Boeing’s 737 MAX takes wing with new engines, high hopes

Just over seven weeks after it rolled out of the paint hangar, the first 737 MAX — the “Spirit of Renton” — had a smooth first flight Friday, proclaiming Boeing’s ambition to stay competitive against Airbus for the next decade in the crucial short-haul airliner market. As rain closed in, bringing the threat that low clouds might delay the flight, the jet took off slightly earlier than expected from its namesake city at 9:48 a.m. piloted by Capt. Ed Wilson, 737 chief pilot. (www.seattletimes.com) More...