Boeing 737
The world's best-selling commercial jetliner — over 10,000 delivered since 1968.
History & background.
The Boeing 737 is the most successful commercial aircraft program in aviation history. First flying on April 9, 1967, the narrow-body twinjet was conceived as a short-haul companion to the 707 and 727. What began as a modest 100-seat regional jet has evolved through four generations — Classic, Next Generation, and MAX — into a family of variants carrying 130 to 230 passengers across ranges up to 7,000 km.
The 737-800, the most widely operated variant, became the backbone of low-cost and legacy carriers alike. Its CFM56-7B engines deliver exceptional fuel efficiency, while the 737 MAX 8 improved on this further with the LEAP-1B engine, reducing fuel burn by roughly 14% per seat. By 2026, more than 15,000 737s had been ordered across all variants — a record no other jetliner has approached.
Few aircraft have attracted more scrutiny than the 737 MAX following the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines accidents of 2018–2019, which grounded the type globally for 20 months. The MCAS software flaw and its remediation became a defining episode in aviation safety history, ultimately leading to sweeping regulatory changes in how aircraft software is certified.
Specifications & performance.
| cruise speed | 839 km/h (Mach 0.785) |
|---|---|
| engine | 2× CFM56-7B (121 kN each) |
| first flight | April 9, 1967 |
| length | 39.5 m (737-800) |
| max speed | 842 km/h (Mach 0.82) |
| mtow | 79,016 kg (737-800) |
| range | 5,765 km (737-800) / 6,570 km (MAX 8) |
| seating | 162–189 passengers (typical) |
| service ceiling | 12,500 m (41,000 ft) |
| status | In service (1968–present) |
| wingspan | 35.8 m (737-800) |