Boeing 737 Max makes first international journey for flight testing

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 has marked a key achievement after completing high altitude flight testing in La Paz, Bolivia. It's the first international trip for the 737 MAX flight-test fleet. Photo by John Corrigan. Pic: Courtesy of Boeing

KUALA LUMPUR: The Boeing 737 MAX 8 has marked a key achievement after completing high altitude flight testing in La Paz, Bolivia.

It is the first international trip for the 737 MAX flight-test fleet.

The airport's 13,300-foot (4,050-meter) altitude tested the MAX's capability to take off and land at high altitudes, which can affect overall airplane performance, Boeing said in a statement.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president and general manager of the 737 MAX programme Keith Leverkuhn said the engines and other systems performed well, as expected, under extreme conditions.

Flight testing for the 737 MAX is on schedule with three test airplanes having completed more than 100 flights combined.

The fourth and final test airplane will make its first flight in the coming weeks and the programme remains on track for first delivery in the third quarter of 2017.

Source: Bernama | 3 May 2016