iscover
Total Boeing 737 sales will comfortably exceed 3,000 this year with much of that success being attributable directly to this aircraft, the 737-300. With the -300, Boeing introduced upgraded avionics and systems, new fuel efficient high bypass CFM56 turbofans, additional capacity and a payload range then unequalled by any other twinjet in its class. For both Australian and Ansett the 737-300 provided the opportunity to fly nonstop between Sydney and Perth for the first time with a 114 seat aircraft, thus allowing a greater number of frequencies and a resultant improvement in service.
In Australian Service — Boeing 737 Pt I
0 comment
The Boeing 737 Part I
Part Thirty-One in a Series Examining the Airliners That Established Civil Aviation in Australia
The Boeing 737 family is the biggest-selling member of the most successful family of airliners in the history of commercial aviation.
Based on the Boeing 727, which was itself derived from the Boeing 707, the 737 looks like it will pass the 3,000 mark in total sales sometime this year. Yet a surprising number of years were to elapse between its introduction into service and its first sale in Australia. Despite the delay, the Boeing 737 has made a formidable impact on our domestic routes and is now poised for further successes.
The initial member of this amazing dynasty was of course the Boeing 707, an aircraft which completely revolutionised long distance air travel. The decision to embark on the Boeing Model 367-80 was taken on 20 May 1952 and the prototype was rolled out on 22 May 1954. The maiden flight of the prototype, registered N70700, took place on 15 July 1954 and orders were initially received for the KC-135A Stratotanker version. The first civil order for the 707 was placed by Pan American, for 20 aircraft, and they inaugurated the first Boeing 707 service on 26 October 1958 on the New York/Paris/Rome route. Now 32 years later the E-3 Sentry AWACS and E-6A TACAMO military derivatives are still in production. Total orders for all civil and military versions of the Boeing 707 family stand at 999.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
