To date, Airbus and Boeing have split three of the five announced 737 Max customers: American Airlines, Aviation Capital Group and now Norwegian Air Shuttle.
Norwegian’s order for 100 737-8s is a big boost for the re-engined jet as it grows its firm backlog and hardly a surprise as the northern European airline is one of Boeing’s stalwart narrowbody customers. Though accompanying that order were 100 more Airbus A320neos.
Fundamentally the “minimum change” Max is a derivative development from today’s Next Generation 737, just as the Next Generation family was a derivative of the 737 Classic. With 75% non-commonality, the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 unlocked the Classic’s customers to consider the A320.
The consequence of Boeing’s changes to the 737; a new tail cone, widespread structural re-gauging, engine development and a raised nose gear make the Max a manageable, yet expensive (which Boeing disputes), undertaking, concluded Bernstein Research in a report earlier this week. But the result, as illustrated by Norwegian’s A320neo order, may also be an unlocked 737 market for Airbus and Boeing to fight over.
Photo Credit Boeing & Airbus
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This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.