A Boeing Joggle Press operator prepares the first 737 MAX fuselage stringer for the press by brushing on lubricant. And with this the process starts the production of the first 737 MAX fuselage stringers at Boeing Fabrication Integrated AeroStructures in Auburn, Washington.  The MAX will be the fourth generation of the 737.
After forming, Boeing will send the stringers to Spirit Aerosystems in Wichita for incorporation into the first 737 MAX fuselage. From there the fuselage is shipped to Boeing’s Renton facility where employees assemble and build the 737 MAX.
The program is on track to begin final assembly of the first 737 MAX in 2015. The airplane will be part of the flight test fleet and is scheduled to fly in 2016. The process started this week promises a great deal. Boeing claims the 737 MAX will be 14% more fuel-efficient than today’s most efficient 737NGs and 20% better than the original 737NGs when they first entered service. Considering the 737 dates back to planning in 1964 and first flight in 1967, this is surely one of the most remarkable aircraft programs. Ever.
That ‘ hat section’ stringer looks exactly like every BA fuselage ‘ hat section ‘ stringer produced for the last 40 or 50 years and it is already mostly formed. I guess the PR is simply -this is the first ‘ part ‘ of the MAX made at Boeing.
The 737 aircraft series is likely to be in service for 100 years! It has already been flying for 45 years and is still, by far, the top selling Boeing model. The MAX version will start delivering in 2017 and will likely be offered by Boeing for at least 15 years before the next new model is introduced. Popular models are retained in service for at least 30 years before they are completely phased out of world fleets. That means that even if the 737 is replaced by a successor model after the MAX, 737’s will be flying 90-100 years after their original introduction. That’s one successful product design – especially for a technology oriented product.