Elaine Thompson/AP
A Boeing 737 Max 8, being built for American Airlines, makes a turn on the runway as it's readied for takeoff on a test flight Wednesday, May 8, 2019.
- Confusion rose regarding the aircraft type involved in the crash of Ukraine International Airlines PS752 from Tehran to Kyiv.
- The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800 NG and not the grounded Boeing 737 Max 8.
- The main noticeable differences between the two include engine type, cockpit instruments, and winglets.
- All Boeing 737 Max aircraft have been grounded globally since March and none of them are currently flying passengers.
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Following the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 Tehran to Kyiv, there was confusion among speculators regarding the aircraft type involved.
Iranian news agency FARS referred to the aircraft as a Boeing 737-8 instead of a Boeing 737-800 and claimed the Boeing 737 family "are notorious for frequent technical issues,"
The Boeing 737-800 is one of the safest aircraft in the sky, while it's newer sibling - the Boeing 737 Max - has have been grounded globally since March and none of them are currently flying passengers.
While they are two different aircraft types entirely, the reason for the confusion stems from the fact that the Max family of aircraft is built upon its predecessor, the 737 Next Generation family, giving them similar external appearances.
These are the main differences between the Boeing 737-800 and the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and how to instantly identify them.
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