A new fleet of planes will be rolling out of Boeing's factories sooner than you think. A Boeing 737 MAX, the first of its kind, took flight on Friday from Renton, Wash., just south of Seattle, CNBC reported.
The aircraft was first produced last month at Boeing's assembly facility in Renton, according to Business Insider. Its pilot flight lasted two-and-a-half hours, and the plane was piloted by both Craig Bomben and Captain Ed Wilson.
The new aircrafts are expected to enter the market in 2017. The first airline to be using these crafts will be Southwest Airlines.
Both pilots said that the flight was a major success, according to The Seattle Times.
"It flew beautifully. We had no issues," co-pilot Bomben said.
What makes the Boeing 737 MAX unique is its larger LEAP engines. It's a more fuel efficient aircraft, the company claims. The 737 MAX is also available in three different sizes, seating between 126 and 220 passengers.
However, Boeing's 737 MAX isn't the only new aircraft on the market. Airbus recently released a new plane to Lufthansa, the Airbus A320neo.
Boeing is confident, however, that its planes will quickly catch up to Airbus in terms of sales and awards with the addition of its latest aircraft.
