• 787-8 Dreamliner
    Boeing
    Stock Code:
    BA
    Date Founded:
    1916-07-15
    CEO:
    Dave Calhoun
    Headquarters Location:
    Chicago, USA
    Key Product Lines:
    Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787
    Business Type:
    Planemaker

The Boeing 737 family has sold more than 1,000 units across a production cycle that has lasted over 50 years. With the newest 737 MAX variants entering service now, it is easy to forget the Original Series aircraft that launched in the late 1960s. Of particular note is how small they were compared to the 737s flying today.

Launching the 737-100

The Boeing 737 was envisioned in the 1960s as a supplement, and eventual replacement, to the popular Boeing 727. The first variant, the 737-100, first flew in April 1967 and entered service with Lufthansa in February 1968. It brought in many advances for Boeing, such as the ability to have aircraft powered by just two wing-mounted engines, as well as the six-abreast seating that is common today.

It didn't bring size, though, as it was just 28.65 meters long, offering a typical two-class capacity of just 85 (maximum exit limit: 124). To put this into context, consider that the shortest 737 MAX jet, the MAX 7, is 35.56 meters long, and the largest 737 MAX 10 (that took its first flight in June 2021) is 43.8 meters long.

One of the smallest jets

How did it compare at the time of launch, though? In summary, it was small! The 727 that it replaced was a much larger narrowbody - the smallest 727-100 was 40.59 meters long. It was, of course, a three-engine aircraft, however.

Lufthansa 737-100
Lufthansa was one of many carriers to feel the effects of the 1973 oil crisis. Photo: Getty Images

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Boeing's main rival today, Airbus, was a long way from launching a narrowbody at the time. After all, it only formed in 1970, and started with the widebody A300. Other competing aircraft included the Douglas DC-9 and the BAC One-Eleven. The DC-9 was a slightly larger aircraft. But the original variants of the BAC One-Eleven were a little smaller than the 737-100, at 28.5 meters long.

Upgrading with the 737-200

The 737-100 did not last long. Only 30 aircraft were built, and most of them saw service with Lufthansa. Early in the 737 program, United Airlines had requested a larger model, and this was developed as the 737-200. It stretched the fuselage by almost two meters, taking capacity up to 102. The 737-200 entered service with United in April 1968, and Boeing sold over 1,100 examples.

GettyImages-615298746 Boeing 737 757
A look at a 737-100 next to the larger 757-200. Photo: Getty Images

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The following Classic, Next Generation, and 737 MAX series are all larger than these 737 Originals. There has never been a return to the size of the 737-100. None of the competing Airbus A320 family have been as small as the 737-100 either. Indeed, the smallest variant of this series is the A318, which has a length of 31.44 m.

Narrowbodies going smaller

Looking at the size of the 737-100 raises an interesting point about today's narrowbodies. Boeing and Airbus narrowbodies have gradually increased in size over the years. However, there is a market of smaller regional aircraft that offer a similar size capacity to the smaller, original 737s, and these are proving popular.

airbaltic a220
Photo: Getty Images

The smallest Embraer E170, for example, is just under one meter longer than the 737-100 and offers a single class capacity of up to 78. This may be something we see more of from Boeing and Airbus in the future. Airbus has the A220 (formerly known as the Bombardier C-Series), and Boeing has already had the 717.

During the slowdown in 2020, the A220 was one of the most active of any aircraft. If the trend for lower capacity point-to-point routes continues post-pandemic, we may see renewed interest in going smaller. The next-generation Embraer E2 series is another example of this trend, with almost 50 examples active today.

The 737-100 was an important aircraft for Boeing, introducing its narrowbody series that still remains well in production over 50 years later. Feel free to discuss the aircraft and narrowbody developments further in the comments.