Union officials indicate that pilots like the Max and are confident in the changes from Boeing. Representatives of three unions said that crews were largely happy with the plane and added that, except at a select few airlines, training backlogs were the biggest challenge to getting more pilots in the cockpit.
Boeing and the FAA say the 737 MAX is Safe to Fly.
Pilots in the U.S. complained at least 5 times in recent months about problems controlling their Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets during critical moments of flight, federal records show, adding to questions raised by deadly crashes involving that model of jetliner in Ethiopia and Indonesia.
At least five pilots from the U.S. have registered complaints about about the way the Boeing 737 Max 8 has performed in flight, according to a federal database and reported by CNN.
Public. A March 2019 poll suggested that 53% of American adults would not want to fly on a 737 MAX plane if the aircraft were to be cleared by the FAA the following week. In July, Southwest Airlines reprinted aircraft safety cards that were shared between the MAX and the rest of the Southwest 737-800 fleet.
It was cleared to fly passengers again by US regulators last year, having been grounded following two catastrophic accidents. Since then, however, a number of potentially serious problems have been reported during 737 Max flights. Boeing insists the aircraft is both safe and reliable.
Virgin Australia has announced four additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft will join its fleet with delivery starting in the second half of 2023, increasing capacity in line with the airline's fleet growth program and journey towards Net Zero.
Deliveries would start from the end of 2023 but the Group would retain significant flexibility to make adjustments depending on market conditions. The aircraft being considered are the Boeing 737 MAX family and Airbus A320neo family, as well as the smaller Embraer E-Jet E2 family and the Airbus A220.
Pilots with a fear of heights aren't uncommon and in fact, the majority of people who are afraid of heights aren't affected by flying in an aircraft. There is a strong feeling of security when you close the door, and you should feel very comfortable in the hands of an experienced instructor.
Southwest maintains the largest Boeing 737 MAX fleet, though the Ryanair Group is close to knocking the US low-cost carrier from the top.
The ultimate Boeing 737 MAX question is always, 'is it safe now? '. The answer to that is a resounding yes. The plane has been described as one of the most scrutinized aircraft in aviation history, with authorities like the FAA, EASA, and many more taking a very close look at the plane.
Boeing's 737 Max problem is the latest headache for airlines hungry for new planes. Boeing disclosed a production problem with two fittings in the aft fuselage. The manufacturer and the FAA said it doesn't affect flight safety but it will delay deliveries of the best-selling plane.
The crash rate (crashes per million flight miles) of the 737 Max is 44 times higher than that of the 737-600/700/800/900 series.
Fleet reliability is above 99.5% - that is actually where the Next-Generation 737 was at, so it's on par with the airplane it's replaced.” Schedule reliability of 99.5% is an impressive number indeed.
The 737 MAX was grounded in March 2019 following fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia but has returned to service around the world with the exception of China and Russia after modifications to the aircraft and pilot training. Foreign airlines began flying the 737 MAX to China in October 2022.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $160,000 and as low as $46,500, the majority of 737 Pilot salaries currently range between $83,500 (25th percentile) to $105,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $120,000 annually across the United States.
There are no specific height restrictions for pilots under FAA rules. Flight schools and commercial airlines accept pilots for training as long as they are physically able to reach the controls and obtain a full rudder deflection in the aircraft they will operate.
Bottom Line. A fear of flying is way more common than you may think, so if you're one of those people who feel their mouth start to go dry and hands get sweaty as the takeoff run begins, you're not alone. The feeling of not being in control is enough to make even professional pilots feel a little uneasy during a flight ...
Pilots are trained to handle all sorts of nerve-racking situations, but that doesn't mean that they don't get scared—especially in these real instances, told by the pilots who experienced them, of serious in-flight fear.
The Australian airline has eight 737 MAX 8 on order and preparing for its inaugural Cairns - Tokyo flight. Virgin Australia is patiently waiting for its new Boeing 737 MAX 8s, with the airline expecting its first delivery this April. These aircraft will feature the airline's new business and economy class cabins.
The move away from the MAX name has been a subtle process and Boeing has begun to use the name 737 MAX and 737-8(7 through 10) interchangeably. This way they are transitioning away from the MAX name toward the normal naming convention of modern Boeing aircraft.
On an American Airlines Boeing 737-800, for example, the seat-rating site SeatGuru warns of several “bad” seats, denoted in red. They include all the seats in row 30, at the back of the aircraft. The reasons are obvious: Like Conway's, the seats in row 30 are next to lavatories and don't fully recline.
Virgin Australia's first 737 MAX, VH-8IA, flies through Washington state.
Virgin Australia passengers hoping to fly from Cairns to Tokyo on the airline's new Boeing 737 MAX next month will have to make-do with an older, smaller aircraft after delivery was unexpectedly delayed.
American has about 4,200 pilots who fly the 737 and would need the MAX simulator training. United has about 4,400 and Southwest has more than 9,000.