ain article: Boeing 737 Classic

The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/400/500 series af ter the introduction of the
-600/700/800/900 series of the Boeing 737 f amily.[40] Produced from 1984 to 2000, a total of
1,988 Classic series were delivered .[41]
The main development was to re-engine with the high pressure ratio CFM56-7. By the early
1990s, while the MD-80 slowly withdraw f rom the competition leading to introduction of the MD -
90, it had become clear that the new A320 f amily was a serious threat to Boeing's market share,
as Airbus won previously loyal 737 customers such as Luf thansa and United Airlines. In
November 1993, to keep the hand in the single aisle competition, Boeing's board of directors
authorized the Next Generation program to mainly upgrade the 737 Classic series.[42] In late
1993, af ter engineering trade studies and discussions with major customers, Boeing proceeded
to launch the third derivative of the Boeing 737, the 737 Next Generation (NG) -600/700/800/900
series. [1] It f eatured a redesigned wing with a wider wingspan and larger area, greater f uel
capacity, longer range and higher MTOWs. It was equipped with CFM56-7 high pressure ratio
engines, a glass cockpit, and upgraded interior configurations. The f our main models of the
series can accommodate seating f or 108 to 215 passengers. It was f urther developed into
additional versions such as the corporate Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) and military P-8
Poseidon aircraf t. Following the merger between Boeing with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, the
primary competitor f or the 737NG series remained only the A320 f amily.
Close to the next major upgrade of single aisle aircraf t at Airbus and Boeing, the price of jet f uel
reached a peak in 2008, when airlines devoted 40% of the retail price of an air ticket t o pay f or
f uel, versus 15% in 2000.[43][44] Consequently, in that year carriers retired Boeing 737 Classic
aircraf t to reduce f uel consumption; replacements consisted of more ef ficient 737 Next
Generation or A320 f amily aircraf t. On June 4, 2008, United Airlines announced it would retire all
94 of its Classic 737 aircraf t (64 737-300 and 30 737-500 aircraf t), replacing them with A320
f amily jets taken f rom its Ted subsidiary, which has been shut down.[45][46][47] This intensif ied the
competition between the two giant aircraf t manuf acturers, which has since become a duopoly
competition.
An optional upgrade with winglets became available f or the Classic and NG series.

• The 737-300 can be retrof itted with Aviation Partners Boeing winglets. The 737-300
retrof itted with winglets is designated the -300SP (Special Perf ormance).
• WestJet was to launch the 737-600 with winglets, but dropped them in 2006.[48]
737-300[edit]

737-300 with wider CFM56 turbofans, introduced by USAir on November 28, 1984.

Development began in 1979 f or the 737's f irst major revision, which was originally introduced as
the 'new generation' of the 737. [49] Boeing wanted to increase capacity and range, incorporating
improvements to upgrade the aircraf t to modern specifications, while also retaining commonality
with previous 737 variants. In 1980, preliminary aircraf t specif ications of the variant, dubbed 737-
300, were released at the Farnborough Airshow.[50] This f irst major upgrade series was later
renamed to the 737 Classic series. It competed primarily with MD -80, later its derivative MD-
90 and the newcomer Airbus A320 f amily. Boeing engineer Mark Gregoire led a design team,
which cooperated with CFM International to select, modif y and deploy a new engine and nacelle
that would make the 737-300 into a viable aircraf t. They chose the CFM56-3B-1 high-
bypass turbofan engine to power the aircraf t, which yielded significant gains in f uel economy and
a reduction in noise, but also posed an engineering challenge, given the low ground clearance of
the 737 and the larger diameter of the engine over the original Pratt & Whitney engines.
Gregoire's team and CFM solved the problem by reducing the size of the f an (which made the
engine slightly less ef ficient than it had been f orecast to be), placing the engine ahead of the
wing, and by moving engine accessories to the sides of the engine pod, giving the engine a
distinctive non-circular "hamster pouch" air intake.[51][52] Earlier customers f or the CFM56 included
the U.S. Air Force with its program to re-engine KC-135 tankers.[53] The passenger capacity of the
aircraf t was increased to 149 by extending the f uselage around the wing by 9 f eet 5 inches
(2.87 m). The wing incorporated several changes f or improved aerodynamics. The wingtip was
extended 9 in (23 cm), and the wingspan by 1 f t 9 in (53 cm). The leading-edge slats and trailing-
edge f laps were adjusted.[51] The tailf in was redesigned, the f light deck was improved with the
optional EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrumentation System), and the passenger cabin incorporated
improvements similar to those developed on the Boeing 757.[54] The prototype −300, the 1,001st
737 built, f irst flew on February 24, 1984 with pilot Jim McRoberts .[54] It and two production
aircraf t f lew a nine-month-long certif ication program.[55] The 737-300 retrof itted with Aviation
Partners' winglets was designated the -300SP (Special Performance). The 737-300 was
replaced by the 737-700 of the Next Generation series.
737-400[edit]

Alaska Airlines was the first airline to have a 737-400 converted to a freighter.

The 737-400 was launched in 1985 to f ill the gap between the 737-300 and the 757-200. In June
1986, Boeing announced the development of the 737-400,[56] which stretched the f uselage a
f urther 10 f t (3.0 m), increasing the capacity to 188 passenger and required a tail bumper to
prevent tailstrikes during take-of f , and a strengthened wing spar.[57] The -400s f irst f light was on
February 19, 1988, and, af ter a seven-month/500-hour f light-testing run, entered service
with Piedmont Airlines that October.[58] The last two -400s, i.e. the last 737 Classics series, were
delivered to CSA Czech Airlines on February 28, 2000.[59] The 737-400 was replaced by the 737-
800 of the Next Generation series. The 737-400SF was a 737-400 converted to f reighter, though
it was not a model delivered by Boeing and hence the nickname Special Freighter (SF). Alaska
Airlines was the f irst to convert one of their 400s f rom regular service to an aircraf t with the ability
to handle 10 pallets.[60] The airline had also converted f ive more into f ixed combi aircraf t for half
passenger and f reight. These 737-400 Combi aircraf t were retired in 2017 and replaced by the
737-700F of the Next Generation series.[61]
737-500[edit]

Shorter by 7 ft 10 in (2.4 m), Southwest Airlines received the first 737-500 on February 28, 1990
The 737-500 was of f ered as a modern and direct replacement of the 737-200. It was launched in
1987 by Southwest Airlines, with an order f or 20 aircraf t,[62] and f lew f or the f irst time on June 30,
1989.[58] A single prototype flew 375 hours f or the certif ication process ,[58] and on February 28,
1990, Southwest Airlines received the f irst delivery. [41]
The -500 incorporated the improvements of the 737 Classic series, allowing longer routes with
f ewer passengers to be more economical than with the 737-300. The f uselage length of the -500
is 1 f t 7 in (48 cm) longer than the 737-200, accommodating up to 140[57] passengers. Both glass
and older-style mechanical cockpits arrangements were available.[58] Using the CFM56-3 engine
also gave a 25% increase in f uel ef f iciency over the older -200s P&W engines.[58] The -500 has
f aced accelerated retirement due to its smaller size, af ter 21 years in service compared to 24
years f or the -300.[63][64] While a f ew 737-300s were slated f or f reighter conversion, no demand at
all existed f or a -500 f reighter conversion. The 737-500 was replaced by the 737-600 of the Next
Generation series, though the -600 was not as successf ul in total orders as the -500.

737 NG (third generation)[edit]

The Boeing 737 Next Generation, abbreviated as 737 Next Gen or 737NG, is the name given to
the main models -600/700/800/900 series and the extended range -700ER/900ER variants of the
Boeing 737 f amily. It has been produced since 1996 and introduced in 1997, with a total order of
7,097 aircraf t, of which 7,031 have been delivered as of May 2019.[1][26]
737-600[edit]

SAS received the first 737-600 in September 1998

The 737-600, the smallest model of the Next-Generation, was launched by Scandinavian
Airlines (SAS) in March 1995 with the f irst aircraf t delivered in September 1998. [65] A total of 69
aircraf t without Winglets have been produced with the last one delivered to WestJet in
2006.[1] The 737-600 replaced the 737-500 and is similar to the Airbus A318.
737-700[edit]

Southwest Airlines took delivery of the first 737-700 in December 1997

The 737-700, the f irst variant of the Next-Generation, was launched in November 1993 with an
order of 63 aircraf t. The -700 seats 126 passengers in a two -class or 149 passengers in a one-
class layout. The launch customer Southwest Airlines took the f irst delivery in December
1997.[66] The 737-700 replaced the 737-300 and competes with the Airbus A319.
The 737-700C is a convertible version where the seats can be removed to carry cargo instead.
There is a large door on the lef t side of the aircraf t. The United States Navy was the launch
customer f or the 737-700C under the military designation C-40 Clipper. [67]
The 737-700ER (Extended Range) was launched on January 31, 2006 and f eatured the f uselage
of the 737-700 and the wings and landing gear of the 737-800. A 737-700ER can typically
accommodate 126 passengers in two classes with a range similar to the Airbus A319LR.[68]
737-800[edit]

Hapag-Lloyd received the first 737-800 in April 1998

The Boeing 737-800 was a stretched version of the 737-700 launched on September 5, 1994.
The -800 seats 162 passengers in a two -class or 189 passengers in a high-density, one-class
layout. Launch customer Hapag-Lloyd Flug (now TUIf ly) received the f irst one in April
1998.[69] The -800 replaced directly the -400 and aging 727-200 of US airlines. It f illed also the
gap lef t by Boeing's decision to discontinue the MD -80 and MD-90 aircraf t, f ollowing Boeing's
merger with McDonnell Douglas. The 737-800 is the most widely used narrowbody aircraf t and
competes primarily with the Airbus A320.[70]
737-900