Boeing 737 MAX 10 Takes Flight: A New Competitor to the Airbus A321neo

The Boeing 737 MAX 10 is set to be certified soon and may be the most important aircraft of the decade. In the commercial aircraft industry, the large narrowbody market has seen significant growth in demand, but Airbus has held a strong position with its A321neo.

However, with the introduction of the 737 MAX 10, Boeing finally has a true competitor to the A321neo. The MAX 10 has a range of 3,100 NM (5,700 km) and a maximum takeoff weight of 89.8 tons. It's designed to carry between 180 and 230 passengers and features new split-tip Advanced Technology winglets and the CFM LEAP-1B engine.

The aircraft's fuel capacity is 6,820 gallons (25,816 liters) or 20.73 tons. When empty and fully loaded with fuel, it has a range of around 4,100 NM (7,600 km). However, planes don't fly empty, and their actual range varies based on winds.

Boeing's brochure range for the MAX 10 is calculated with zero winds using maximum fuel and a payload of roughly 19 tons. This gives the aircraft an estimated 0.52 miles per gallon (roughly 0.22 kilometers per liter). But most airlines will configure their MAX 10s with at least 180 seats, meaning that the quoted range figure may only be accomplished with blocked seats.