Boeing Celebrates Rollout of First 737 MAX 9

Airplane scheduled to fly in the coming weeks, deliver to customers in 2018




Boeing (NYSE: BA) marked a milestone today as the first 737 MAX 9 made its debut in front of thousands of Boeing employees.

The 737 MAX 9 is the second member of Boeing's industry leading 737 MAX family, with a maximum capacity of 220 passengers and a range of 3,515 nautical miles.

The airplane now begins system checks, fueling and engine runs on the flight line. Once completed, the airplane will begin flight testing in the coming weeks – the final phase of verification of the operational characteristics and overall performance of a new airplane.

"The 737 MAX team continues to do a fantastic job getting us to these important milestones right on schedule," said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager of the 737 MAX program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Our primary focus is delivering an aircraft that has the legendary reliability our 737 customers depend on, plus the optimized flexibility and range capability they desire."

The 737 MAX 9 is scheduled to enter service in 2018. The 737 MAX 8 is on track to deliver to customers in the second quarter of 2017.

The 737 MAX family has been designed to offer customers exceptional performance, flexibility and efficiency, with lower per-seat costs and an extended range that will open up new destinations in the single-aisle market. The MAX 8 and 9 will be followed in 2019 by the smaller MAX 7 and higher capacity MAX 200, while studies and discussions continue with customers on growing the family.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 3,600 orders to date from 83 customers worldwide.

For more information, visit: http://www.boeing.com/commercial/737max-9#/

Boeing 737 MAX 8 Earns FAA Certification

RENTON, Wash., March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced today that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has certified the 737 MAX 8 airplane for commercial service. Boeing is now in the final stages of preparing for the first 737 MAX 8 delivery to customers in the coming months.

To earn certification for the 737 MAX 8, Boeing undertook a comprehensive test program that began just over one year ago with four airplanes, plus ground and laboratory testing. Following a rigorous certification process, the FAA granted Boeing an Amended Type Certificate for the 737 MAX 8, verifying the design complies with required aviation regulations and is safe and reliable.

"This certification is a true testament to the dedication and commitment of our entire MAX team throughout the process, from airplane design to flight testing," said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The Renton team looks forward to delivering superior efficiency, reliability and design to our customers as they start to receive their 737 MAX aircraft in the next few months."

The 737 MAX 8 is the first in the family to be developed and meets customer demand in the heart of the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 8 reduces fuel use and CO2 emissions by an additional 14 percent over today's most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes.

The 737 MAX family of aircraft is designed to offer customers exceptional performance, flexibility and efficiency, with lower per-seat costs and an extended range that will open up new destinations in the single-aisle market. The MAX 8 and 9 will be followed in 2019 by the smaller MAX 7 and higher capacity MAX 200, while studies and discussion continue with customers on growing the family.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. It is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 3,600 orders to date from 83 customers worldwide.

Airbus and THAI to evaluate new MRO business

State-of-the art facility to be developed at U-Tapao International Airport
PRESS RELEASE


Bangkok, 8th March 2017 - Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thai Airways International (THAI) to evaluate the development of a major new maintenance and overhaul (MRO) facility at U-Tapao International Airport near Bangkok.



The MoU was signed in Bangkok today by Usanee Sangsingkeo, Acting President, Thai Airways International and Fabrice Brégier, President, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. The signing was witnessed by Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand.



The new MRO would be one of the most modern and extensive in the Asia-Pacific region, offering line and heavy maintenance services for a wide range of aircraft types. A new complex would feature the latest digital technologies to analyse aircraft maintenance data, as well as advanced inspection techniques, including the use of drones to monitor aircraft airframes.



The MRO campus would also include specialised repair shops, including a repair centre for composite structures, as well as a maintenance training centre offering extensive courses for technical personnel from Thailand and overseas.



“THAI has been studying the development of a new MRO business with several potential partners and is pleased to have been able to reach this initial agreement with Airbus,” said Usanee Sangsingkeo, Acting President, Thai Airways International. “This facility will be a showcase maintenance hub for the region and will offer its services to airlines across the region and beyond.”



“This exciting new project will help to meet strong demand for maintenance services in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region,” said Fabrice Brégier, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “With the fleet in the region set to almost triple to over 15,000 aircraft over the next 20 years, this project represents a sound opportunity for Thailand to develop its footprint in the aerospace sector.”



This Airbus and THAI joint initiative will be a strategic contribution to the Eastern Economic Corridor designed by the Thai Government, in which U-Tapao International Airport is set to become a new aerospace hub in the region

[Photo and Video]Airbus-Italdesign car-octocopter hybrid unvelied: Pop.Up , a trailblazing modular ground and air passenger concept vehicle system

During the 87th Geneva International Motor Show, Italdesign and Airbus world- premiered Pop.Up, the first modular, fully electric, zero emission concept vehicle system designed to relieve traffic congestion in crowded megacities. Pop.Up envisages a modular system for multi-modal transportation that makes full use of both ground and airspace.

The feasible concept is the result of Italdesign and Airbus’ joint reflection on how to address the mobility challenges of megacities achievable for a majority, which has become one of the most pressing issues for commuters in megacities worldwide. With traffic congestion projected to hugely increase by 2030, the companies decided to combine their engineering expertise to tackle how to best achieve a sustainable, modular and multimodal urban mobility system – giving rise to the Pop.Up concept.

Pop.Up System consists of a three layers concept:

• –  an Artificial Intelligence platform that, based on its user knowledge, manages the travel complexity offering alternative usage scenarios and assuring a seamless travel experience;
• –  a vehicle shaped as a passenger capsule designed to be coupled with two different and independent electric propelled modules, the ground module and the air module. Other public means of transportation (e.g. trains or hyperloops) could also integrate the Pop.Up capsule;
• –  an interface module that dialogues with users in a fully virtual environment.

The Pop.Up vehicle combines the flexibility of a small two seater ground vehicle with the freedom and speed of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air vehicle, thus bridging the automotive and aerospace domains.

At the heart of the concept is a capsule: designed to accommodate passengers. This high-tech, monocoque carbon-fibre cocoon measures 2.6 metres long, 1.4 metres high, and 1.5 metres wide. The capsule transforms itself into a city car by simply coupling to the ground module, which features a carbon-fibre chassis and is battery powered.

For megacity journeys with high congested traffic, the capsule disconnects from the ground module and is carried by a 5 by 4.4 metre air module propelled by eight counter-rotating rotors. In this configuration, Pop.Up becomes a urban self-piloted air vehicle, taking advantage of the third dimension to get from A to B efficiently whilst avoiding traffic congestion on the ground.

Once passengers reach their destination, the air and ground modules with the capsule autonomously return to dedicated recharge stations to wait for their next customers.

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