How to tell if you are flying a Boeing Max 737

I’m a nervous flyer to begin with, so the news that Boeing is putting their crash-prone Max 737 aircraft back into service fills me with Lovecraftian terror.

I prefer to ride a whore Butter through Continental United States who have one of those things. “Don’t worry, we’ve updated the software.” There is no less reassuring modern statement.

But, how do you know if you are supposed to fly on one?

As Jalopnik notes, Reuters reports that some airlines may stop using the name “Max”, so all you know is you’re flying on some sort of 737. Maybe you could just check your reservation to see what type of plane you are on? But airlines’ identification methods vary, and of course, sometimes at the last second, they have to swap jets for unforeseen maintenance reasons or weather-related delays.

The result is that, as Jalopnik notes, you may just have to figure it out by looking at the jet you are going to board. That assessment would come late enough to have prophylactic use, mind you, unless you’re ready to skip the flight at the last second when you find out you’re about to get on the airplanes creditScore_xxbin32_init.exe.

Anyway, here’s how to recognize a Max 737 when you see one:

If your booking information doesn’t mention the type of 737 you’ll be flying, you may be able to spot the name on the front, rear, or landing gear doors. Some airlines with a high number of 737 MAX aircraft orders, such as Southwest, do not have any prominent markings.

At the airport, you can also check the winglets at the wing tips. The 737 MAX will often have winglets that extend both upward and downward. Other versions of the 737 often have winglets that extend only upwards. However, as some airlines – like United – have upgraded older planes to use the newer fins, this isn’t always a foolproof way to determine the type of 737s either.

If all else fails, look at the engines. The 737 MAX uses CFM International LEAP-1B engines.

These are physically larger and pushed forward compared to the CFM International CFM56-7 engines of the older 737NG. LEAP-1B engines will also have jagged edges on the rear of the engines.

(This CC-2.0 licensed photo of a Max 737, by Edward Russell, is courtesy of Wikimedia)