Both the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and Boeing 737 MAX 9 have a maximum cruise speed of 839 km/h (521 mph) and a flight range up to 6,510 km (4,045 mi).
The Boeing 737-700 can fly with a maximum speed of 876 km/h (544 mph) and a cruising speed of 828 km/h (514 mph). The 737-700C is a convertible version where the seats can be removed to carry cargo instead.
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.
The maximum cruising altitude for the new generation of 737 planes is 41,000 feet. At this altitude, 737 jets can still have great fuel efficiency and safety standards thanks to avoiding powerful winds and bad weather. However, its optimal altitude is around 37,000 feet.
Size matters
The next largest variant of the Boeing 737 MAX series is the popular MAX 8, which clocks in at 39.47 meters (129 feet and 6 inches) long.
The fuel consumption can be estimated as 8,000 lbf x 0.55 lb/lbf/hr, which equals 4,400 lb (2,000 kg) per hour of fuel consumed at cruise. The fuel consumption of a 737 MAX 8 is nearly 15% lower than a typical Boeing 737-800.
Airliner cruise
Common narrowbodies cruise at Mach 0.78 (450 kn; 830 km/h) like the Airbus A320, or the Boeing 737NG; While modern widebodies cruise at Mach 0.85 (490 kn; 900 km/h) like the Airbus A350 or the Boeing 787.
The Max carries out about 2,400 mostly uneventful flights globally each day. Most government investigations ended and laws and regulations were changed, but the families press on, encouraged by help from the industry experts and driven by a desire to avert further tragedy.
After much modification and extensive testing, Boeing returned with the Max for re-certification. I met an aviation enthusiast last week, and he asked me a direct question, “Is the Boeing 737 Max Safe?” My immediate answer was, “Of course it is!
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) resisted grounding the aircraft until March 13, 2019, when it received evidence of accident similarities. By then, 51 other regulators had already grounded the plane, and by March 18, 2019, all 387 aircraft in service were grounded.
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. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines are among the airlines expecting new Max aircraft.
The A380-800 has a maximum range of 15,000 kilometres (8,000 nmi, sufficient to fly from Chicago to Sydney nonstop), and a cruising speed of Mach 0.85 (about 900 km/h or 560 MPH at cruise altitude), similar to that of the Boeing 747.
On average, the typical cruising speed of a large commercial aircraft, like a Boeing 747, is somewhere between 475 and 500 knots (roughly 575 mph). So what is the cruising speed of a 747? Depending on passenger load, the average cruise speed of a 747 is 490 nautical miles or Mach 0.85.
Since the cruise speed of the 747-8 is in the range of 0.85 Mach, the shape of the airfoil delays the onset of wave drag at transonic speeds (Mach 0.8 – 1.0).
A typical commercial passenger jet flies at a speed of about 400 – 500 knots which is around 460 – 575 mph when cruising at about 36,000ft. This is about Mach 0.75 – 0.85 or in other words, about 75-85% of the speed of sound. Generally speaking, the higher the aircraft flies, the faster it can travel.
Uses of true airspeed
See wind triangle. TAS is the true measure of aircraft performance in cruise, thus it is the speed listed in aircraft specifications, manuals, performance comparisons, pilot reports, and every situation when cruise or endurance performance needs to be measured.
The type delivers outstanding economics, decreasing fuel use and pollutants by 20% while producing a 50% smaller noise footprint than the aircraft it replaces. It also has cutting-edge winglets and effective engines. When compared to its rivals, the 737 MAX delivers up to 14% cheaper airframe maintenance costs.
Comparing the 737 MAX 8 directly to the 737-800 on numbers alone, it quickly becomes evident that the newer MAX series has a longer range and the ability to carry an extra 18 fare-paying customers in a two-class setup. The MAX 200's high-density layout also allows it to hold more passengers than one-class 737-800s.
The Max 8 is nearly 130 feet long and the Max 10 will be 143 feet. 8 inches long. The new Max 10 has the characteristic of other long-fuselage such as the 757-300 and rival Airbus' old A340-600 (one of the longest aircraft in history) and A321.
Maximum efficiency
The 737 MAX 8 reduces fuel use and CO2 emissions by an additional 14 percent over today's most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplanes – and 20 percent better than the original Next-Generation 737s when they first entered service.
Airport fuel trucks usually refuel airplanes at around 300 gallons/1135 liters per minute. With one fuel truck, a Boeing 737 can be fuelled from empty in around 23 minutes. A Boeing 747 using two fuel trucks with dual nozzles in around 52 minutes.
It currently costs $36,000 dollars to fuel a 737. Last year to fill the same jet cost $24,000. “It'll be a major consideration of where we go, If we go,” said Rebecca Segura who is headed back to the Cape from Puerto Rico. For others COVID-19 concerns meant less travel so even higher prices won't keep them grounded.