Boeing announced that the final phase of wind tunnel testing, a major milestone in airplane development, will begin on the 737 MAX program next week. Testing will begin at QinetiQ's test facility in Farnborough, England, where engineers will substantiate the forecasted low-speed performance of the 737 MAX on takeoff and landing. A FTSE250 company, QinetiQ uses its domain knowledge to provide technical advice to customers in the global aerospace, defense and security markets.
Testing also will be completed at the Boeing Transonic Wind Tunnel in Seattle to substantiate the forecast of the high-speed performance of the airplane. The models used for Next-Generation 737 wind tunnel testing, with modifications made to the aft fuselage, struts and nacelles, in addition to the new engine, will be used for the tests. Test completion in mid-2012 is a major step toward firm configuration of the 737 MAX.
