Boeing 737 Next Generation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Boeing 737 Next Generation Boeing 737-600/-700/-800/-900
A Qantas 737-800 about to land
Role	Narrow-body jet airliner
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Boeing Commercial Airplanes
First flight	February 9, 1997
Introduction	1998 with Southwest Airlines
Status	In service
Primary users	Southwest Airlines Ryanair United Airlines American Airlines
Produced	1996–present
Number built	4,293 as of December 2012
Unit cost	737-700: US$74.8 million 737-800: US$89.1 million 737-900ER: US$94.6 million
Developed from	Boeing 737 Classic
Variants	Boeing Business Jet Boeing 737 AEW&C Boeing C-40 Clipper Boeing P-8 Poseidon
Developed into	Boeing 737 MAX

The Boeing 737 Next Generation, often called the 737NG, is a family of Boeing 737s. The 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 are all 737NG aircraft. It is the third family of Boeing 737. The family which came before it is the 737 Classic (−300/-400/-500) family. They have been made since 1996 by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. All 737s are twin-engined, narrow-body airliners. This means that they all have two engines and only have one aisle between seats.

4,293 737NG aircraft have been delivered (as of December 2012). More than 6,300 have been ordered by airlines. Southwest Airlines has more 737NGs than any other airline. Ryanair, a low-cost airline from Ireland, also has a lot of 737NGs. The only planes Ryanair has are 737-800s. The main rival of the 737NG family is the Airbus A320 family. The Boeing 737 MAX will eventually replace the 737NG.

Design and development

Background

After Airbus launched the Airbus A320, Boeing started designing a new series of Boeing 737. The 737 Next Generation (NG) program was announced on November 17, 1993. Boeing made many changes from the 737 Classic. The wing was changed. These changes made its area bigger by 25%. The wingspan was made bigger by 16 ft (4.88 m). These changes meant that it could carry 30% more fuel. CFM56-7B engines were used. These improvements allowed the 737 to fly 900 nmi farther.

Inside

Delta Air Lines 737-800 cabin

The inside of the 737 Next Generation was better than the style used on the Boeing 757-200 and the Boeing 737 Classic. It used certain parts of the Boeing 777's inside style. The style of the 737 Next Generation was made the usual style of the Boeing 757-300.

In 2010, the inside of the 737NG was changed to look like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The new design was called the Boeing Sky Interior. The Sky Interior can only be put into new aircraft. However, a different company has made a style for 737 and 757 aircraft which looks like the Sky Interior.

Making and testing

The first 737NG was a 737−700. The prototype −800 was finished on June 30, 1997 and first flew on July 31, 1997. The smallest 737NG, the 737−600 series, is the same size as the −500. The FAA said it was allowed to fly on August 18, 1998.

Further developments

Scandinavian Airlines 737-800 taking off

In July 2008, Boeing brought out new brakes for 737NGs. They are supposed to replace the steel brakes. They will make the brakes 550–700 pounds (250–320 kg) lighter. 700 pounds (320 kg) less weight on a Boeing 737-800 means that 0.5% less fuel will be burned. Delta Air Lines got the first 737NG with these brakes. The plane was a 737-700.

On August 21, 2006, Sky News said that some 737NGs had faulty parts. The report said that Boeing had found some parts of the plane to be faulty, but they did not fix it. Boeing said that these statements were "without merit". This means that Boeing thinks Sky News is wrong. However, another show looked at 737NGs and also thought that some things were faulty.

Replacement

Since 2006, Boeing has been thinking about replacing the 737 with a completely new design.

On July 20, 2011, Boeing said it would make a new version of the 737. It would have the CFM International LEAP-X engine.American Airlines said it would order 100 of these planes. The plane will probably be finished in 2016 or 2017.

On August 30, 2011, Boeing said it would definitely make this new plane. They called it the Boeing 737 MAX. The CFM International LEAP-1B engines that it will use burns 16% less fuel than the Airbus A320. The 737 MAX's main rival will be the Airbus A320neo family.

Variants

A Scandinavian Airlines System 737-600

737-600

The 737-600 replaces the 737-500. Its main rival is the Airbus A318. 69 737-600s have been made.

As of 2012, Boeing has taken the 737-600 out of its list of prices. This might mean that the 737-600 is not being made anymore.

737-700

A Southwest Airlines 737-700

The 737-700 replaces the 737-300. It began being used in 1998. Its main rival is the Airbus A319. Southwest Airlines has the most 737-700s. They have more than 400 of them.

The 737-700C is a version where the seats can be taken out to carry cargo instead. There is a big door on the left of the aircraft. The United States Navy got the first 737-700C. The Navy planes are called the C-40 Clipper.

737-700ER

The 737-700ER ("ER" means "extended range") came out on January 31, 2006. It can fly for 5,510 nautical miles (10,200 km). The 737-700ER's main rival is the Airbus A319LR.

737-800

A Ryanair Boeing 737–800 taking off from London Luton Airport, England

The 737-800 is a longer version of the 737-700. It replaces the 737-400. For many airlines in the United States, the 737-800 replaced Boeing 727-200s.

The 737-800 is one of the planes which replaces the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. It burns 850 US gallons (3,200 L) of fuel every hour. That is about 80% less fuel than an MD-80.

On August 14, 2008, American Airlines said it was ordering 26 737-800s. 2,135 -800s have been delivered.

The 737-800's main rival is the Airbus A320.

737-900

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900

The 737-900 is the longest 737 ever made. Alaska Airlines got the first -900 on May 15, 2001. The 737-900 has the same MTOW as the −800. It also does not carry any more fuel. The 737-900 can carry more luggage but cannot fly as far. This meant that it could not be a rival to the Airbus A321.

737-900ER

The 737-900ER ("ER" for "extended range") is the newest Boeing 737. It was made to replace the 757-200. It was also made to be a rival to the Airbus A321.

A Lion Air 737-900ER

The 737-900ER can carry more fuel than other 737s. It also has winglets.

The first 737-900ER was finished on August 8, 2006. Lion Air got the first 737-900ER on April 27, 2007. Lion Air has ordered 166 737-900ERs as of August 2011.

On August 22, 2011, it was said that Delta Air Lines ordered 100 737-900ERs. That is the biggest single order for this type of 737.

Users

As of July 2010, 3,119 Boeing 737 Next Generation planes are being used by airlines. There are 62 -600s, 1,019 -700s, 1,915 -800s and 123 -900s.

Orders and deliveries

Data through December 31, 2012. Updated on January 7, 2013.

Accidents

Southwest Airlines Flight 1248

The Boeing 737 Next Generation series has been involved in 8 hull-loss accidents and 7 hijackings. 527 people have died in these. A hull-loss accident is an accident where the plane is damaged so much it cannot be repaired, or if it is completely destroyed.The most notable accidents are shown here.

• While landing at Chicago Midway International Airport on December 8,2005, Southwest Airlines Flight 1248, a B737-7H4, was not able to stop before the end of the runway.It then crashed some cars on a street,killing a six-year-old boy.People on board the aeroplane had only injuries that were not serious.The plane later became N286WN after repairs.
• On September 29, 2006, Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907, a 737-8EH, crashed into a Embraer Legacy 600 over Mato Grosso,a state in Brazil.The 737 crashed into a rainforest, while the Legacy was able to make an emergency landing.154 died in the accident(everyone on the 737)and 7 survived(everyone on the Legacy).
• Kenya Airways Flight 507 crashed shortly after takeoff from Douala Airport, Cameroon into a swamp on 5th May 2007 at night.The pilots did not know that the plane was turning to the right by itself, and after the captain turned the plane further, the plane started to descend and the crash followed. All 114 onboard are killed.
• China Airlines Flight 120 caught fire and exploded after landing at Naha Airport on 20th Aug 2007.There was a fuel leak on the right wing as it was damaged when the flaps were retracted after landing.Fuel flowed to high-temperature areas near the right engine,causing a fire.All 165 survived the accident as they left the plane before the fire spread into the passenger cabin.

The wreckage of China Airlines Flight 120

• Due to birdstrike, the nose, wings and engines of Ryanair flight 4102 were damaged while the plane was landing at Rome Ciampino Airport on November 10, 2008. The plane stopped on the runway with the left main landing gear collapsed. Although none of the 172 onboard were injured, the plane was written off.
• Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 crashed while landing at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on February 25, 2009. Investigators later discovered that one of the altimeters, which show how high the plane is flying, was wrong. This led the autopilot to switch the engines to "idle", and the engines only produced a small amount of thrust. As the plane flew on, it eventually stalled, and started descending. The pilots did not realise this until the warning started, and did not control the plane properly to recover from the stall, causing the crash. 9 people were killed.

Wreckage of Turkish Airlines Flight 1951

• Just after takeoff from Beirut International Airport in Lebanon on January 25, 2010, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashed into the sea, killing all 90. While the Lebanese investigators blamed the pilots for not controlling the plane properly causing a loss of control, Ethiopian Airlines thought that the Lebanese were incorrect, saying that the plane could have been struck by lightning, or even shot down by a missile.
• Air India Express Flight 812, a Boeing 737-8HG, was not able to stop before the end of the runway while landing at Mangalore Airport in India on May 22, 2010. The plane continued out of the airport and fell into a gorge, killing 158 people. The accident was determined to caused by pilot error. This is the worst ever crash of a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Details

Sources: Boeing 737 Specifications, 737 Airport Planning Report

Related pages

Aircraft related to this one

• Boeing 737
• Boeing 737 Classic
• Boeing 737 MAX

Similar aircraft

• Airbus A320 family
• Boeing 717
• Embraer E-Jets

• Endres, Günter. The Illustrated Directory of Modern Commercial Aircraft. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 2001. ISBN: 0-7603-1125-0.
• Norris, Guy and Mark Wagner. Modern Boeing Jetliners. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Zenith Imprint, 1999. ISBN: 0-7603-0717-2.
• Shaw, Robbie. Boeing 737–300 to 800. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing Company, 1999. ISBN: 0-7603-0699-0.

Images for kids

• 

  The first 737NG, a 737-700, was rolled out on December 8, 1996, and first flew on February 9, 1997, it was later delivered to Southwest Airlines

• 

  The production rate of the Boeing Renton Factory went from 31.5 to 52 per month

• 

  The Boeing 737 MAX first flew on January 29, 2016

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  Planform view of 737NG showing the 25% larger and 16 ft (4.9 m) wider wing compared to the 737 Classic

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  The 737-600 is the shortest at 102 ft 6 in (31.24 m), SAS received the first in September 1998

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  The 737-700 is 110 ft 4 in (33.63 m) long and has a single overwing exit per side, Southwest Airlines took delivery of the first one in December 1997

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  The 129 ft 6 in (39.47 m) long 737-800 has two overwing exits on each side, Hapag-Lloyd received the first in April 1998

• 

  The first 737-800BCF Boeing Converted Freighter was delivered to West Atlantic in April 2018

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  Stretched to 138 ft 2 in (42.11 m) and keeping the double overwing exits, the first 737-900 was delivered to Alaska Airlines on May 15, 2001

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  Airborne early warning and control with a Boeing 737 AEW&C

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  A typical BBJ cabin

See also

In Spanish: Boeing 737 Next Generation para niños