ARLINGTON- On March 28, 1990, the arrival of the 1,832nd Boeing 737 at United Airlines (UA) marked a significant achievement, solidifying its position as the top-selling jetliner globally.
The Boeing 737, manufactured at Boeing’s Renton factory in Washington, is a narrow-body aircraft. Originally designed to complement the Boeing 727 for short and less-traveled routes.
Boeing 737 First Flight
The inaugural Boeing 737 took to the skies for the first time in April 1967 and commenced operational service in February 1968 under Lufthansa (LH).
This twinjet maintains the 707 fuselage width and accommodates six abreast seats, utilizing two underwing turbofans rather than four.
The 737-100/200 original variants were equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofan engines and provided seating for 85 to 130 passengers.
Introduced in 1984 following its launch in 1980, the upgraded 737 Classic -300/400/500 models featured more fuel-efficient CFM56-3 high-bypass turbofans and offered seating for 110 to 168 passengers.
By February 2024, orders for Boeing 737s totaled 16,470, with 11,703 already delivered. Initially, its primary rival was the McDonnell Douglas DC-9, succeeded by its MD-80/MD-90 derivatives.
As of 2013, the worldwide 737 fleet had accumulated over 184 million flights and 264 million block hours since its introduction into service.
Next-Generation Aircraft
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, often shortened to 737NG or 737 Next Gen, is a twin-engine narrow-body aircraft manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Introduced in 1993 as the third generation variation of the Boeing 737, production has continued since 1997.
The 737NG serves as an enhancement to the 737 Classic (−300/-400/-500) series. It features a revamped wing with increased area and wider wingspan, along with augmented fuel capacity, higher maximum takeoff weights (MTOW), and extended range compared to its predecessor.
Equipped with CFM International CFM56-7 series engines, a modern glass cockpit, and upgraded interior layouts, the series comprises four variants, accommodating between 108 and 215 passengers: the −600/-700/-800/-900. Its main competitor is the Airbus A320 family.
By February 2024, a cumulative total of 7,124 737NG aircraft had been ordered, out of which 7,109 had been successfully delivered. The outstanding orders comprised two -800 and thirteen -800A variants.
Among the variants, the most sought-after was the 737-800, with a total of 4,991 commercial, 191 militaries, and 23 corporate orders, totaling 5,205 aircraft.
Boeing ceased the production of commercial 737NGs in 2019, with the final deliveries completed in January 2020. The 737NG has been succeeded by the fourth-generation 737 MAX, introduced in 2017.
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