A Boeing 737 MAX airplane takes off on its first test flight, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Boeing’s new 737 MAX aircraft completed its first test flight Friday.
The plane, which Boeing is touting as a way for airlines to lower operating costs and boost fuel efficiency, took off from Renton, Wash. at 12:46 p.m. ET.
Packed with test equipment, the 737 MAX landed a few miles away at Boeing Field in Seattle almost 3 hours later, according to Airline Reporter.
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Boasting larger engines and improved aerodynamics compared to its predecessors, the single-aisle airplane will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use compared to the first Next-Generation 737s, which were launched in the 1990s.
And she's up! #737MAX is in the air for first flight. pic.twitter.com/kXaqf45Fjo
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) January 29, 2016
The Seattle Times reports that the MAX comes in three sizes, seating 126 to 220 passengers.
The 737 MAX is the fourth version of the original 737, according to Reuters, which says that Boeing is expected to deliver its first 737 MAX to customers in 2017.
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