Posted on 09/13/2006 4:08:33 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
The BBJ is already a 737, with the wings of the larger -800 on the smaller -700 fuselage for increased range, and of course a luxury interior.
Slightly off topic, but is the 737 design also being considered for an MPA (maritime patrol, P-3 type mission)?
As a frequent flyer..I wish Boeing would find a similar replacement for the MD-80. Cool looking planes...plus the seat configuration gives you less of a chance getting one of those horrid middle seats on the 737.
It's also a shame there is not more 717's being produced. Much rather fly in one of those than an RJ. I am sure Northwest would replace their DC-9's.
The 717 line in Long Beach was shut down in 2006.
To my knowledge, no there isn't; however, this article may be of interest:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/207500_boeingeu12.html
Do they have something to replace the 717 in the works?
It's an ER version of the 737-800 and it has raked wing tips rather than winglets. It would be interesting if Boeing were to offer a version of it as a BBJ or airliner. It could probably serve even thinner transatlantic routes than the 757-200.
Click on the picture
It's not trivial to modify a commercial aircraft for weapons employment.
But it might be somewhat easier to modify a military varient for use as an airliner. After all the 707 was based on the military KC-135 tanker.
Not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg. The 707 or the C-135 family.
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/transport-m/c135/
The C-135. Boeing knew the flight characteristics of the B-47's and B-52's they built for the USAF and knew that the existing KC-97's would not be adequate to refuel the strategic bombing fleet. The KC-135 fuselage diameter was set after the air force requested a larger fuselage than the Dash-80 demonstrator that had been used to test docking without any fuel transfers. Boeing had intended to offer the same plane to the civilian market using all the same tooling, but Douglas got orders for its DC-8's by making its fuselage a few inches wider and able to handle 6-abreast seating. Boeing made the decision to build a new fuselage cross-section just one inch wider than the DC-8's for the civilian 707.
Simple matter. A plastic 737 will be cheaper to operate and maintain and more comfortable to passengers. Combine it the new engines being developed and you will have 737's flying to Europe, further lessening dependency on the outdate spoke hub system. In addition, the 737 interior is very cramped. The A320 is wider and much more comfortable.
Real program. Notice the armament. It's a 737 with an attitude!
I'd say it's a safe bet that the 737 replacement (single aisle) will have a wider fuselage.
They are involved in the RRJ program.
And they will be able to carry LD-3 containers in the belly.
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