Boeing 757
Role
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Narrow-body jet airliner
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National origin
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United States
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Manufacturer
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Boeing Commercial Airplanes
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First Flight
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February 19, 1982
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Introduction
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January 1, 1983 with Eastern Air Lines
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Status
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Out of production, in service
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Primary users
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Delta Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, UPS Airlines
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Produced
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1982-2004
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Number built
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1,050
|
Unit Cost
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757-200: US$65 million (2002)
757-300: US$80 million (2002)
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Variants
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Boeing C-32
|
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner that was built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes from 1981 to 2004. The twinjet has a two-crew glass cockpit, turbofan engines, a conventional tail, and for reduced aerodynamic drag, a supercritical wing design. Designed to replace the three-engined 727 on short and medium routes, the larger 757 has a capacity of 200 to 289 passengers and a maximum range of 3,150 to 3,900 nautical miles (5,830 to 7,200 km), depending on variant. Development of the 757 occurred in tandem with a mid-size wide-body twinjet, the 767, resulting in shared design features which allow pilots to obtain a common type rating to operate both aircraft.
The 757 was produced in two fuselage lengths. The original 757-200 entered service in 1983, while the 757-200PF, a package freighter (PF) variant, and the 757-200M, a passenger-freighter combi model, debuted in the late 1980s. The stretched 757-300, the longest narrow-body twinjet ever produced, began service in 1999. Passenger 757-200s have been modified to special freighter (SF) specification for cargo use, while military derivatives include the C-32 transport aircraft, VIP transports, and other multi-purpose aircraft. All 757s are powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 or Pratt & Whitney PW2000series turbofans.
Eastern Air Lines and British Airways first placed the 757 in commercial service in 1983. Since its debut, the 757 has been commonly used for domestic and transcontinental flights, with its largest operators being U.S. mainline carriers, Europeancharter airlines, and cargo companies. In the late 1980s, following regulatory approval for extended overseas flights, airlines began using the 757 on medium-length intercontinental routes. Government, military, and private customers have also customized the aircraft for transport and research roles.
Production of the 757 ended on October 28, 2004 after 1,050 examples had been built, of which 913 were 757-200s. Diminished sales and an airline industry trend toward smaller aircraft led Boeing to discontinue production in favor of the737. The last 757 built was delivered to Shanghai Airlines on November 28, 2005. As of 2011, 898 examples of the twinjet are in airline service, and Delta Air Lines is the largest operator, with 185 aircraft.
