Probably everyone has heard of the Boeing 737 MAX – it is the type of aircraft that caused two tragic accidents and was grounded for many months due to system deficiencies.
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But do you know anything about the 737-8? If not, no wonder. This is a real novelty for Boeing. According to the British newspaper The Guardian, the company’s management has decided to end the original name of the machine, which in the past was only unlucky for the company.
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However, the first four aircraft, which are still subject to grounding, were bought by the largest Polish charter operator Enter Air with a new name, the Boeing 737-8. Until now, the company used this name only in internal communication.
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MAX is a thing of the past
The new designation appears in the contract notice issued by Boeing. However, a spokesman for the manufacturer questioned the claim of the British newspaper and other media that the company wanted to get rid of the MAX mark, and pointed out that it also appears several times in the announcement.
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Boeing has been speculating for several weeks that the renewal of 737 MAX certification is within reach and should come every day. The order of the Polish carrier is just one of the proofs that the problematic planes will take off soon.
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At the beginning of July, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed all the necessary tests to grant the new certification. “They are currently being evaluated, but theoretically there seems to be nothing to stop the plane from returning to the sky. Practically, the situation is different – the reduced demand will of course significantly affect the chances of this aircraft, “says aeronautical expert and editor-in-chief of Aerospace Central Europe magazine Kateřina Urbanová.
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Soon in the clouds
The former pilot of this aircraft and aviation expert Ladislav Keller is also convinced that the 737 MAX could detach from the ground in a matter of weeks. He also confirmed that after months of grounding, pilots will have to test each aircraft in one passenger-free test flight to verify the proper operation of all systems. “In addition, crews must complete additional training in accordance with an approved training program before the first actual flight,” Keller added for the Report List.
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“Despite the current crisis, it is important to think about the future,” said Grzegorz Polaniecki, CEO of Enter Air. “With that in mind, we agreed to order more 737-8 machines. I am convinced that after the strict controls that the 737 MAX is undergoing, it will be the best aircraft for many years to come, “he added.
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The aircraft manufacturer said on Wednesday that Enter Air had ordered two 737-8s with the option to take two more. If he buys all four, his squadron will contain ten 737 MAX aircraft. Enter Air’s fleet currently includes 22 aircraft.
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“It’s important because it’s the first order for MAX machines since December 2019, but it’s still a small order,” said S&P rating analyst Chris DeNicolo. According to him, Enter Air received a significant discount.
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The crisis of the whole industry
In addition to shutting down the MAX series, Boeing is facing an outflow of orders due to the effects of coronavirus proliferation. In the first six months of this year, the American manufacturer delivered nine 737 machines, compared to more than a hundred in the same period last year.
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While European Airbus announced only one cancellation, the American company had a total of almost 190 canceled orders in the second quarter. “Boeing ended the second quarter with a net number of new orders over minus 320, Airbus’s net orders for the same period are positive, for a total of almost 300,” said Kateřina Urbanová, an aeronautical expert and editor-in-chief of Aerospace Central Europe magazine.
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The industry is facing the worst crisis in history, with demand for air transport expected to resume in 2024 at the earliest. “Overall, demand is expected to remain subdued until around 2024. The question is whether he will get into a pre-crisis state at all. In 2024, however, it could be at 90 percent of 2019. What the growth curve will look like afterwards cannot be estimated now, because it will depend on many variables, “Urbanová explained for Seznam Zprávy.
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