The Boeing 737 – Review

The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body airliner manufactured by Boeing in Renton, Washington. The twinjet retains the 707-fuselage cross-section and nose with two underwing turbofans and was designed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes. The first 737-100, designed in 1964, flew for the first time in April 1967 and entered service with Lufthansa in February 1968. In April 1968, the 737-200 was extended and put into service. It has evolved over four generations, with different variations accommodating 85 to 215 passengers.

The initial Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass engines powered the 737-100/200, which had seating for 85 to 130 people. The 737 Classic -300/400/500 variants were launched in 1980 and introduced in 1984, having CFM56-3 turbofan engines and 110 to 168 passengers. The 737 Next Generation (NG) -600/700/800/900 variants, which were introduced in 1997, include improved CFM56-7 engines, a bigger wing, a redesigned glass cockpit, and seats 108 to 215 passengers. In 2017, the 737 MAX, 737-7/8/9/10 MAX, entered service, powered by updated CFM LEAP-1B high bypass turbofans and seating 138 to 204 passengers. Since the 737NG, Boeing has built commercial and military versions of the 737.

So, let’s take a look at this wonderful plane, as well as its versions.

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The Boeing 737

15,146 Boeing 737s have been ordered and 10,992 have been delivered as of April 2022. The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 was its major competitor at first, followed by its MD-80/MD-90 derivatives. Since its introduction in 1997, the global 737 fleets have performed more than 184 million flights over 264 million block hours. It was the best-selling commercial aircraft until the Airbus A320 family surpassed it in October 2019, however, it still holds the record for total deliveries. Following two deadly incidents, the 737 MAX, which was planned to compete with the A320neo, was grounded worldwide between March 2019 and November 2020.

The initial concept

Boeing had been researching short-haul jet aircraft designs and saw a need for a replacement for the 727 on short and thin routes. On May 11, 1964, preliminary design work began based on market studies indicating a market for a fifty to sixty passenger airliner flying ranges of 50 to 1,000 miles (100 to 1,600 km).

Podded engines on the aft fuselage, a T-tail like the 727, and five-abreast seating were all part of the first proposal. Engineer Joe Sutter moved the engines to the wings, which lightened the construction and made six-abreast seating easier to accommodate in the fuselage. The engine nacelles were mounted directly to the underside of the wings, without the use of pylons, allowing the landing gear to be reduced and the fuselage to be lowered, allowing for better baggage and passenger access. Because the engines were moved to the aft fuselage, the horizontal stabilizer could be mounted to the aft fuselage instead of being attached as a T-tail. Many different engine connection strut designs were evaluated in the wind tunnel, and it was discovered that the best shape for high speed was one that was rather thick, filling the narrow channels produced between the wing and the top of the nacelle, especially on the outboard side.

Boeing was significantly behind its competitors at the time, with rival aircraft such as the SE 210 Caravelle in service and the BAC One-Eleven (BAC-111), Douglas DC-9, and Fokker F28 in development.

Boeing employed 60% of the existing 727’s construction and equipment to speed up development, the most apparent difference being the fuselage, which differed only in length. In comparison to the rivals’ five-abreast seating, the 148-inch (3.76 m) wide fuselage cross-section allowed for six-abreast seats. The fuselage of the 727 was based on that of the 707.

The proposed wing airfoil sections were based on those used on the 707 and 727, but were slightly thicker; changing the sections around the nacelles resulted in a significant reduction in drag at high Mach numbers.

The Pratt & Whitney JT8D-1 low-bypass ratio turbofan engine with a thrust of 14,500 lbf (64 kN) was chosen.

Chief project engineer Jack Steiner presented the concept design in October 1964 at the Air Transport Association maintenance and engineering conference, where its intricate high-lift devices generated worries about maintenance costs and dispatch reliability.

Launch

On February 1, 1965, the board of directors decided to begin construction on the $150 million projects. On February 19, 1965, Lufthansa became the first customer, placing an order for 21 aircraft worth $67 million after Boeing guaranteed the airline that the 737 projects would not be discontinued.  Following discussions with Lufthansa over the previous winter, the seating capacity was increased to 100.

United Airlines placed an order for 40 737s with Boeing on April 5, 1965. United needed a plane with a somewhat higher capacity than the 737-100, therefore the fuselage was expanded 36 inches (91 cm) ahead of the wing and 40 inches (102 cm) behind it. The 737-200 was the lengthier version, while the 737-100 was the initial short-body aircraft. In both variations, detailed design development continued at the same time.

Introduction

Brien Wygle and Lew Wallick piloted the first -100, which was unveiled on January 17, 1967, and flew for the first time on April 9, 1967.

On December 15, 1967, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Type Certificate A16WE, approving the 737-100 for commercial flight after several test flights. It was the first aircraft to receive authority for Category II approaches as part of its first certification, which refers to a precision instrument approach and landing with a decision height of 98 to 197 feet (or 30 to 60 m). On December 28, 1967, Lufthansa received its first aircraft, and on February 10, 1968, it became the first non-American airline to fly a new Boeing aircraft. The 737-100 was only sold to one major customer, Lufthansa, and only 30 aircraft were built.

The -200 was unveiled on June 29, 1967, and flew for the first time on August 8, 1967. The FAA later approved it on December 21, 1967. On April 28, 1968, United Airlines flew its first route from Chicago to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Airlines liked the -200 over the -100 because it was longer. All Nippon Airways introduced the 737-200 Advanced, an enhanced version, into service on May 20, 1971.

Due to their earlier entry into service, the 737 original model and its variants initially competed with the SE 210 Caravelle and BAC-111, and later primarily with the McDonnell Douglas DC-9, then its MD-80 derivatives as the three European short-haul single aisles gradually withdraw from the competition. In the early 1970s, sales were low, and after a peak of 114 deliveries in 1969, only 22 737s were delivered in 1972, with 19 more on order. The US Air Force salvaged the program by ordering modified Boeing 737-200s known as T-43s. Orders from African airlines kept the factory functioning until the US Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, which increased demand for six-abreast narrow-body planes. After being re-engineered with the CFM56, demand climbed even more.  The 737 went on to become the most popular commercial aircraft until it was eclipsed in October 2019 by the Airbus A320 family, but it still holds the record for total deliveries.

Spirit AeroSystems, a Boeing spin-off, manufactures the fuselage in Wichita, Kansas, before shipping it to Renton via train.

The original crop

The 737 was initially introduced by Lufthansa in February 1965. The 737-100 was this type. Only 30 of these editions were ever produced, therefore the German powerhouse would obtain another 21 aircraft, making it the largest operator of the jet.

The Boeing 737-200 was introduced the same year as the -100. The range of this larger variant was 2,600 NM.

In addition, there were two other changes to the original versions. The 737-200C was a dual-purpose 737 that could transport both passengers and cargo. The cargo door on this plane was larger, and the cabin floor was more durable. 104 units were delivered to operators in total.

The 737-T43A, on the other hand, was designed specifically for military usage. Surprisingly, this aircraft could be equipped with a gravel kit, allowing carriers to land on grounds without a concrete runway. The Greatest Hits

In 1984, the Boeing 737 Classic series was introduced. The program was first established with USAir. There were three different versions of this series.

The 737-300 was the third and last choice. It had a capacity of 126 people and a range of 2,060 nautical miles. Following that, the 737-400 was upgraded to have a capacity of 188 passengers and a range of 2,375 nautical miles.

The 737-500 was a smaller plane, with only 110 seats on board. It could also travel up to 2100 miles in a single flight. The Generation to Come

The Next Generation (NG)

Series is responsible for some of the most well-known Boeing 737 manufacturing. The first of these planes, introduced by Southwest Airlines in 1997, is one of five variations.

The 737-600 has a capacity of 108 passengers and has a range of 3,235 nautical miles. With 128 seats, the 737-700 can carry more passengers. It also has a range of 3,010 nautical miles. The 737-800 is the most popular of the bunch. This model can transport 160 passengers over a distance of 2,935 miles.

The 737-900 also has a larger capacity than the previous aircraft on this list. It has a capacity of 177 passengers and a range of 2,950 nautical miles. In the NG series, there were two extended-range variations. With 5,775 nautical miles of range, the 737-700ER outran the 737-700. Meanwhile, the 737-900ER has a range of 3,850 nautical miles. The capacity of both of these extensions is the same as the standard units. Taking it to the next level

The 737 MAX series is the most up-to-date commercial aircraft. However, due to two sad accidents, these planes are currently on the ground.

The 737 MAX 7 has the smallest passenger capacity of the group, with 153 people in two classes. It also has a range of 3,850 nautical miles.

The 737 MAX 8 is the successor to the 737-800 and has a seating capacity of 178 people. It had a range of 3,550 nautical miles. The 737 MAX 9 has a capacity of 193 passengers in two classes. It can also fly up to 3,550 miles in a single trip.

The MAX 10 is the largest model in this line. It is also the largest variation in the history of the Boeing 737. The jet can carry 204 passengers in two classes and go up to 3,300 nautical miles.

The MAX 200 is a unique variation that can accommodate up to 200 people. Ryanair is a customer of this plane, and they plan to fly it next year.

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