Boeing has further postponed its 737 Max 10 program for two years, and deliveries of the larger variant of the narrow-engine jet are now scheduled to begin in 2023.
The company now also expects to ship the first 737 Max 7, the smallest in the Max family, by 2021; That milestone was previously anticipated in 2020.
The Chicago-based airframe revealed the time change in its latest annual report, released on February 1. Days earlier, during Boeing's Jan.27 revenue call, the company said it had delayed delivery of the first 777-9 from 2021 to 2023.
"We now anticipate that deliveries of the first 737 Max 10 and 777X will occur in 2023," the Boeing securities filing said. This timeline reflects a number of factors, including an updated assessment of global certification requirements that is reported through follow-up discussions with regulators and results in management decisions to make modifications to the aircraft design.
The company has revealed that it is modifying the 777-9 due to certification requirements, but has not mentioned a design change to the Max 10. However, a recent document from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) says that the Max 10 will receive an angle. "integrity improvement" of the attack sensor (AoA). Basically a way to reduce the risk of failure of one of the two AoA sensors.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for more information.
Boeing has been relatively quiet about the Max 7 and 10 development schedule since the Max 8 and 9 were discontinued in March 2019. US regulators allowed the planes to fly in November 2020, and EASA followed suit. last month.
Annual reports above place 737 Max 10 shipments in early 2020. That deadline is quietly slipping amid the 2020 Max and Covid-19 crisis.
The company launched the first Max 10 in November 2019. Differences between the aircraft and its younger brother include a longer undercarriage, which ensures adequate clearance between the rear fuselage and the ground during takeoff rotation.
The main gears have a "semi-lever" design, which prevents Boeing from making major changes to the Max wheel. During rotation, the gear extends 241 mm (9.5 inches). Once airborne, a steel compression mechanism called a "retractable link" pulls on the inner cylinder when the gears are pulled.
The Max 10 will carry up to 230 passengers and will have a range of 3,300 nm (6,110 km), according to Boeing figures.
In comparison, the Airbus A321neo can carry up to 244 passengers and has a range of 4,000 nm (in the LR variant). Airbus is also developing the A321XLR with a range of 4,700 nm.
Comments