Boeing Completes Final Assembly of First 737 MAX 8 Aircraft

Boeing has completed final assembly of the first 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

The production-complete airplane rolled out of the Renton factory and into the paint hangar on 30 November 2015.

Then earlier this week, the freshly painted 737 MAX 8, named the Spirit of Renton, was revealed to employees in a special teal version of the Boeing livery.

The airplane will now undergo pre-flight preparation in the factory before departing for Renton Field to continue flight test readiness. The airplane is on track for its first flight in early 2016.

With the second and third 737 MAX 8 flight test airplanes currently in final assembly and the fourth (and final) in sub-assembly, the 737 MAX remains on track for first delivery to launch customer Southwest Airlines in the third quarter of 2017.

Boeing says that the new single-aisle airplane will deliver 20% 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.

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.