Fri, Nov 04, 2011
New Airplane Has Received More Than 600 Order Commitments From
Eight Airlines
The new 737 family, designated 737 MAX, will be powered by CFM
International LEAP-1B engines with a 68-inch fan diameter. The
optimized engine design will provide the lowest fuel burn and
operating costs in the single-aisle market, the company says.
Boeing Image
In making the engine announcement, Boeing also updated the media
on its order book for the re-engined airplane. The company says it
has received more than 600 order commitments received to date from
eight airlines, up from 496 airplanes from five airlines when the
program launched in August.
The program is on schedule with internal configuration
milestones of the new jet, with a continued focus on engagement
with customers and partners to optimize the engine core
architecture. Firm configuration for the airplane is scheduled for
2013. First flight for the 737 MAX is scheduled in 2016 with
deliveries to customers beginning in 2017.
"The 737 is a more efficient, lighter design and requires less
thrust than other airplanes in this class, which is important
because weight and thrust have a significant effect on fuel
efficiency and operating costs," said John Hamilton, 737 Chief
Program Engineer. "With airlines facing rising fuel costs and
weight-based costs equating to nearly 30 percent of an airline's
operating costs, this optimized 68-inch fan design will offer a
smaller, lighter and more fuel-efficient engine to ensure we
maintain the current advantage we have over the competition."
The new-engine variant will have 10-12 percent lower fuel burn
than current 737s and a 7-percent operating cost advantage over the
competition. The airplane will have the capacity for increased
range while providing better fuel efficiency than today's
already-efficient 737. Boeing says that, when compared to a fleet
of 100 of today's most fuel-efficient airplanes, this new model
will emit 277,000 fewer tons of CO2 and save nearly 175 million
pounds of fuel per year, which translates into $85 million in cost
savings.
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