• Air Canada Airbus A320-211 C-GQCA
    Air Canada
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    AC/ACA
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Calgary International Airport, Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport
    Year Founded:
    1967
    Alliance:
    Star Alliance
    CEO:
    Michael Rousseau
    Country:
    Canada

On August 6th, Air Canada took delivery of its 40th and final Boeing 737 MAX from an order originally placed in 2014. The original order was for 61 aircraft but the pandemic prompted the Canadian carrier to trim its commitment to the narrowbody. With this Boeing order complete, the airline will be looking ahead to complete its remaining A220 deliveries and its yet-to-begin A321XLR order.

Delivery flight details

This 40th and final Boeing 737 MAX 8 was delivered to Air Canada on August 6th and the aircraft then flew from Boeing Field in Seattle to the Southern Ontario border city of Windsor. With a flight duration of three hours and 48 minutes, the 737 MAX 8 took off at 08:43 local time and landed in Windsor at 15:31 local time.

This final delivery caps off a process that began with the arrival of Air Canada's first MAX 8 back in October 2017. Receiving 24 aircraft between 2017 and 2019, the process was paused due to the worldwide grounding of the type. Deliveries then resumed in September 2021.

737 MAX Flight Path Map
The aircraft flew from Seattle to Windsor. Photo: FlightRadar24.com

Aircraft details

For those interested in the specific aircraft marking the occasion, data from BOE Family Flights indicates that this 737 MAX was registered C-GEPG with MSN 61241 and line number 7649. The aircraft actually took its first flight in July of 2019 and had test registration N1786B until its delivery. Due to the worldwide grounding, the 737 spent extended periods of time in storage at both Moses Lake and Renton. Although brand new to Air Canada, the airframe is now three years old.

Prior to delivery, the jet had performed seven flights, totaling seven hours and seven minutes.

Air Canada 737 Max
Photo: Air Canada

Why delivery to Windsor?

The aircraft's first destination after delivery might seem peculiar to some. After all, Windsor is not exactly a major Air Canada hub when compared to Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, or even Calgary.

However, doing a little research, we see that Windsor is the site of a maintenance facility operated by AAR Aircraft Services - a full-service aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider, wholly-owned and operated by AAR Corp. The firm has approximately 290,000 square feet of facilities in Trois-Rivières, Quebec and Windsor, Ontario, along with facilities in the United States. In 2017 it took over Premier Aviation's facilities in those two Canadian cities.

Air Canada has an MRO agreement with AAR, which is likely the reason why we see every new 737 delivered from Boeing first fly to Windsor.

The end of a heavily-modified order?

In 2014, Air Canada ordered 61 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This consisted of 33 737 MAX 8s and 28 737 MAX 9s, as well as 18 options and 30 rights to purchase additional 737 MAXs.

As you can see from the airline's current situation, that order has been heavily modified since it was finalized some eight years ago. Instead of 61 jets, the airline has adjusted its order to only take 40. All of these are the MAX 8 as it appears that the airline had changed its mind about the longer MAX 9 variant.

With Boeing's delivery data showing no more outstanding 737s to be delivered to the airline, this could very well be the end of new 737s for the airline. While the airline does have options and purchase rights that it could exercise, it hasn't acted on this yet.

Have you flown on Air Canada's 737 MAXs yet? Share your experience by leaving a comment.

Sources: BOE Family Flights, FlightRadar24.com, Planespotters.net