The 2022 Farnborough International Airshow was the place Boeing chose to debut its latest single-aisle airliner, the Boeing 737-10. or Max 10 and we were invited to come along and take a closer look.
The 230-seat Boeing 737-10 is the largest of the Max family and this shows in the fact that is over 8 metres longer than the 182-seat 737-7.
Externally the 737-10 has all the hallmarks of the Max family, the scimitar winglets and the Leap1B engines with their familiar chevron fairing but it also has an extra door behind the wings compared to the smaller models to aid with egress of the aircraft in an emergency.
Being a test aircraft, the cabin is not complete and is largely full of water tanks and test equipment but it does have the new overhead bins which allow the Max 10 to carry up to 200 bags in the cabin.
The flight deck is now becoming familiar to all Boeing aircraft with the large glass LCD screens providing information to the pilots in a way that is user-friendly.
With a range of 3,300nm, airlines will be looking to the 737-10 to operate high-density medium-haul routes that have previously been operated by aircraft such as the 737-900 and with that in mind, it’s not surprising that Delta, an existing -900 user, has placed a large order for the Max 10.
Like all 737 Max family aircraft, the 737-10 is powered by a pair of CFM International LEAP-1B engines. These high-bypass turbofans are capable of producing 29,320 lb of thrust each.
As with the 777-9, the aircraft we were touring was also carrying out the flying demonstration which started with the now signature steep climb before turning to fly a series of dynamic turns and flypasts to show the aircraft’s abilities.
The 737-10 looked agile in the air and seemed to handle smoothly, a fact confirmed by the test pilots who called the aircraft a dream to fly.
The 737 Max series hasn’t been without issues, a two-year grounding of the type for safety reasons led to a large number of cancelled orders and some even expected the larger Max 10 to be cancelled due to the additional certification.
But Boeing has pushed on and despite an initial by airlines to Airbus, the 737 Max sales have now gone from strength to strength, particularly the Max 8 and the family is in service around the world with over 580 delivered to date.
Technical Specifications Boeing 737-Max-10
- Length: 143 ft 8 in (43.79 m)
- Wingspan: 117 ft 10 in (35.92 m) span
- Engines: 2x CFM LEAP-1B
- Thrust: 26,786–29,317 lbf (119–130 kN
- Take-Off Weight: 197,900 lb (89,800 kg) Max
- Range: 3,300 nm (6,100 km)
- Seats: 204 (16J + 188Y) to 230
- Cargo capacity: 1,961 cu ft (55.5 m3)
- Max payload: 46,040 lb (20,880 kg)
- Price: $121.6 million (list price)
