Airlines are again back to bulk purchase of Boeing Max aircraft globally despite the crash incidents that took the lives of hundreds of passengers on board.
The Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed soon after take-off from Addis Ababa for Nairobi. It was the second 737 Max disaster six months after a Lion Air plane in Indonesia crashed in October 2018, killing 189 people.
Boeing had admitted full responsibility for the second crash of its 737 Max model in Ethiopia in a legal agreement with the families of the 157 victims.
The Max was allowed to fly again in late 2020 after Boeing changed the plane, including MCAS, the flight control system behind the crashes.
It has been 19 months since Boeing’s 737 Max was allowed to start flying passengers again, but some families that lost loved ones in a pair of fatal plane crashes say they are still worried about its safety.
Despite these hovering concerns, airlines are making bulk purchases of this same aircraft type.
Delta Air Lines is buying 100 Boeing 737 Max 10 planes, its first significant order for new aircraft from the U.S. manufacturer in over a decade.
The deal has options for 30 more of the planes. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2025.
The new order is good news for Boeing as Airbus recently won high-profile sales, including several of China’s state-owned airlines. Boeing lamented trade tensions when that order was announced.
The order is worth $13.5 billion at list prices, but discounts are typical, especially for large sales. Delta didn’t disclose how much it paid but said the sale wouldn’t change its latest capital expenditure forecast.
Read also: Dana Air: Stranded passengers request refund, destroy counter at MMA2
Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of a 737 Max from Boeing in June. It’s the first time Ethiopian has taken a 737 Max since the March 2019 crash that killed all 157 people on board and led to a 20-month grounding of the jet.
Airline group IAG recently revealed that it had placed a firm order for the Boeing 737 MAX. The group, which owns British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling, and LEVEL, has ordered 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to be delivered between 2023 and 2027.
In addition, there are options for a further 100 aircraft.
It gets interesting when you look at the breakdown of the orders. Twenty-five of the firm orders are for the MAX 10, which is still undergoing certification. The other 25 firm orders are for the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200. This high-capacity version of the 737 MAX 8 can carry more passengers thanks to an additional emergency exit. Boeing had targeted this aircraft at low-cost carriers, creating it primarily for Ryanair.
Why the rush for these aircraft?
The 737 MAX remains the most technically advanced 737 that Boeing has ever produced. The 737 MAX has updated, fuel-efficient engines and a modern flight deck design. Its LEAP-1B engines provide much better fuel efficiency.
Boeing appears to have learned from its mistakes. While the planes were grounded, the aircraft manufacturers updated the plane with the latest FAA-approved flight deck software, rewired the aircraft, opened and inspected the fuel tanks, and checked fluids, tires, avionics, and engines.
Boeing cleaned every aircraft, running the engines periodically to power the batteries and cycled air in the cabin every four days.
United test pilots flew several test flights of our 737 MAX aircraft. They conducted end-to-end reviews that included system checks and data readouts from its operations staff and technicians, combined with feedback from the 737 MAX test pilots.
All United pilots that must fly the 737 MAX will undergo FAA-approved training to learn how the updated software will impact the flight controls and practice how to respond to scenarios they may encounter in the sky.
The training includes computer-based instruction, hands-on training in a full-flight simulator, a systems briefing, a checklist, and a quick-reference handbook.
Boeing has the latest innovation in its Max family, Max 10, which incorporates the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays, and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency.
