Boeing 737 MAX 8 Flying Guide

Ground School Community Tutorials
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B38M Guide Main Banner V8
B38M Guide Main Banner V81920×1199 105 KB

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 - an infamous aircraft among aviation enthusiasts and regular people alike. Despite its tough past, this aircraft is a marvel of aerospace engineering, a testament to Boeing’s commitment to progressive aircraft development, and a worthy member of the 737 family. One can easily distinguish a MAX silhouette in the wild - notorious for its bigger CFM LEAP-1B engines equipped with chevrons and its redesigned winglets, the MAX stands out on aprons of airports all over the world. It boasts a redesigned cockpit ensuring the comfort of its pilots many other significant improvements, such as a new and improved exterior lighting system and increased landing gear height.

We are confident your love for the 737 MAX 8 will be love at first flight. Its flight dynamics, which you will learn about in this very guide, are designed to ensure the utmost comfort and joy of flying. The 737 MAX 8 will bring a genuine smile on your face while taking you to unexplored corners of the world - all in the palm of your hand!

This comprehensive guide is your one-stop-shop for the performance figures of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, which will help you complete your next journey with this fancy new machine safely and without trouble. We have collectively done our best to include all standard scenarios you may come across with the B38M; however, do bear in mind that weather, airport characteristics, weight and other factors can cause deviations from the values you will find below.

With this out of the way, let’s dive in!

Basic Characteristics v2
Basic Characteristics v21500×200 79 KB
Service Ceiling 41,000ft
Optimum cruise Speed M0.79
Maximum Cruise Speed M0.82
Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) 82,190 KG / 181,200 LBS
Maximum Landing Weight (MLW) 69,308 KG / 152,800 LBS
Maximum Fuel Capacity 20,730KG / 45,694 LBS
Maximum Passenger Capacity 1891 / 2002

1 On standard Boeing 737 MAX 8.
2 On Boeing 737 MAX 8200 variant only. See the Liveries subcategory below for the full list of the subvariant liveries present in Infinite Flight.

Takeoff Configurations v2
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Want to know the ideal takeoff configuration for your aircraft's current weight? The following three tables will help you plan your departure safely for TO, TO1, and TO2 power settings. Data in these tables is based on standard conditions: 15C and Sea Level. Adjustments due to temperature and/or altitude differences from standard conditions can be made with the help of the Adjustment Table, included below each TO power setting table.

For ease of use of the takeoff config tables, it is recommended that you use the View Table option - simply hover your mouse over the top right corner of the table and click the Full Screen icon (shown below)

image

TO Power (No Derate)

Load % Weight (KG/LBS) TO Thrust / N1 Flaps Option 1 (FO1) V1 (KIAS) For FO1 VR (KIAS) For FO1 V2 (KIAS) For FO1 Flaps Option 2 (FO2) V1 (KIAS) For FO2 VR (KIAS) For FO2 V2 (KIAS) For FO2 Flaps Option 3 (FO3) V1 (KIAS) For FO3 VR (KIAS) For FO3 V2 (KIAS) For FO3 Flaps Option 4 (FO4) V1 (KIAS) For FO4 VR (KIAS) For FO4 V2 (KIAS) For FO4
7% 40,000 / 88,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 102 103 122 5° 97 99 117
18% 45,000 / 99,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 110 111 129 5° 105 106 123
29% 50,000 / 110,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 117 119 135 5° 113 114 129
40% 55,000 / 121,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 125 127 141 5° 120 121 135
51% 60,000 / 132,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 132 134 146 5° 126 128 140
59% 63,500 / 140,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 136 137 150 5° 130 131 144
62% 65,000 / 143,000 87% / 90.4% 1° 139 140 152 5° 133 134 145 15° 128 129 139
68% 68,000 / 150,000 89% / 91.9% 1° 141 143 155 5° 135 137 148 15° 130 131 142 25° 127 128 139
73% 70,000 / 154,000 89% / 91.9% 1° 145 146 156 5° 139 140 149 15° 133 134 143 25° 131 131 140
78% 72,600 / 160,000 89% / 91.9% 1° 147 149 159 5° 141 142 152 15° 135 136 146 25° 132 133 143
84% 75,000 / 165,000 89% / 91.9% 5° 144 146 154 10° 141 143 150 15° 139 140 147 25° 136 137 144
88% 77,100 / 170,000 89% / 91.9% 5° 146 147 156 10° 143 144 150 15° 141 141 150 25° 137 138 146
94% 80,000 / 176,400 89% / 91.9% 5° 150 151 158 10° 147 148 154 15° 145 145 151 25° 142 142 148

Notes:

  • Maximum permissible takeoff thrust is 93% throttle / 95.3% N1. Ensure this is not exceeded if adjustments have to be made.
  • Flaps Option 4 (FO4) may ONLY be used for short runways, high altitude airports, or a combination of both.
  • Refer to the table below for N1 and VR adjustments.

TO Power Adjustment Table

Altitude MSL (FT) N1 Adjustment (%) VR Adjustment (KIAS) OAT (°C) N1 Adjustment (%)
0 0 (As shown in table) 0 (As shown in table) -30 -7.2
1000 +0.3 0 (As shown in table) -25 -6.4
2000 +0.6 +1 -20 -5.6
3000 +0.9 +1 -15 -4.8
4000 +1.2 +2 -10 -4.0
5000 +1.5 +2 -5 -3.2
6000 +1.8 +3 0 -2.4
7000 +2.1 +3 5 -1.6
8000 +2.4 +4 10 -0.8
9000 +2.7 +4 15 0 (As shown in table)
10000 +3.0 +5 20 +0.8
11000 +3.3 +5 25 +1.6
12000 +3.6 +6 30 +2.4
13000 +3.9 +6 35 +3.2
14000 +4.2 +7 40 +4.0
15000 +4.5 +7 45 +4.8
16000 +4.8 +8 50 +5.6

TO1 Power (Derate 1)

TO1 is the most commonly used takeoff setting. It is widely used for medium weights and can be used for heavy weights too, if airport elevation and weather conditions permit.

This table will help you plan your departure and arrival safely for TO1 power settings. Data in this table is based on standard conditions: 15C and Sea Level. Adjustments due to temperature and/or altitude differences from standard conditions can be made using the Adjustment Table, included below the TO1 table.

Load % Weight (KG/LBS) TO Thrust / N1 Flaps Option 1 (FO1) V1 (KIAS) For FO1 VR (KIAS) For FO1 V2 (KIAS) For FO1 Flaps Option 2 (FO2) V1 (KIAS) For FO2 VR (KIAS) For FO2 V2 (KIAS) For FO2 Flaps Option 3 (FO3) V1 (KIAS) For FO3 VR (KIAS) For FO3 V2 (KIAS) For FO3 Flaps Option 4 (FO4) V1 (KIAS) For FO4 VR (KIAS) For FO4 V2 (KIAS) For FO4 Flaps Option 5 (FO5) V1 (KIAS) For FO5 VR (KIAS) For FO5 V2 (KIAS) For FO5
7% 40,000 / 88,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 104 105 121 5° 100 100 116
18% 45,000 / 99,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 113 113 128 5° 107 108 122
29% 50,000 / 110,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 120 121 134 5° 115 116 128
40% 55,000 / 121,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 128 128 140 5° 122 123 134
51% 60,000 / 132,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 135 135 146 5° 129 130 139
59% 63,500 / 140,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 138 140 149 5° 132 134 143 15° 127 128 137 25° 125 125 134
62% 65,000 / 143,000 82% / 86.6% 1° 142 142 151 5° 136 136 144 15° 130 130 138 25° 127 127 135
68% 68,000 / 150,000 84% / 88.1% 1° 144 146 154 5° 138 139 147 15° 132 133 141 25° 130 130 138
73% 70,000 / 154,000 84% / 88.1% 1° 148 148 156 5° 142 142 149 15° 136 136 143 25° 133 133 139
78% 72,600 / 160,000 84% / 88.1% 1° 150 151 158 5° 143 144 151 15° 138 138 145 25° 135 135 142
84% 75,000 / 165,000 84% / 88.1% 1° 154 154 160 5° 148 148 153 10° 144 144 150 15° 141 141 147
88% 77,100 / 170,000 84% / 88.1% 1° 155 156 162 5° 149 149 155 10° 145 146 152 15° 143 143 149
94% 80,000 / 176,400 84% / 88.1% 1° 159 160 165 5° 153 153 158 10° 150 147 154

Notes:

  • Maximum permissible takeoff thrust is 88% throttle / 91.3% N1. Ensure this is not exceeded if adjustments have to be made.
  • If the maximum permissible takeoff thrust for TO1 has to be exceeded, refer to the table above (TO Power) for the appropriate takeoff configuration.
  • Flaps Option 5 (FO5) may ONLY be used for short runways, high altitude airports, or a combination of both.
  • Refer to the table below for N1 and VR adjustments.

TO1 Power Adjustment Table

Altitude MSL (FT) N1 Adjustment (%) VR Adjustment (KIAS) OAT (°C) N1 Adjustment (%)
0 0 (As shown in table) 0 (As shown in table) -30 -7.2
1000 +0.3 0 (As shown in table) -25 -6.4
2000 +0.6 +1 -20 -5.6
3000 +0.9 +2 -15 -4.8
4000 +1.2 +3 -10 -4.0
5000 +1.5 +3 -5 -3.2
6000 +1.8 +4 0 -2.4
7000 +2.1 +5 5 -1.6
8000 +2.4 +6 10 -0.8
9000 +2.7 +6 15 0 (As shown in table)
10000 +3.0 +7 20 +0.8
11000 +3.3 +8 25 +1.6
12000 +3.6 +9 30 +2.4
13000 +3.9 +9 35 +3.2
14000 +4.2 +10 40 +4.0
15000 +4.5 +11 45 +4.8
16000 +4.8 +12 50 +5.6

TO2 Power (Derate 2)

TO2 power is preferred for lighter weights.

This table will help you plan your departure and arrival safely for TO2 power settings. Data in this table is based on standard conditions: 15C and Sea Level. Adjustments due to temperature and/or altitude differences from standard conditions can be made using the Adjustment Table, included below the TO2 table.

Load % Weight (KG/LBS) TO Thrust / N1 Flaps Option 1 (FO1) V1 (KIAS) For FO1 VR (KIAS) For FO1 V2 (KIAS) For FO1 Flaps Option 2 (FO2) V1 (KIAS) For FO2 VR (KIAS) For FO2 V2 (KIAS) For FO2 Flaps Option 3 (FO3) V1 (KIAS) For FO3 VR (KIAS) For FO3 V2 (KIAS) For FO3 Flaps Option 4 (FO4) V1 (KIAS) For FO4 VR (KIAS) For FO4 V2 (KIAS) For FO4
7% 40,000 / 88,000 77% / 82.7% 1° 106 106 120 5° 102 102 115
18% 45,000 / 99,000 77% / 82.7% 1° 115 115 127 5° 110 110 121
29% 50,000 / 110,000 77% / 82.7% 1° 123 123 133 5° 117 117 127
40% 55,000 / 121,000 77% / 82.7% 1° 130 130 139 5° 124 124 133
51% 60,000 / 132,000 77% / 82.7% 1° 137 137 145 5° 131 131 138
59% 63,500 / 140,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 141 141 149 5° 135 135 142 15° 130 130 130 25° 127 127 133
62% 65,000 / 143,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 144 144 150 5° 138 138 143 15° 132 132 137 25° 129 129 135
68% 68,000 / 150,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 147 147 153 5° 141 141 146 15° 135 135 140 25° 132 132 137
73% 70,000 / 154,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 150 150 155 5° 144 144 148 10° 140 140 144 25° 138 138 142
78% 72,600 / 160,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 152 152 158 5° 146 146 151 10° 142 142 148
84% 75,000 / 165,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 155 155 162
88% 77,100 / 170,000 79% / 84.1% 1° 157 157 162

Notes:

  • Maximum permissible takeoff thrust is 83% throttle / 87.2% N1. Ensure this is not exceeded if adjustments have to be made.
  • If the maximum permissible takeoff thrust for TO2 has to be exceeded, refer to the table above (TO1 Power) for the appropriate takeoff configuration.
  • Due to derated engine performance, MTOW for TO2 is 77,100kg / 170,000lbs. Using TO2 for weights above these is not possible - TO or TO1 must be used instead.
  • Flaps Option 4 (FO4) may ONLY be used for short runways, high altitude airports, or a combination of both.
  • Refer to the table below for N1 and VR adjustments.

TO2 Power Adjustment Table

Altitude MSL (FT) N1 Adjustment (%) VR Adjustment (KIAS) OAT (°C) N1 Adjustment (%)
0 0 (As shown in table) 0 (As shown in table) -30 -7.2
1000 +0.3 0 (As shown in table) -25 -6.4
2000 +0.6 +1 -20 -5.6
3000 +0.9 +2 -15 -4.8
4000 +1.2 +3 -10 -4.0
5000 +1.5 +3 -5 -3.2
6000 +1.8 +4 0 -2.4
7000 +2.1 +5 5 -1.6
8000 +2.4 +6 10 -0.8
9000 +2.7 +6 15 0 (As shown in table)
10000 +3.0 +7 20 +0.8
11000 +3.3 +8 25 +1.6
12000 +3.6 +9 30 +2.4
13000 +3.9 +9 35 +3.2
14000 +4.2 +10 40 +4.0
15000 +4.5 +11 45 +4.8
16000 +4.8 +12 50 +5.6

Cruise
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Wondering what the ideal altitude for your current weight is? This table will help you plan your cruise.

Testing Conditions
Speed M0.79
N1 for Max Altitude 88%
N1 for Opt Altitude 83%
Weather 15°C OAT at 0ft MSL, no winds, no turbulence
Load % Weight (KG/LBS) Optimum FL Fuel Flow per Engine (kg/h | lbs/h) Maximum FL Fuel Flow per Engine (kg/h | lbs/h)
7% 40,000 / 88,000 FL410 790 / 1,740 FL410 790 / 1,740
18% 45,000 / 99,000 FL410 810 / 1,785 FL410 810 / 1,785
29% 50,000 / 110,000 FL410 840 / 1,850 FL410 840 / 1,850
40% 55,000 / 121,000 FL410 870 / 1,920 FL410 870 / 1,920
51% 60,000 / 132,000 FL410 910 / 2,010 FL410 910 / 2,010
59% 63,500 / 140,000 FL390 890 / 1,960 FL410 940 / 2,070
62% 65,000 / 143,000 FL380 870 / 1,920 FL410 950 / 2,090
68% 68,000 / 150,000 FL370 890 / 1,960 FL400 980 / 2,160
73% 70,000 / 154,000 FL360 930 / 2,050 FL390 1,000 / 2,200
78% 72,600 / 160,000 FL340 980 / 2,160 FL380 1,050 / 2,310
84% 75,000 / 165,000 FL330 980 / 2,160 FL370 1,080 / 2,380
88% 77,100 / 170,000 FL330 1,020 / 2,250 FL360 1,150 / 2,540
94% 80,000 / 176,400 FL310 1,050 / 2,310 FL350 1,200 / 2,650

Flaps v2
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Unsure when to extend your flaps? This table will help you move your flaps at the right time.

Flaps Setting Optimum Ext/Ret Speed (KIAS) Maximum Ext/Ret Speed (KIAS)
1 220 250
2 250
5 200 250
10 210
15 180 200
25 190
30 VRef + 15 175
40 VRef + 15 166

Notes:

  • Flaps on the B38M are extended in the following sequence: 0 → 1 → 5 → 15 → 30 / 40
  • Flaps 1 have a significant effect on the plane’s attitude - take this into account when operating the flaps.
  • Flaps 25 can be used if landing in gusty conditions - data is not available for this configuration. Pilots should aim for a VRef pitch generating 2.5 degrees of positive pitch.

Landing Configurations v2
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Want to know the ideal landing configuration for your weight? This table will help you pick the correct flap setting and approach speeds, ensuring you get back on firm ground safe and sound.

Load % Weight (KG/LBS) LDG Flaps VApp (KIAS) VRef (KIAS)
7% 40,000 / 88,000 30 117 112
18% 45,000 / 99,000 30 124 119
29% 50,000 / 110,000 30 131 126
40% 55,000 / 121,000 30 137 132
51% 60,000 / 132,000 30 144 139
59% 63,500 / 140,000 30 147 142
62% 65,000 / 143,000 30 150 145
68% 68,000 / 150,000 30 153 148
73% 70,000 / 154,000 30 - Above MLW 154 - Above MLW 149 - Above MLW
78% 72,600 / 160,000 30 - Above MLW 156 - Above MLW 151 - Above MLW
84% 75,000 / 165,000 30 - Above MLW 159 - Above MLW 154 - Above MLW
88% 77,100 / 170,000 30 - Above MLW 161 - Above MLW 156 - Above MLW
94% 80,000 / 176,400 30 - Above MLW 165 - Above MLW 160 - Above MLW

Notes:

  • Flaps 40 can be used for landing on short runways, high altitude airports, or a combination of both. If using Flaps 40, subtract 5kts from the given VApp and VRef speeds in the table above.

QRG v3
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Want a quick brief on what to do prior to your next 737 MAX 8 flight? Then this Quick Reference Guide is just for you!

As a general rule of thumb, do not expect the 737 MAX to behave like the 737 NG - they have vastly different drag and lift characteristics.

Boeing 737 MAX 8 Quick Reference Guide
Boeing 737 MAX 8 Quick Reference Guide1920×1358 333 KB

Boeing 737 MAX 8 Quick Reference Guide Download Link
Note: This document is NOT printable due to the PDF’s set paper size

Boeing 737 MAX 8 Quick Reference Guide (Printable) Download Link

While you’re here, check out Infinite Flight’s official Boeing 737 MAX 8 video tutorial here:

Liveries v3
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Wonder which of your favorite 737 MAX 8 liveries made it in? Curious which liveries you can use onboard Wi-Fi on? We’ve got you covered! This table contains all B38M liveries currently available in Infinite Flight.

Livery Registration Variant Onboard Wi-Fi Equipped Additional Notes
Aerolineas Argentinas LV-GVE MAX 8 No
Aeromexico XA-MLI MAX 8 Yes
Air Canada C-GELJ MAX 8 Yes
Air China B-209K MAX 8 No
Air India Express VT-BXA MAX 8 No
Akasa Air VT-YAJ MAX 8 No
Alaska Airlines N801AK" MAX 8 Yes
American Airlines N302SS MAX 8 Yes
Batik Air Malaysia 9M-LRC MAX 8 No
Boeing N8701Q MAX 8 Yes Aircraft currently operated by Southwest Airlines
Buzz (By Ryanair) SP-RZA MAX 8200 No
Caribbean Airlines 9Y-GRN MAX 8 No
China Southern B-205N MAX 8 No
Ethiopian Airlines ET-AWK MAX 8 Yes
Fiji Airways DQ-FAE MAX 8 Yes
Flair Airlines C-FLBG MAX 8 Yes
flydubai A6-MAX MAX 8 Yes
Generic IF-MAX MAX 8 Yes
GOL PR-XMC MAX 8 Yes
Icelandair TF-ICE MAX 8 Yes
Infinite Flight N38MAX MAX 8 Yes
Korean Air HL8349 MAX 8 Yes
LOT Polish Airlines SP-LVM MAX 8 No
Malta Air (By Ryanair) 9H-VUC MAX 8200 No
Norwegian Air Sweden SE-RTA MAX 8 Yes
Oman Air A4O-MH MAX 8 No
Qatar Airways A7-BSC MAX 8 No
Ryanair EI-IGO MAX 8200 No
Singapore Airlines 9V-MBE MAX 8 Yes
Southwest Airlines N8712L MAX 8 Yes
Spicejet VT-MAX MAX 8 Yes
SunExpress TC-SMD MAX 8 No
TUI OO-MAX MAX 8 No
Turkish Airlines TC-LCN MAX 8 Yes
United Airlines N27266 MAX 8 Yes
Virgin Australia VH-8IC MAX 8 No
WestJet C-FCTK MAX 8 Yes
Stats for Nerds
  • Total B38M liveries in Infinite Flight: 36
  • MAX 8 Variant Liveries: 34/37 (91.89%)
  • MAX 8200 Variant Liveries: 3/37 (8.11%)
  • Onboard Wi-Fi Equipped Liveries: 20/37 (54.05%)

Feedback v3
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If you feel that something is unclear, have more useful tips for others, or just any comments regarding the guide and aircraft, feel free to leave a reply below. We would love to hear back from you!

Other Guides v2
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If you’re interested in more quick start guides, check out the ones linked below.

Final Thoughts v3
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First of all, I’d like to give a massive thank you to Nico, Danny and Rick once again. Without their continued help and effort, this guide would not have been possible. Learning about this brand new aircraft - both for IF and the real world - has been remarkably captivating, and the research process behind it all was phenomenal once again.

A huge thank you goes to the whole team behind Infinite Flight for adding this shiny new plane to our favorite simulator’s ever-increasing fleet. The incredible attention to detail in all aspects of the aircraft bring it as close as possible to its real-world counterpart, and we hope you enjoy flying it as much as we enjoyed testing it!

Speaking of testing, of course, we can’t leave out our fellow Beta testers. Without fail, the Beta team collectively tore apart the aircraft to the last rivet in order to look for inaccuracies and contribute to the realistic implementation of the aircraft. The effort behind closed doors is outstanding. Thank you everyone for all you do.

Current guide revisions:

IF Boeing 737 MAX 8 Guide FOR FLIGHT SIMULATOR USE ONLY! Rev. 01/Nov 24 2024
IF Boeing 737 MAX 8 QRG FOR FLIGHT SIMULATOR USE ONLY! Rev. 01/Dec 1 2024

Sources: Official Boeing 737 MAX 8 Documentation, real-life footage of 737 MAX 8 operations, our own experience of flying the aircraft in Infinite Flight

95 Likes
2

Thanks for amazing guide

1 Like
3

common w from infintie flight

4

Amazing Guide!

5

This is getting pretty advanced! We now even have Derated power settings! Thank you @Alex for publishing.

1 Like
6

This is going to be useful…

7

W guide. My data nerdy brain loves all the tables.

2 Likes
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Hopefully everyone reads this before flying. Fantastic work @Alex @NJ24 @ToasterStroodie & @RickG as always 👏🏻👏🏻

5 Likes
9

Fantastic guide going to be really helpful 🙌🏼

11

Thank you for the guide 🙌🏻

12

Very informative guide @Alex, thanks!

13

Amazing job!

14

Thanks Alex! Great guide!

15

Amazing guide! Definitely need this.

16

The copium is strong with this one.

3 Likes
17

how do we know which flap option to use?

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Flaps 1 and 5 provide the best second segment climb performance at the cost of long takeoff roll and high Vr. 10 and 15 are a decent middle ground between climb, roll distance, and rotation speed. 10 is kinda useless at times since 15 offers everything 10 offers with the added benefit of giving you more agility in early turns after takeoff. 25 is used only in conditions specified in the guide.

3 Likes
19

Awesome, thank you.

20

Amazing guide! Thank you!

1 Like