Boeing 757-300

The stretched, 240 seat Boeing 757-300 is the first significant development of the basic 757-200 and is aimed primarily at the European vacation charter market.

Although design work on the original 757 began in the late 1970s and its entry into service was in 1983, it wasn't until over a decade later in the mid 1990s that Boeing began to study a stretched development of its popular narrowbody twin. This new 757 stretch was covered by the 757-300X designation until its launch at the Farnborough Airshow in England in September 1996.

The most obvious change over the 757-200 is the 300's 54.43m (178ft 7in) long fuselage, which is 7.11m (23ft 4in) longer than the standard aircraft (and only fractionally shorter than the 767-300). This fuselage stretch allows a 20% increase in seating to 225 to 279 passengers, depending on the interior configuration. Lower hold freight capacity is also increased by 40% over the 757-200 by virtue of the longer fuselage.

Another feature of the 757-300 is its new interior which is based on that developed for the Next Generation 737 models. Features include a new sculptured ceiling, larger overhead bins, indirect overhead lighting and vacuum toilets.

The 757-300 shares the 200's cockpit, wing, tail and powerplant options, although the 300 will feature strengthened structure and landing gear to cope with the increased weights, new wheels, tyres and brakes and a tailskid.

The 757-300 first flew on August 2 1998, with certification in January 1999, and entry into service (with launch customer Condor - the charter arm of German flag carrier Lufthansa) in March 1999. The -300's 27 month development program from final configuration to planned first delivery is the fastest for any Boeing airliner (the 777-300 took 31 months for example). Other early customers are Icelandair, Arkia, Northwest, American Trans Air, Continental, and JMC Air.

Powerplants

Two 191.7kN (43,100lb) RollsRoyce RB-211-535E4-B turbofans, or 195.1kN (43,850lb) Pratt & Whitney PW-2043s.

Performance

Cruising speed Mach 0.80. Range with 240 passengers 6055km (3270nm) with RB-211s, 6455km (3485nm) with PW-2043s.

Weights

Operating empty with RB-211s 64,590kg (142,400lb), with PW-2043s 64,460kg (142,110lb), max takeoff 122,470kg (270,000lb).

Dimensions

Wing span 38.05m (124ft 10in), length 54.47m (178ft 7in), height 13.56m (44ft 6in). Wing area 185.3m2 (1994sq ft).

Capacity

Flightcrew of two. Typical two class arrangement seats 240 passengers, comprising 12 premium class at 91cm (36in) pitch and 228 economy class at 81cm (32in) pitch. Max seating for 289 passengers in a high density configuration 71-74cm (28-29in) pitch.

Boeing 757-200

After a slow sales start, the medium range single aisle 757 has become yet another sales success story for Boeing.

Boeing considered a number of proposals for a successor to the 727 trijet during the 1970s, with many of these designs featuring the nose and Ttail of the earlier jet. It was not until later in that decade however that Boeing settled on a more conventional design featuring the same cross section as the 727 (not to mention the 737, 707 and 720) but with the fuselage considerably longer in length, an all new wing, nose and flightdeck and fuel efficient high bypass turbofan engines.

Boeing launched development of the 757 in March 1979 following orders from British Airways and Eastern. Developed in tandem with the larger widebody 767 the two types share a number of systems and technologies, including a common early generation EFIS flightdeck.

First flight was on February 19 1982 and the 757 entered service in January the following year. Subsequent versions to appear are the 757-200PF Package Freighter, a pure freighter, and the 757-200M Combi (only one has been built). The standard passenger aircraft is designated the 757-200, there being no 100. The stretched 757-300 is described separately.

Initial sales of the 757 were fairly slow, however orders picked up significantly in the mid to late 1980s as traffic on routes previously served by smaller 727s and 737s grew to require the 757's extra capacity. Today 757 sales comfortably exceed those of the 767, a position that was reversed until the late 1980s.

Powerplants

Two 166.4kN (37,400lb) RollsRoyce RB211-535C turbofans, or 178.8kN (40,200lb) RB211-535E4s, or 193.5kN (43,500lb) RB211-535E4-Bs, or 162.8kN (36,600lb) Pratt & Whitney PW2037s, or two 178.4kN (40,100lb) PW2040s, or 189.5kN (42,600lb) PW2043s.

Performance

Max cruising speed 914km/h (493kt), economical cruising speed 850km/h (460kt). Range with P&W engines and 186 passengers 5053km (2728nm), with RR engines 4758km (2569nm). Range at optional max takeoff weight with P&W engines 7277km (3929nm), with RR engines 6888km (3719nm). 757-200PF - Speeds same. Range with 22,680kg payload and P&W engines 7195km (3885nm), with RR engines 6857km (3700nm).

Weights

Operating empty with P&W engines 57,840kg (127,520lb), with RB211s 57,975kg (127,810lb). Basic max takeoff 99,790kg (220,000lb), medium range MTOW 108,860kg (240,000lb), extended range MTOW 115,665kg (255,000lb) or 115,895kg (255,550lb).

Dimensions

Wing span 38.05m (124ft 10in), length 47.32m (155ft 3in), height 13.56m (44ft 6in). Wing area 185.3m2 (1994sq ft).

Capacity

Flightcrew of two. 757-200 - Typical passenger arrangements vary from 178 two class (16 first & 162 economy), or 202 (12 first & 190 economy) or 208 (12 first and 196 economy) or 214 to 239 in all economy class. 757-200PF - Maximum of 15 standard 2.24 x 2.74m (88 x 108in) freight pallets on main deck.