Norwegian has been busy with Boeing and the updated 737 Max model.
Because although Boeing had big problems with Max in the past, Norwegian still chose to bet on Max to renew its fleet. Of the four Max versions, Norwegian chose the 737 Max-8 model.
The company already has 20 in the fleet and another 50 on order.
Furthermore, CEO Geir Karlsen considered whether Norwegian should also order other Max models, which he explicitly mentioned during the second quarter quarterly presentation.
The differences between the four Max types are fuselage length, wingspan and number of seats.
For Norwegian, the introduction of a larger Max edition will make it easier to send flights from Tromsø to the Canary Islands, for example, with more passengers on fewer departures.
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But the type of plane Norwegian is considering is not the model currently parked.
– We are considering Max-10, Norwegian communications director Esben Tuman tells Finansavisen.
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Boeing produces Max 7, 8, 9 and 10. Photo: Boeing
Max-9 in trouble
Boeing began to regain confidence only after two fatal plane crashes in which 346 people lost their lives in 2018 and 2019, which ended with the grounding of all 387 operational Max-8 planes for a year and eight months.
On Friday, January 5, 2024, a side panel and window were blown off a 737 Max-9 plane, which was en route to Alaska Airlines.
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No one was injured, but the US aviation authorities (FAA) have nevertheless decided that all Max-9 planes will have to be inspected.
The model has not been a bestseller for Boeing, but 171 Max-9 editions still must pass an inspection to continue flying. The largest model Norwegian will get is, however, configured differently, according to the company:
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– The Max-10 has an emergency exit behind the wing, not connected like some configurations of the Max-9, says Tuman, and makes an important clarification:
– Please remember that we have no decision on this matter at the moment.
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Norwegian CEO Geir Karlsen is considering Max 10, but hasn’t decided whether that will happen. Photo: Ivan Kverme / Finansavisen
You can get 40 additional seats
The differences between aircraft types are quite large. The most important thing for an airline is how many seats you get, which also depends on the configuration you choose on the plane. The smallest plane, the Max-7, has between 138 and 153 seats, depending on whether you have business class seats.
Norwegian has Max-8, where there can be between 162 and 178 seats.
Ryanair, however, managed to modify the configuration so that the plane could accommodate 200 seats, which therefore gave the plane the name Max-200 for a period. Boeing subsequently managed to obtain ten more seats, thus reaching 210 seats.
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Norwegian, on the other hand, has a 189-seat configuration.
The accident-prone Max-9 variant, however, with two cabin classes, offers space between 178 and 193 seats, with a maximum of 220 in one class. The variant being considered by Norwegian is even larger.
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– This is a slightly longer variant that can accommodate up to 230 passengers, says Tuman.
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Boeing 737 Max model maker Photo: Finansavisen
Extra fuel tank on 9 and 10
Of course, the length of the planes is decisive for how many seats you can accommodate. But the longer the plane, the heavier it is, which in turn is decisive for the range.
For the Max-7 the range is the longest, with over 7,000 kilometers. The disadvantage is the few places. The most popular Max model is the 8, which with a range of almost 6,500 kilometers is a very useful short- to medium-range aircraft with up to 210 passengers.
The Max-9 has the same range as the 8, but with a longer fuselage you get ten extra seats. Range is maintained when an additional fuel tank is installed.
Boeing does the same on the Max-10 plane. The range is less than 6,000 kilometers, more than enough for most airlines using short- and medium-haul flights. All aircraft are equipped with CFM International’s LEAP-1B jet engines.
This article was first published on Finansavisen
2024-01-18 20:43:30
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