737 MAX Program

[jerslice]

Real surprised this isn't up here yet...Boeing announced the complete renovation of the 737 line and came up with the name 737 MAX. As in 737 MAX 7; MAX 8; & MAX 9.
Seems to be a 737 with 787 tech.

Thoughts everyone?

[Spunker]

Looks great with the new engines and the streamlined tail.

[hiss srq]

Boeing screwed the pooch, so now we have a 40 year old bag w a new a$$ and breasts but ultimately it's the same chick. I was hoping for a fresh new girl.

[T-Bird76]

Boeing screwed the pooch, so now we have a 40 year old bag w a new a$$ and breasts but ultimately it's the same chick. I was hoping for a fresh new girl.

Well they did the same thing with the 747... Are we that scared to take risks and inovate today?

[megatop412]

There's a whole discussion about this going on at the blue site, it's like listening to people talking about the NFL draft. Being the best-selling jetliner in history, I'm sure the refresh of an already successful design will keep the orders coming in.

And as for being an 'old bag', she's looked pretty damn fine since taking the training bra off the -200 and growing a real pair of tata's with the -300

[Derf]

what do you guys want? a new size? New shape? New windows? Common parts are nice to have if you need to replace a cracked windscreen. The body size is working, wider and you will have more wind resistance. Are you guys saying that you wanted a flying wing or something really radical? I think that having an aircraft that mandates the airport redesign for that particular aircraft were not easy as in the A-380.

[cancidas]

what do you guys want? a new size? New shape? New windows? Common parts are nice to have if you need to replace a cracked windscreen. The body size is working, wider and you will have more wind resistance. Are you guys saying that you wanted a flying wing or something really radical? I think that having an aircraft that mandates the airport redesign for that particular aircraft were not easy as in the A-380.

ideally i'd like to have seen a 737 sized airplane derived from the 787. same materials and tech, but i guess the powers that be decided that wasn't going to work. but think about this, the 737 is based off the 707 fuselage... it's been flying since 1958!!! i'm pretty bad at math, but that's over 50 years already. if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

is the new airplane going to have a new wing? i think that the wing design off the 787 would be more efficient than that of the 737. time will tell, but i have a feeling it'll be a great airplane!

[jerslice]

Mostly I just can't stand the name...MAX?...sounds tired.

I came across this, which I definitely didn't write: ;-)


Boeing and Pepsi quietly roll out new partnership - to the MAX
CHICAGO: Boeing today released the newest member of the Boeing family, the 737MAX. The program, aimed at competing against the recently unveiled Airbus A320NEO family, is the second major overhaul for the 737 program in as many years. While the program touts additional efficiencies and cross over technology advancements with their flagship 787 program, the program also subtly hints at the future of plane making and product placement/development.

“Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to underscore our new relationship with PepsiCo than to name our program after Pepsi MAX.”, remarked a Boeing executive who remained anonymous citing company policy in speaking with the media. He continued saying, “Both products are at the height of their lives; they’re at their MAX. The 737MAX and PepsiMAX…it just sounds right; and, and I’ve always been a MountainDew man myself, so yeah. Easy call.”

Of course when you cut through the fluff and follow the money, the decision seems more complicated than Boeing executives simply being ‘MountainDew men’.

“We all know that Coke has always been the favorite. But if we laced our product with the other kind of coke early on, maybe we’d be on top instead, you know?...but we at Pepsi?, we took the high road. We already know we had the superior product, hence the MAX version of Pepsi. So we put our heads together on who can provide a one-stop shop for instant international product placement. The answer was clear: Boeing. With planes around the world and the 737 being one of the most successful products in history, it was a no brainer in our board room. And let’s be honest; they haven’t exactly had a fiscal picnic lately with those 787 and 748 debacles. So when we at Pepsi approached them and said we’ll underwrite your development costs in exchange for some…let’s just say advertising space…well…they just jumped at it.” remarked a Pepsi Co official close to the matter who spoke anonymously in order to be candid.

When pressed to divulge the details of the deal, both company officials declined to cite specifics, but other sources close to the matter reported that the deal reached into the upper millions, and including a host of provisions: First, Boeing was required to name the program MAX. Second, Pepsi products will now be served exclusively at all Boeing facilities and at all Boeing events both at home and abroad. And third, the lead test plane, expected to be built in South Carolina instead of Renton, will be painted in the PepsiMAX colors (see our artists’ rendering here).

While top executives of both company’s were smelling nothing but roses in the new partnership, others smelled something rotten.

Shop floor members, many local Coke fans, have been up in arms since the quiet announcement yesterday. Union leadership at Boeing sees this as a direct affront to employee’s God-given right to Coke products, reportedly now banned due to the contractual exclusivity clause with Pepsi. “Look, I’ve been a Classic Coke fan all my life. I don’t know where these suits get off thinking that they can walk in and tell our boys we can’t enjoy an ice-cold Classic Coke in the glass bottle on the floor. Pepsi?...just makes me sick. I mean, I guess both [Pepsi & Boeing] are in the business of shoving crap into thin metal tubes, but thems the breaks, right?”, stated clearly disillusioned Boeing employee and union member Roy G. Bellows.

Boeing, when asked for comment stated simply; “While I know many of our customers and employees have been loyal Coke product fans, I encourage them to embrace our new relationship with this quality beverage manufacturer.”
As a way to ease in the new partnership on the shop floor, the company provided one free, 12oz. prompotional Pepsi Co soft drink product to the first 5 employees to clock in on each shift yesterday.

[moose135]

That sounds like something you'd read on The Onion, Jeremy. :biggrin:

[jerslice]

On a more serious note, here is the press release:

Boeing Introduces 737 MAX With Launch of New Aircraft Family


-Will deliver best fuel efficiency and lowest operating costs in single-aisle market

SEATTLE, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) has unveiled the 737 MAX, the name of the new engine variant of the market-leading 737 launched today.
The new family of aircraft – 737 MAX 7, 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 – builds on the strengths of the Next-Generation 737.
"The 737 MAX offers airlines the right solution and the best choice for creating the most successful future with improved profitability," said Nicole Piasecki, vice president of Business Development and Strategic Integration, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The 737 MAX will deliver maximum efficiency, maximum reliability and the Boeing Sky Interior will continue to offer maximum passenger comfort. We call it the 737 MAX because it optimizes everything we and our customers have learned about designing, building, maintaining and operating the world's best single-aisle airplane."
The 737 MAX will deliver big fuel savings that airlines will need to successfully compete in the future. Airlines will benefit from a 7 percent advantage in operating costs over future competing airplanes as a result of optimized CFM International LEAP-1B engines, more efficient structural design and lower maintenance requirements.
Airlines will continue to benefit from maximum reliability. The 737 MAX will build upon the Next-Generation 737's highest reliability performance of any airplane in the world – 99.7 percent on-time departure rate.
The 737 MAX will deliver passenger appeal through the new 737 Boeing Sky Interior. The powerful appeal of the new interior comes from the most spacious cabin headroom, overhead bins that disappear into the ceiling yet carry more bags and LED lighting that brings any color into the cabin.
The Boeing 737 is the world's most popular and reliable commercial jet transport, with more than 9,000 orders to date. Boeing forecasts global demand for more than 23,000 airplanes in the 737's market segment over the next 20 years at a value of nearly $2 trillion.
More information about 737 MAX is available at www.newairplane.com (http://globalmessaging1.prnewswire.com/clickthrough/servlet/clickthrough?msg_id=6973819&adr_order=73&url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5uZXdhaXJwbGFuZS5jb20%3D) and in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_kKD6g53AA (http://globalmessaging1.prnewswire.com/clickthrough/servlet/clickthrough?msg_id=6973819&adr_order=73&url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbS93YXRjaD92PWlfa0 tENmc1M0FB).

[hiss srq]

I just think it might have been more adventagious to go the route of a all new airplane as opposed to sticking with a 737 which has alot of design flaws that do make it less competitive. For one, the fuse size. You cannot containerize cargo on it etc etc down low where as with the Airbus you can. A Common type to the old 737 is a setback as well. The overhead panel of that thing looks like a museum peice and it did even in the 80's when the 320 first flew. The one thing the 737 has always had or at least the NG had over the A320 was range and speed. The 737 cruises faster ard can get higher, in every other aspect the 320 is superior to the 737 and will probably continue to be so as the NEO. Boeing had a real chance here and Gave it up. As far as the 747 goes, I think from the getgo Boeing knew it wouldnt sell like a hot cake on the pax markets. It's going to be a great freighter but again, they came late to the dance.

[gonzalu]

I for one don;t like the look of the 737 in some respects... jet love the old models with the long, noisy, smoky lipstick engines :-)

Yes, economically, much more successful and obvious decision. Remember we aircraft lovers are a miniscule minority to those who actually fly for the sake of point a-b. I guarantee you 99% of the flying population has no clue what plane they are in nor do they give a care about it. Next time you're at the airport, look around you ... how many plane lovers? Or ask anyone inside the plane, how they like the 100 inches of stretch on the new fuselage LOL.

[hiss srq]

I tend to look at things from the sense of economics. I'm the Operational Planner for an airline so I tend to look at things from the logistical sense. While it was ultimately cheaper short term for Boeing to revamp the 737, long term they put themselves behind the 8 ball. They had a chance to leapfrog Aribus in a tremendous way by going paper scratch with the 737 replacement but decided to stay the road instead. All that means is that in 10 years they are going to be spending the money anyway on development of a new airplane and by that time they will probably already be 2 years behind Airbus again which is where they are now. It will be interesting to see how this plays out on the order books for certain.

[Matt Molnar]

I think Boeing should have had the foresight to make this decision two years ago. The 797 would simply have cost too much time and money to design, build and test without offering a corresponding improvement in operating cost. Someday the tech will improve enough to justify it, but it's not there yet.