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March 25, 2025
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Some perspective on the Boeing 737MAX might be useful for people who are nervous flyers. Social media is abuzz with noise after the events over the weekend.  Data will lead you to the truth and enable one to observe the situation from a factual, rather than emotional perspective. Ignore the noise.

In 2018, through November, there were 19,017 departures in the United States on the two 737 MAX models in service in the US. These flights carried 2,828,923 passengers.  There were no “events”.

The table breaks down the flights and traffic by model.  The source of the data is the US DoT’s T-100 database.

2019 03 11 14 27 07

In the 333 days worth of data we have, about 8,500 people per day in the US were on an average of 57 flights operated using Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. And nothing unusual has happened.

The table below lists the top 1/3 of all city pairs flown in the US through November last year on the Boeing MAX.

2019 03 11 14 32 01

The Bottom Line

The Boeing 737MAX routinely flies all across the US, even to Hawaii, without attracting any attention.  So far, in service with US carriers, the aircraft has done its job and appears to be as safe and reliable as other aircraft types.  Speculation on aviation safety, without having the facts from an investigation, is a dangerous precedent, whether by regulators or industry pundits.

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Addison Schonland Partner
Co-Founder AirInsight. My previous life includes stints at Shell South Africa, CIC Research, and PA Consulting. Got bitten by the aviation bug and ended up an Avgeek. Then the data bug got me, making me a curious Avgeek seeking data-driven logic. Also, I appreciate conversations with smart people from whom I learn so much. Summary: I am very fortunate to work with and converse with great people.

3 thoughts on “Flying the MAX – Keeping it in Perspective

  1. Since you want to use data or statistics, you will realise that a very new plane with very little flight hours has been involved in two aircraft losses. Get real and buck up on your statistics.

  2. It is a moot question because until the grounding is lifted, you won’t be flying a MAX.

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