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MAX
EFFICIENCY
THE RETURN OF BOEING’S Boeing delivered the first 737-8 MAX to an airline customer in
737 MAX HAS ALLOWED OP- May 2017 and delivered the first 737-9 MAX in March 2018. The
737-9 MAX can also fly about 800km longer than the current
ERATORS TO ENHANCE THEIR 737-900ER. All 737 MAX family jetliners are powered by CFM
SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES International LEAP-1B engines.
Technological Efficiency
ATUL CHANDRA
“The 737 MAX’s aerodynamic design increases its efficiency. The
Boeing’s 737 MAX jetliner is now returning advanced technology winglet reduces fuel burn by approximately
to the sky in larger numbers, allowing its two per cent by increasing the lift the wing can generate and
airline customers to phase out their older increasing the effective wingspan, while aerodynamic design
jetliners and obtain substantial benefits in improvements incorporated on the aft body contribute an addi-
fuel-efficiency and emissions, furthering their tional one per cent reduction in fuel burn. Engine inlets with
sustainability initatives. Over 40 airlines are natural laminar flow decrease drag and further reduce fuel
operating Boeing’s sole single-aisle jetliner, consumption,” a Boeing spokesperson told Asian Airlines &
which has completed over 720,000 revenue Aerospace, via email.
flights accumulating more than 1.8 million
flight hours since late 2020. Boeing is now The 737 MAX leverages innovative technologies developed for
accelerating production and delivery rates the 787, including a comfortable and welcoming cabin environ-
for the 737 MAX. ment for passengers, large flight deck displays that are common
with the 787 and 777X, and the engine nacelle and wing inte-
Each 737 MAX can save millions of pounds of gration, which reduces drag and improves efficiency. In addition,
CO2 emissions per airplane, per year, over the the leading edge of the nacelle is a Boeing-designed natural
competition and older airplanes, helping air- laminar flow inlet, which directs a smooth airflow around the
lines make air travel even more sustainable. engine and results in reduced drag.
The 737-8 MAX delivers fuel use and carbon
emissions reductions to the tune of 20 per The 737 MAX’s unique advanced technology winglets were spe-
cent, while creating a 50 per cent smaller cifically designed for the airplane and were tested in 2012 on the
noise footprint compared to previous gen- first Boeing ecoDemonstrator airplane. The 737 MAX’s newer
eration airplanes. The 737-9 MAX aircraft is technology, fewer systems and components, and optimized
approximately 14 per cent more fuel efficient maintenance plan also result in lower maintenance costs and
than Boeing’s Next Generation 737s (depend- fewer days out of service.
ing on the variant in operation).
Boeing’s Sky Interior which is standard on the 737 MAX also
The airframer states that the 737 MAX has features improvements in sustainability such as the use of ener-
an 8 per cent lower operating cost than its gy-efficient LED lighting throughout the cabin, which reduces
main competitor and has captured over 5,000 energy consumption. The use of slimmer seats, which also use
gross orders for the new aircraft since launch. lighter materials, has helped reduce weight by hundreds of
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