was defined more than four years ago. Today the freshly painted 737 MAX 8, named the Spirit of Renton, was revealed to employees in a special teal version of the Boeing livery. After celebrations are complete the airplane will undergo pre-flight preparation in the factory before departing for Renton Field to continue flight-test readiness. The airplane is on track for first flight in early 2016.
With the second and third MAX flight-test airplanes currently in final assembly and the fourth (and final) in sub-assembly, the 737 MAX 8 remains on track for first delivery to launch customer Southwest Airlines in the third quarter of 2017.
The new single-aisle airplane will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s.
The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Boeing-designed Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 8 is the first member in Boeing’s new family of single-aisle airplanes – the 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 200 and MAX 9 – to begin production. The 737 MAX family has nearly 3,000 orders from 60 customers worldwide.