Boeing 737 Next Generation

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 1991 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, 1991. 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
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
In July 2008, Boeing brought out new brakes for 737NGs. They are supposed to replace the steel brakes. They will make the brakes lighter. 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 Boeing 737 MAX was finished in 2016
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 is the Airbus A320neo family.
Variants
737-600
The 737-600 replaced 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
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 . The 737-700ER's main rival is the Airbus A319LR.
737-800
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 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
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.
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
The Boeing 737 Next Generation series has been involved in 8 hull-loss accidents and 7 hijackings. 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 Aereos 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.
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.
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.