The Boeing 737 MAX series is becoming an increasingly widespread aircraft in
the world’s skies, with more and more countries recertifying it for service.
This has allowed the plane to begin making a recovery after a 20-month grounding period.
Meanwhile, the Russian Irkut MC-21, which is being touted as a potential competitor for the MAX,
will soon enter service. But how exactly do the two designs compare?
Let’s begin by looking at the smallest variant of each of the two
aircraft families in question. For the MC-21, this would be the -200 variant,
while the MAX 7 is the smallest on the 737 side. These are fairly similar in length,
with the MC-21-200 measuring 36.8 meters long, compared to 35.56 meters for the MAX 7.
With the two jets having similar lengths, we would assume capacities are quite similar.
In the end, it mainly depends on how airlines choose to configure their seats and how much
space they’d like to offer passengers. However, when it comes to stated passenger capacity,
the shorter MAX 7 actually has the edge with its maximum capacity being 172 seats.
Meanwhile, the MC-21-200 reportedly will have a maximum seat capacity of 165.
The Russian design also can’t match its US equivalent when it comes to range. While
it is projected to be capable of flying for up to 6,400 km (3,500 NM), the MAX 7 can go an extra 10%
further with a range of 7,130 km, or 3,850 NM. With nearly similar fuel tank capacities,
we can see that the 737 is a bit more efficient than its Russian counterpart.
While there are only two variants of the MC-21,
the MAX series boasts four versions. As such, we have to move up by not one but two versions
of the MAX to find the variant that is most similar in size to the MC-21-300.
This jet is 42.2 meters long: an almost identical measurement to the 737 MAX 9 at 42.16 meters.
Again, the MC-21-300 has a stated single-class capacity of 211 passengers compared to the MAX 9’s
220 seats. The MAX 9 also has the edge in terms of range, and can fly for up to 6,570 km (3,550 NM).
Meanwhile, the MC-21-300 can only manage 6,000 km (3,240 NM), although the gap is
closer than between the smaller variants. As we can see, the MAX seems to be the
preferable option for prospective customers in terms of operational performance. Even despite the
MAX’s safety-related difficulties, it has amassed 4,453 orders, of which Boeing has delivered 486.
Meanwhile, the MC-21 family has only accrued 175 orders (with most being for the standard
MC-21-300). Of course, with the MC-21 being launched several years after the MAX,
there is every chance that this figure will rise as the program moves towards entry into service.
However, any such rise would potentially be fairly limited since, thus far, all but one
of its customers are based in Russia. As such, while the MC-21 may provide stiff competition
for the 737 MAX in Russia, the chances of it penetrating the wider market seem unlikely.
Are you looking forward to seeing the MC-21 enter service? Given the choice, would you
rather fly on the Russian narrowbody or the 737 MAX? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.