Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 24,000 lbst General Electric CFM56-7B turbofans

Specifications:

History:

Further models have appeared in the Boeing 737 series, these being Models 737-800 and 737-900. Known as the Next Generation airliners, they were the largest in the 737 series and sold well around the world due to their high performance with new economical variants of the General Electric CFM56 series of turbofan engines. The Model 737-800 had a new wing with greater chord, increased wingspan and wing area, and larger tail surfaces. The Model 737-800 was initially known as the Model 737-400X but after its launch on 5 September 1994 received its new appellation, the prototype making its first flight on 31 July 1997, first deliveries taking place in April 1998. The Model 737-800 was 3.02 m (9 ft 9 in) longer than the 737-400 series and accommodated from 146 to 162 passengers, having a significant increase in its range.

The Model 737-800 had 24,000 lbst General Electric CFM56-7 engines, and the Model 737-900 had similar power CFM56-7Bs, but with the 27,300 lbst version of the engines in the higher gross weight variants. Length of the Model 737-800 was 39.47 m (129 ft 6 in) and gross weight was 70,530 kg (155,500 lb). Length of the Model 737-900 was 42.11 m (138 ft 2 in) and gross weight was 74,840 kg (164,000 lb).

First flight of the Model 737-800 was made on 31 July 1997, deliveries beginning in April 1998. First flight of the Model 737-900 was made on 3 August 2000. In addition, Boeing developed the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). Based on the Model 737-700, this was a joint venture between Boeing and General Electric to market a corporate variant of the 737 airliner, and the first aircraft of this model flew on 4 September 1998 and continued in production for some time. In later times winglets were developed to enhance performance.

The Model 737-800 series has been very popular in this region, Virgin Blue Airlines as it was known from 31 August 2000 when it commenced services, later Virgin Australia from 2011, operating a fleet of Model 737-8BKs including:  VH-VOA (c/n 30620), VH-VOB (c/n 30622), VH-VOC (c/n 30623), VH-VOD (c/n 30624), VH-VOG (c/n 28644), VH-VOH (c/n 29884), VH-VOK (c/n 33258), VH-VOL (c/n 33759),VH-VOM (c/n 33794), VH-VON (c/n 33795), VH-VOQ (c/n 33798), VH-VOS (c/n 33800), VH-VOT (c/n 33801), VH-VOU (c/n 30665), VH-VOV (c/n 30658), VH-VOW (c/n 32798), VH-VOX (c/n 33017), VH-VUA (c/n 33997), VH-VUC (c/n 34014), VH-VUE (c/n 34167), VH-VUF (c/n 34168), VH-VUG (c/n 34438), VH-VUH (c/n 34440), VH-VUI (c/n 34441), VH-VUJ (c/n 34443), VH-VUK (c/n 36602), VH-VUL (c/n 36603), VH-VUM (c/n 29675) and VH-VUN (c/n 29676).

The 737-800 series has also been operated in some numbers by Qantas, and Model 737-838 aircraft in service at the end of 2007 included: VH-VXA (c/n 29551), VH-VXB (c/n 30101), VH-VXC (c/n 30897), VH-VXD (c/n 29552), VH-VXE (c/n 30899), VH-VXF (c/n 29553), VH-VXG (c/n 30901), VH-VXH (c/n 33478), VH-VXI (c/n 33479), VH-VXJ (c/n 33480), VH-VXK (c/n 33481), VH-VXL (c/n 33482), VH-VXM (c/n 33483), VH-VXN (c/n 33484), VH-VXO (c/n 33485), VH-VXP (c/n 33722), VH-VXQ (c/n 33723), VH-VXR (c/n 33724), VH-VXS (c/n 33725), VH-VXT (c/n 33760), VH-VXU (c/n 33761), VH-VYA (c/n 33762), VH-VYB (c/n 33763), VH-VYC (c/n 33991), VH-VYD (c/n 33992), VH-VYE (c/n 33993), VH-VYF (c/n 33994), VH-VYG (c/n 33995), VH-VYH (c/n 34180), VH-VYI (c/n 34181), VH-VYJ (c/n 34182), VH-VYK (c/n 34183) and VH-VYL (c/n 34184).

The Model 737-800 has also been operated by Air Pacific from Fiji to Australia and New Zealand, its aircraft including DQ-FJG (c/n 29968 – ‘Island of Kadavuj’) and DQ-FJH (c/n 29969 – ‘Island of Aau’), both arriving in Fiji during 1999 and entering service.

On 13 February 2006 the 5,000th aircraft in the 737 series was delivered to Southwest Airlines, and production was continuing of second generation aircraft, orders at mid 2007 having reached 7,000.

By 2021 Regional Express (REX) had Airlines had a number of 737-8FEs registered including VH-RQG (c/n 34168) for its proposed interstate services.

The Boeing 737 series has been a major success for the Boeing company. More than 10,000 have been built, and production continued until the introduction of the 737 MAX series. More than 200 have been registered in this region and in late 2007 there were 111 on the Australian register and 20 on the New Zealand register. In late 2007 Qantas ordered 31 Model 737-800s with options on a further 49, deliveries commencing in 2009, these aircraft replacing Model 737-400s. As time goes by older aircraft are replaced in service by new-build models as the airlines roll-over the aircraft, there being a continuation of replacement aircraft.