The Boeing 757 is an American
narrow-body airliner
A narrow-body aircraft or single-aisle aircraft is an airliner arranged along a single aisle, permitting up to 6-abreast seating in a cabin less than in width.
In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner usually configured with mult ...
designed and built by
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) is a division of The Boeing Company. It designs, assembles, markets, and sells jet airliners and business jets ( Boeing Business Jets), and also provides product-related maintenance and training to customers wor ...
.
The then-named 7N7, a
twinjet
A twinjet or twin-engine jet is a jet aircraft powered by two engines. A twinjet is able to fly well enough to land with a single working engine, making it safer than a single-engine aircraft in the event of failure of an engine. Fuel efficien ...
successor for the
727 (a
trijet
A trijet is a jet aircraft powered by three jet engines. In general, passenger airline trijets are considered to be second-generation jet airliners, due to their innovative engine locations, in addition to the advancement of turbofan technology. ...
), received its first orders in August 1978.
The prototype completed its maiden flight on February 19, 1982 and it was
FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
certified on December 21, 1982.
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines, also colloquially known as Eastern, was a major United States airline from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Ea ...
placed the original in commercial service on January 1, 1983.
A package
freighter (PF) variant entered service in September 1987 and a
combi model in September 1988.
The stretched was launched in September 1996 and began service in March 1999.
After 1,050 had been built for 54 customers, production ended in October 2004, while Boeing offered the largest
737 NG variants as a successor.
The jetliner is powered by 36,600–43,500 lbf (163–193 kN)
Rolls-Royce RB211
The Rolls-Royce RB211 is a British family of high-bypass turbofan engines made by Rolls-Royce. The engines are capable of generating of thrust. The RB211 engine was the first production three-spool engine, and turned Rolls-Royce from a signif ...
or
Pratt & Whitney PW2000
The Pratt & Whitney PW2000, also known by the military designation F117 and initially referred to as the JT10D, is a series of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines with a thrust range from . Built by Pratt & Whitney, they were designed for the ...
underwing
turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...
engines for a
MTOW
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous ...
.
The 757 has a 2,000 sq ft (185 m
2)
supercritical wing for reduced
aerodynamic drag
In fluid dynamics, drag (sometimes called air resistance, a type of friction, or fluid resistance, another type of friction or fluid friction) is a force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object moving with respect to a surrounding fl ...
and a
conventional tail
A vertical stabilizer or tail fin is the static part of the vertical tail of an aircraft. The term is commonly applied to the assembly of both this fixed surface and one or more movable rudders hinged to it. Their role is to provide control, sta ...
.
It keeps the
707 fuselage width and six abreast seating and its two-crew
glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous mech ...
has a common
type rating
A type rating is an authorization entered on or associated with a pilot licence and forming part thereof, stating pilot's privileges or limitations pertaining to certain aircraft type. Such qualification requires additional training beyond the s ...
with the concurrently designed
767 (a
wide-body aircraft
A wide-body aircraft, also known as a twin-aisle aircraft, is an airliner with a fuselage wide enough to accommodate two passenger aisles with seven or more seats abreast. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabin ...
).
It was produced in two
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
lengths: the long 757-200 (the most popular with 913 built) typically seats 200 passengers in two classes over 3,915 nmi / 7,250 km; while the long 757-300 typically seats 243 over 3,400 nmi (6,295 km).
The 757-200F can haul a 72,210 lb (32,755 kg) payload over 2,935 nmi (5,435 km).
Passenger have been modified for cargo use as the Special Freighter (SF) and the Precision Converted Freighter (PCF).
Major customers for the 757 included U.S.
mainline carriers, European
charter airline
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a airline ticket, ticket through a traditional airline).
Regulation
Charter – also called air taxi or ad h ...
s, and cargo companies.
It was commonly used for short and mid-range
domestic routes,
shuttle services, and
transcontinental U.S. flights.
ETOPS
ETOPS () is an acronym for ''Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards''—a special part of flight rules for one-engine-inoperative flight conditions. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) coined the acronym for ...
extended flights were approved in 1986 to fly intercontinental routes.
Private and government operators have customized the 757 as VIP carriers such as the US
C-32.
In July 2017, there were 665 Boeing 757 in commercial service, with
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
being the largest operator with 127 airplanes in its fleet.
The airliner has recorded twelve
hull-loss
A hull loss is an aviation accident that catastrophically damages the aircraft beyond economical repair, resulting in a total loss. The term also applies to situations in which the aircraft is missing, the search for their wreckage is terminate ...
accidents, including eight fatal crashes, .
[
]
Development
Background
In the early 1970s, following the launch of the first wide-body airliner, the 747, Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
began considering further developments of its narrow-body 727. Designed for short and medium length routes, the trijet
A trijet is a jet aircraft powered by three jet engines. In general, passenger airline trijets are considered to be second-generation jet airliners, due to their innovative engine locations, in addition to the advancement of turbofan technology. ...
was the best-selling jetliner of the 1960s and a mainstay of the U.S. domestic airline market. Studies focused on improving the 189-seat , the most successful variant.[ Two approaches were considered: a stretched 727 (to be designated 727-300), and an all-new aircraft code-named 7N7.] The former was a cheaper derivative using the 727's existing technology and tail-mounted engine configuration,[ while the latter was a twin-engine aircraft which made use of new materials and improvements to propulsion technology which had become available in the civil aerospace industry.][
]
United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. provided input for the proposed 727-300, which Boeing was poised to launch in late 1975,[ but lost interest after examining development studies for the 7N7.][ Although the was offered to ]Braniff International Airways
Braniff Airways, Inc., operated as Braniff International Airways from 1948 until 1965, and then Braniff International from 1965 until air operations ceased, was an airline in the United States that once flew air carrier operations from 1928 un ...
and other carriers, customer interest remained insufficient for further development.[ Instead, airlines were drawn to the high-bypass-ratio turbofan engines, new flight deck technologies, lower weight, improved ]aerodynamics
Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...
, and reduced operating cost promised by the 7N7.[ These features were also included in a parallel development effort for a new mid-size wide-body airliner, code-named 7X7, which became the 767.] Work on both proposals accelerated as a result of the airline industry upturn in the late 1970s.
By 1978, development studies focused on two variants: a with seating for 160, and a with room for over 180 seats. New features included a redesigned wing, under-wing engines, and lighter materials, while the forward fuselage, cockpit layout, and T-tail
A T-tail is an empennage configuration in which the tailplane is mounted to the top of the fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs from the standard configuration in which the tailplane is ...
configuration were retained from the 727. Boeing planned for the aircraft to offer the lowest fuel burn per passenger-kilometer of any narrow-body airliner. On August 31, 1978, Eastern Air Lines and British Airways became the first carriers to publicly commit to the 7N7 when they announced launch orders totaling 40 aircraft for the version.[ These orders were signed in March 1979, when Boeing officially designated the aircraft as the 757.][ The shorter did not receive any orders and was dropped; 737s later fulfilled its envisioned role.]
Design effort
The 757 was intended to be more capable and more efficient than the preceding 727. The focus on fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, wh ...
reflected airline concerns over operating cost
Operating costs or operational costs, are the expenses which are related to the operation of a business, or to the operation of a device, component, piece of equipment or facility. They are the cost of resources used by an organization just to main ...
s, which had grown amid rising oil prices during the Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the Ramadan War, the October War, the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, or the Fourth Arab–Israeli War, was an armed conflict fought from October 6 to 25, 1973 between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egy ...
of 1973. Design targets included a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption from new engines, plus 10 percent from aerodynamic improvements, versus preceding aircraft.[ Lighter materials and new wings were also expected to improve efficiency.][ The ]maximum take-off weight
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to takeoff, take off, due to structural or other limits. The a ...
(MTOW) was set at ,[ which was more than the 727.][ The 757's higher ]thrust-to-weight ratio
Thrust-to-weight ratio is a dimensionless ratio of thrust to weight of a rocket, jet engine, propeller engine, or a vehicle propelled by such an engine that is an indicator of the performance of the engine or vehicle.
The instantaneous thrust-to-w ...
allowed it to take off from short runways and serve airports in hot and high
In aviation, hot and high is a condition of low air density due to high ambient temperature and high airport elevation. Air density decreases with increasing temperature and altitude. The lower air density reduces the power output from the airc ...
conditions with higher ambient temperatures and thinner air, offering better takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle leaves the ground and becomes airborne. For aircraft traveling vertically, this is known as liftoff.
For aircraft that take off horizontally, this usually involves starting with a t ...
performance than that offered by competing aircraft. Competitors needed longer takeoff runs for these hot and high conditions. Boeing also offered options for higher payload capability.[Ostrower, Jon, and Wall, Robert, "Boeing weighs options to reprise aging 757s", ''Wall Street Journal'', February 11, 2015, pp. B1–2.]
The twin-engine configuration was chosen for greater fuel efficiency versus three- and four-engine designs. Launch customers Eastern Air Lines and British Airways selected the turbofan built by Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
, which was capable of of thrust
Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that syst ...
. This marked the first time that a Boeing airliner was launched with engines produced outside the U.S.[ Domestic manufacturer ]Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies. Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially airlines) and military aviat ...
subsequently offered the thrust PW2037,[ which Delta Air Lines launched with an order for 60 aircraft in November 1980.][ ]General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...
also offered its engine early in the program, but eventually abandoned its involvement due to insufficient demand.
As development progressed, the 757 increasingly departed from its 727 origins and adopted elements from the 767,[ which was several months ahead in development. To reduce risk and cost, Boeing combined design work on both twinjets,][ resulting in shared features such as interior fittings and handling characteristics.][ ]Computer-aided design
Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...
, first applied on the 767, was used for over one-third of the 757's design drawings. In early 1979, a common two-crew member glass cockpit was adopted for the two aircraft, including shared instrumentation, avionics
Avionics (a blend word, blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, ...
, and flight management system
A flight management system (FMS) is a fundamental component of a modern airliner's avionics. An FMS is a specialized computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload on the flight crew to the point that mode ...
s. In October 1979 the nose was widened and dropped to reduce aerodynamic noise by six dB, to improve the flight deck view and to give more working area for the crew for greater commonality with the 767. Cathode-ray tube
A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms (oscilloscope), pictur ...
(CRT) color displays replaced conventional electromechanical
In engineering, electromechanics combines processes and procedures drawn from electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Electromechanics focuses on the interaction of electrical and mechanical systems as a whole and how the two systems ...
instruments,[ with increased automation eliminating the ]flight engineer
A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is the member of an aircraft's flight crew who monitors and operates its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referred to as the "air me ...
position common to three-person cockpits.[ After completing a short conversion course, pilots rated on the 757 could be qualified to fly the 767 and vice versa, owing to their design similarities.][
]
A new aft-loaded shape which produced lift
Lift or LIFT may refer to:
Physical devices
* Elevator, or lift, a device used for raising and lowering people or goods
** Paternoster lift, a type of lift using a continuous chain of cars which do not stop
** Patient lift, or Hoyer lift, mobile ...
across most of the upper wing surface, instead of a narrow band as in previous airfoil
An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine.
...
designs, was used for the 757's wings.[ The more efficient wings had less drag and greater fuel capacity,][ and were similar in configuration to those on the 767.][ A wider ]wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan of ...
than the 727's produced less lift-induced drag
In aerodynamics, lift-induced drag, induced drag, vortex drag, or sometimes drag due to lift, is an aerodynamic drag force that occurs whenever a moving object redirects the airflow coming at it. This drag force occurs in airplanes due to wings or ...
, while larger wing root
The wing root is the part of the wing on a fixed-wing aircraft or winged-spaceship that is closest to the fuselage,Peppler, I.L.: ''From The Ground Up'', page 9. Aviation Publishers Co. Limited, Ottawa Ontario, Twenty Seventh Revised Edition, 1996 ...
s increased undercarriage
Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include:
*The landing gear of an aircraft.
*The ch ...
storage space and provided room for future stretched versions of the aircraft.[
One of the last 727 vestiges, the T-tail, was dropped in mid-1979 in favor of a conventional tail.][ This avoided the risk of an aerodynamic condition known as a ]deep stall
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', p. 486. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. This occurs when t ...
, and allowed for more passengers to be carried in a less tapered rear fuselage. At in length,[ the was longer than the , and with a greater proportion of its internal volume devoted to cabin space, seating was available for 239 passengers, or 50 more than its predecessor.][ The fuselage cross-section, whose upper lobe was common to the 707 and 737, was the only major structural feature to be retained from the 727. This was mainly to reduce drag,][ and while a wider fuselage had been considered, Boeing's market research found low cargo capacity needs and reduced passenger preference for wide-body aircraft on short-haul routes.][
]
Production and testing
Boeing built a final assembly line in Washington at its Renton factory, home of 707, 727, and 737 production, to produce the 757. Early in the development program, Boeing, British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
, and Rolls-Royce unsuccessfully lobbied the British aircraft industry to manufacture 757 wings.[ Ultimately, about half of the aircraft's components, including the wings, nose section, and ]empennage
The empennage ( or ), also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third ed ...
, were produced in-house at Boeing facilities with the remainder subcontracted to primarily U.S.-based companies. Fairchild Aircraft
Fairchild was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company based at various times in Farmingdale, New York; Hagerstown, Maryland; and San Antonio, Texas.
History
Early aircraft
The company was founded by Sherman Fairchild in 1 ...
made the leading edge slat
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed ...
s, Grumman
The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 1994 ...
supplied the flaps, and Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate involved in aircraft, the space industry, defense and commercial electronics, components in the automotive industry, printing presses, avionics and industrial products. R ...
produced the main fuselage.[ Production ramp-up for the new narrow-body airliner coincided with the winding-down of the 727 program,][ and final assembly of the first aircraft began in January 1981.][
]
The prototype 757 rolled out of the Renton factory on January 13, 1982.[ The aircraft, equipped with engines,] completed its maiden flight one week ahead of schedule on February 19, 1982. The first flight was affected by an engine stall, following indications of low oil pressure {{unreferenced, date=May 2016
Oil pressure is an important factor in the longevity of most internal combustion engines. With a forced lubrication system (invented by Frederick Lanchester), oil is picked up by a positive displacement oil pump and ...
.[ After checking system diagnostics, company test pilot John Armstrong and co-pilot Lew Wallick were able to restart the affected engine, and the flight proceeded normally thereafter.] Subsequently, the 757 embarked on a seven-day weekly flight test schedule. By this time, the aircraft had received 136 orders from seven carriers, namely Air Florida
Air Florida was an American low-cost carrier that operated from 1971 to 1984. In 1975 it was headquartered in the Dadeland Towers in what is now Kendall, Florida in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Air Florida's IATA code is now used by ...
, American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines, also colloquially known as Eastern, was a major United States airline from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Ea ...
, Monarch Airlines
Monarch Airlines, also known as Monarch, was a British Air charter, charter and scheduled airline founded by Bill Hodgson and Don Peacock and financed by the Switzerland, Swiss Sergio Mantegazza family. The company later became a low-cost air ...
, and Transbrasil
TransBrasil was a Brazilian airline which ceased operations on 3 December 2001. During most of its history, Transbrasil was owned by local entrepreneur Omar Fontana. Its aircraft usually featured a colorful livery, remarkably with a rainbow on the ...
.[
The seven-month 757 flight test program used the first five aircraft built.] Tasks included flight systems and propulsion tests, hot and cold weather trials, and route-proving flights. Data from the 767 program helped expedite the process.[ After design issues were identified, the 757's exit doors received dual-spring mechanisms for easier operation, and the fuselage was strengthened for greater ]bird strike
A bird strike—sometimes called birdstrike, bird ingestion (for an engine), bird hit, or bird aircraft strike hazard (BASH)—is a collision between an airborne animal (usually a bird or bat) and a moving vehicle, usually an aircraft. The term ...
resistance.[ The production aircraft was lighter than originally specified, and recorded a three percent better-than-expected rate of fuel burn.][ This resulted in a range increase of , and prompted Boeing to tout the aircraft's fuel efficiency characteristics.][ After 1,380 flight test hours,][ the RB211-powered 757 received U.S. ]Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA) certification on December 21, 1982, followed by UK Civil Aviation Authority
A civil aviation authority (CAA) is a national or supranational statutory authority that oversees the regulation of civil aviation, including the maintenance of an aircraft register.
Role
Due to the inherent dangers in the use of flight vehicles, ...
(CAA) certification on January 14, 1983.[ The first delivery to launch customer Eastern Air Lines occurred on December 22, 1982, about four months after the first 767 deliveries.][ The first 757 with PW2037 engines rolled out about one year later, and was delivered to Delta Air Lines on November 5, 1984.][
]
Service entry and operations
Eastern Air Lines operated the first commercial 757 flight on January 1, 1983, on the Atlanta-to-Tampa route.[ On February 9, 1983, British Airways began using the aircraft for London-to-Belfast shuttle services, where it replaced ]Hawker Siddeley Trident 3B
The Hawker Siddeley HS-121 Trident (originally the de Havilland DH.121 and briefly the Airco DH.121) is a British airliner produced by Hawker Siddeley.
In 1957, de Havilland proposed its DH.121 trijet design to a British European Airways (BEA) ...
trijets. Charter carriers Monarch Airlines and Air Europe
Air Europe was a wholly privately owned, independentindependent from government-owned corporations British airline, established in 1978 under the working title Inter European Airways.Simons It adopted the Air Europe name the following year. Its ...
also began 757 operations later that year. Early operators noted improved reliability and quieter performance compared with previous jetliners.[ Transition courses eased pilots' introduction to the new CRT-based cockpit, and no major technical issues arose.][ Eastern Air Lines, the first 727 operator to take delivery of 757s, confirmed that the aircraft had greater payload capability than its predecessor, along with lower operating costs through improved fuel burn and the use of a two-crew member flight deck.][ Compared with the 707 and 727, the new twinjet consumed 42 and 40 percent less fuel per seat, respectively, on typical medium-haul flights.][
Despite the successful debut, 757 sales remained stagnant for most of the 1980s, a consequence of declining fuel prices and a shift to smaller aircraft in the post-]deregulation
Deregulation is the process of removing or reducing state regulations, typically in the economic sphere. It is the repeal of governmental regulation of the economy. It became common in advanced industrial economies in the 1970s and 1980s, as a ...
U.S. market.[ Although no direct competitor existed,][ 150-seat narrow-bodies such as the ]McDonnell Douglas MD-80
The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of five-abreast single-aisle airliners developed by McDonnell Douglas. It was produced by the developer company until August 1997 and then by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The MD-80 was the second gene ...
were less expensive and carried nearly as many passengers as some airlines' 757s.[ A three-year sales drought abated in November 1983 when ]Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines Corp. (NWA) was a major American airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines, Inc. by a merger. The merger, approved on October 29, 2008, made Delta the largest airline in the world until the American Airlines ...
placed orders for 20 aircraft, which averted a costly production rate decrease. In December 1985, a freighter model, the , was announced following a launch order for 20 aircraft from UPS Airlines
UPS Airlines is a major American cargo airline based in Louisville, Kentucky. The second-largest cargo airline worldwide ( in terms of freight volume flown), UPS Airlines flies to 815 destinations worldwide. A wholly owned subsidiary of UPS (Unit ...
,[ and in February 1986, a freighter-passenger combi model, the , was launched with an order for one aircraft from ]Royal Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
. The freighter model included a main deck cargo hold and entered service with UPS in September 1987.[ The combi model could carry both cargo and passengers on its main deck and entered service with Royal Nepal Airlines in September 1988.][
In the late 1980s, increasing ]airline hub
An airline hub or hub airport is an airport used by one or more airlines to concentrate passenger traffic and flight operations. Hubs serve as transfer (or stop-over) points to help get passengers to their final destination. It is part of the ...
congestion and the onset of U.S. airport noise regulation
Noise regulation includes statutes or guidelines relating to sound transmission established by national, state or provincial and municipal levels of government. After the watershed passage of the United States Noise Control Act of 1972,U.S. Noise ...
s fueled a turnaround in 757 sales.[ From 1988 to 1989, airlines placed 322 orders, including a combined 160 orders from American Airlines and United Airlines.] By this time, the 757 had become commonplace on short-haul domestic flights and transcontinental
Transcontinental may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* "Transcontinental", a song by the band Pedro the Lion from the album ''Achilles Heel''
* TC Transcontinental, a publishing, media and marketing company based in Canada, a subsidiary o ...
services in the U.S.,[ and had replaced aging 707s, 727s, ]Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 (sometimes McDonnell Douglas DC-8) is a long-range narrow-body airliner built by the American Douglas Aircraft Company.
After losing the May 1954 US Air Force tanker competition to the Boeing KC-135, Douglas announced in Ju ...
s, and McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is an American five-abreast single-aisle aircraft designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was initially produced by the developer company as the Douglas DC-9 until August 1967 and then by McDonnell Douglas.
After ...
s. The maximum range of ,[ which was over one-and-a-half times the 727's,][ allowed airlines to use the aircraft on longer nonstop routes.] The 757 was also flown out of airports with stringent noise regulations, such as John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport is a commercial and general aviation airport that serves Orange County, California, and the Greater Los Angeles area. The airport is located in an unincorporated area of Orange County, and it is owned and operated by the cou ...
in Orange County, California, and airports with aircraft size restrictions, such as Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport , sometimes referred to colloquially as National Airport, Washington National, Reagan National Airport, DCA, Reagan, or simply National, is an international airport in Arlington County, Virginia, across ...
near downtown Washington, D.C.[ The largest U.S. operators, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, would ultimately operate fleets of over 100 aircraft each.][
]
In Europe, British Airways, Iberia
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
, and Icelandair
Icelandair is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, with its corporate head office on the property of Reykjavík Airport in the capital city Reykjavik.
Linked from here
It is part of the Icelandair Group and operates to destinations on both si ...
were the 757's largest mainline customers, while other carriers such as Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (), commonly shortened to Lufthansa, is the flag carrier of Germany. When combined with its subsidiaries, it is the second- largest airline in Europe in terms of passengers carried. Lufthansa is one of the five founding m ...
rejected the type as too large for their narrow-body aircraft needs.[ Many European charter airlines, including ]Air 2000
First Choice Airways Limited was a British charter airline of European tour operator TUI Travel PLC, based in Crawley, England until its merger with Thomsonfly to form Thomson Airways (now TUI Airways) in 2008. It flew to more than 60 destinat ...
, Air Holland
Air Holland Charter B.V. was an airline based in the Netherlands. It operated passenger and cargo charters to Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean, as well as dry and wet leasing of aircraft to other airlines. It ceased operations on March 25, 200 ...
, and LTU International
LTU, legally incorporated as ''LTU Lufttransport-Unternehmen GmbH'', was a German leisure airline headquartered in Düsseldorf. It operated medium and long-haul routes and maintained hubs at Düsseldorf Airport, Munich Airport and Berlin Tegel Ai ...
,[ also acquired the twinjet for holiday and tour package flights in the late 1980s.][ In Asia, where even larger aircraft were commonly preferred because of greater passenger volumes, the 757 found fewer orders. A 1982 sales demonstration was unable to attract a purchase from potential customer ]Japan Airlines
, also known as JAL (''Jaru'') or , is an international airline and Japan's flag carrier and largest airline as of 2021 and 2022, headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Haneda Airport, as w ...
,[ and the first Asian customer, ]Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (abbreviation: SIA) is the flag carrier airline of the Republic of Singapore with its Airline hub, hub located at Singapore Changi Airport. The airline is notable for highlighting the Singapore Girl as its central figure in ...
, sold its four 757s in 1989 in favor of standardizing on the 240-seat wide-body Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a wide-body aircraft, designed and manufactured by Airbus Industrie, then a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers.
Airbus had identified a demand for an aircraft smaller than the A300, the first twin-jet wide-bod ...
, just five years after debuting the type on Indonesian and Malaysian routes. The 757 fared better in China, where following an initial purchase by the CAAC Airlines
CAAC Airlines (), formerly the People's Aviation Company of China (中國人民航空公司), was the airline division of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and the monopoly civil airline in the People's Republic of China. It was f ...
in 1987,[ orders grew to 59 aircraft, making it the largest Asian market.][ Operators such as China Southern, China Southwest, ]Shanghai Airlines
Shanghai Airlines () is an airline headquartered in Shanghai. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, but its operations remain separate post-merger, retaining its distinct brand and livery. Shanghai Airlines operates domestic ...
, Xiamen Airlines
XiamenAir, also known as Xiamen Airlines, is a Chinese passenger airline based in Xiamen, Fujian Province. The airline operates scheduled passenger flights out of Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and, to a lesser extent, Beijing Daxing Interna ...
, and Xinjiang Airlines used the 757 on medium length domestic routes.
In 1986, the FAA approved RB211-powered 757s for extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS
ETOPS () is an acronym for ''Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards''—a special part of flight rules for one-engine-inoperative flight conditions. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) coined the acronym for ...
) operations over the North Atlantic, following precedents set by the 767. Under ETOPS regulations, a set of safety standards governing twinjet flights over oceans and other areas without nearby suitable landing sites, airlines began using the aircraft for mid-range intercontinental routes.[ Although the 757 was not originally intended for transoceanic flights, regulators based their decision on its reliable performance record on extended transcontinental U.S. services.] ETOPS certification for 757s equipped with PW2000 series engines was granted in 1992.[
In the early 1990s, the FAA and other U.S. government agencies, including the ]National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding th ...
(NASA) and the National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incid ...
(NTSB), began studying the 757's wake turbulence
Wake turbulence is a disturbance in the atmosphere that forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. It includes variety of elements, the most significant of which are wingtip vortices and jetwash. Jetwash refers to the rapidly moving g ...
characteristics. This followed several incidents, including two fatal crashes, in which small private aircraft experienced loss of control when flying close behind the twinjet.[ Smaller airliners had also suffered unexpected rolling movements when flying behind 757s.][ Investigators focused on the aircraft's aft-loaded wing design, which at certain points during takeoff or landing could produce ]wingtip vortices
Wingtip vortices are circular patterns of rotating air left behind a wing as it generates lift.Clancy, L.J., ''Aerodynamics'', section 5.14 One wingtip vortex trails from the tip of each wing. Wingtip vortices are sometimes named ''trailing'' ...
that were stronger than those emanating from larger 767s and 747s. Other tests were inconclusive, leading to debate among government agencies, and in 1994 and 1996 the FAA updated air traffic control regulations to require greater separation behind the 757 than other large-category jets.[ The 757 became the only sub- airliner to be classified as a "heavy" jet, alongside wide-body aircraft, under FAA separation rules.][
]
Stretched variant
Production of the 757 peaked at an annual rate of 100 aircraft in the early 1990s, during which time upgraded models came under consideration.[ For over a decade, the narrow-body twinjet had been its manufacturer's only single-aisle airliner without a stretched variant, and while rumors of a long-range and stretched persisted, no formal announcements had been made.][ European charter carriers were particularly interested in a higher-capacity version which could take better advantage of the 757's range.][ Besides meeting the needs of charter customers, a larger model would enable Boeing to match the passenger lift capabilities of the with lower operating costs,] and counter longer-range versions of the 185-seat Airbus A321
The Airbus A321 is a member of the Airbus A320 family of short to medium range, narrow-body, commercial passenger twin engine jet airliners; it carries 185 to 236 passengers. It has a stretched fuselage which was the first derivative of the ba ...
, a new stretched variant of the A320
The Airbus A320 family is a series of narrow-body airliners developed and produced by Airbus.
The A320 was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was introduced in April 1988 by Air France.
The first member of the famil ...
narrow-body airliner.
In September 1996, following a launch order for 12 aircraft from charter carrier Condor
Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere.
They are:
* The Andean condor (''Vult ...
, Boeing announced the stretched at the Farnborough Airshow
The Farnborough Airshow, officially the Farnborough International Airshow, is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors. Since its fir ...
.[ The new model was a stretch of the , resulting in room for 50 more passengers and nearly 50 percent more cargo.][ The type's design phase was intended to be the shortest in its manufacturer's history, with 27 months from launch to certification.][ Due to development and cost concerns, radical upgrades such as a Next Generation 737-style advanced cockpit were not implemented.][ Instead, the stretched derivative received upgraded engines, enhanced avionics, and a redesigned interior.] The first rolled out on May 31, 1998, and completed its maiden flight on August 2, 1998.[ Following regulatory certification in January 1999, the type entered service with Condor on March 19, 1999.][
The 757-300 was also ordered by American Trans Air, Arkia Israel Airlines, ]Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines, simply known as Continental, was a major United States airline founded in 1934 and eventually headquartered in Houston, Texas. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers.
Continental started o ...
, Icelandair, and Northwest Airlines.[ Sales for the type remained slow, and ultimately totaled 55 aircraft.] Boeing had targeted the as a potential replacement for two of its largest customers, American Airlines and United Airlines, but neither were in a financial position to commit to new aircraft. Overtures to other charter airlines also did not result in further orders.[ By November 1999, faced with diminishing sales and a reduced backlog despite the launch of the , Boeing began studying a decrease in 757 production rates.]
Further developments
While the 757 program had been financially successful, declining sales in the early 2000s threatened its continued viability. Airlines were again gravitating toward smaller aircraft, now mainly the 737 and A320, because of their reduced financial risk. An airline industry downturn and the large number of relatively young 757s already in service also reduced customer demand.[ In 2000, spurred by interest from Air 2000 and Continental Airlines, Boeing reexamined the possibility of building a longer-range .][ The proposed derivative would have featured auxiliary fuel tanks, plus wing and landing gear upgrades from the , resulting in a higher MTOW and a potential range increase to over .] However, the proposal failed to garner any orders.[ In March 2001, Boeing delivered the first , a second-hand converted for freighter use, to DHL Aviation.][ The marked the manufacturer's first foray into passenger-to-freighter conversions.][
]
Customer interest in new 757s continued to decline, and in 2003, a renewed sales campaign centered on the and yielded only five new orders. In October 2003, following Continental Airlines' decision to switch its remaining orders to the , Boeing announced the end of 757 production.[ The 1,050th and last example, a built for Shanghai Airlines, rolled off the production line at the Renton factory on October 28, 2004,] and was delivered on November 28, 2005, after several months of storage. With the conclusion of the 757 program, Boeing consolidated 737 assembly at its Renton factory, downsizing its facilities by 40 percent and shifting staff to different locations.
Since the end of production, most 757s have remained in service, mainly in the U.S. From 2004 to 2008, the average fuel cost for typical mid-range U.S. domestic 757 flights tripled, putting pressure on airlines to improve the fuel efficiency of their fleets.["$3.3 Million a Day – That's How Much American Airlines is Losing in the Era of Insane Fuel Prices." ''Fortune'', May 12, 2008, p. 94.] In May 2005, the FAA granted regulatory approval for manufacturer-sanctioned blended winglets from Aviation Partners Incorporated as a retrofit on the . The winglets improve fuel efficiency by five percent and increase range by through the reduction of lift-induced drag. Continental Airlines was the first carrier to order winglets for the , and in February 2009 became the first operator of with winglets.
Prior to the United-Continental merger in 2010, the 757 remained the only narrow-body aircraft in use by the large fleets of all three U.S. legacy carrier
A legacy carrier, in the United States, is an airline that had established interstate routes before the beginning of the route liberalization permitted by the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and so was directly affected by that Act. Legacy carr ...
s: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.[ During this period, the 757's capacity and range capabilities have remained largely unequaled among narrow-body airliners;] when selecting replacement aircraft, airlines have had to either downsize to smaller single-aisle aircraft in production with fewer seats and less range such as the and A321, or upsize to the larger, longer-range 787 Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an American wide-body jet airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After dropping its unconventional Sonic Cruiser project, Boeing announced the conventional 7E7 on January 29, 2003, ...
and wide-body jets. The Tupolev Tu-204
The Tupolev Tu-204 (russian: Туполев Ту-204) is a twin-engined medium-range narrow-body jet airliner capable of carrying 210 passengers, designed by Tupolev and produced by Aviastar-SP and Kazan Aircraft Production Association. First ...
, a narrow-body twinjet introduced in 1989 with a design similar to the 757's, is offered in a 200-seat version, which has seen limited production for mainly Russian customers. Within Boeing, the 215-seat, range 737-900ER has been regarded as the closest aircraft in production to the 757-200.
Replacement aircraft
In February 2015, Boeing marketing Vice President Randy Tinseth stated that re-engining the 757 had been studied but there was no business case to support it. At the March 2015 ISTAT
The Italian National Institute of Statistics ( it, Istituto nazionale di statistica; Istat) is the main producer of official statistics in Italy. Its activities include the census of population, economic censuses and a number of social, economic ...
conference, Air Lease Corporation
Air Lease Corporation (ALC) is an American aircraft leasing company founded in 2010 and headed by Steven F. Udvar-Házy. Air Lease purchases new commercial aircraft through direct orders from Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and ATR, and leases them to it ...
's Steven Udvar-Hazy
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
predicted the 757 replacement would be a more capable, clean-sheet 767-like twin-aisle airplane capable of taking off from runways like New York LaGuardia
LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering , the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia ...
, and Tinseth was focused on 20% more range and more capacity than the 757-200.
In May 2020, due to the ongoing 737 MAX issues and the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, Boeing set aside the clean-sheet design for the New Midsize Airplane (NMA) and began to look into a re-engined 757, dubbed the 757-Plus, which would compete with the Airbus A321XLR. The 757-Plus would need new engines, better efficiency, greater range, and more passenger capacity in order to satisfy the market that the NMA would have filled.
Design
Overview
The 757 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a conventional tail unit featuring a single fin and rudder. Each wing features a supercritical cross-section and is equipped with five-panel leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, ...
, single- and double-slotted flaps, an outboard aileron
An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...
, and six spoilers. The wings are largely identical across all 757 variants, swept at 25 degrees, and optimized for a cruising speed of Mach 0.8 ().[ The reduced wing sweep eliminates the need for inboard ailerons, yet incurs little drag penalty on short and medium length routes, during which most of the flight is spent climbing or descending. The ]airframe
The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system.
Airframe design is a field of aerospa ...
further incorporates carbon-fiber reinforced plastic
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
wing surfaces, Kevlar
Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
fairings and access panels, plus improved aluminum alloys
An aluminium alloy (or aluminum alloy; see spelling differences) is an alloy in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin, nickel and zinc. There are two principa ...
, which together reduce overall weight by .[
To distribute the aircraft's weight on the ground, the 757 has a retractable ]tricycle landing gear
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
with four wheels on each main gear and two for the nose gear.[ The landing gear was purposely designed to be taller than the company's previous narrow-body aircraft to provide ground clearance for stretched models. In 1982, the became the first subsonic jetliner to offer longer lasting carbon brakes as a factory option, supplied by Dunlop. The stretched features a retractable ]tailskid
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...
on its aft fuselage to prevent damage if the tail section contacts the runway surface during takeoff.
Besides common avionics and computer systems, the 757 shares its auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...
, electric power systems, flight deck, and hydraulic parts with the 767. Through operational commonality
In aviation, fleet commonality is the economic and logistic benefits of operating a standardized fleet of aircraft that share common parts, training requirements, or other characteristics.
Different types of commonality
Commonality policies ...
, 757 pilots can obtain a common type rating to fly the 767 and share the same seniority roster with pilots of either aircraft.[ This reduces costs for airlines that operate both twinjets.][
]
Flight systems
The 757's flight deck uses six Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins was a multinational corporation headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, providing avionics and information technology systems and services to government agencies and aircraft manufacturers. It was formed when the Collins Radio Comp ...
CRT screens to display flight instrumentation, as well as an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) and an engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS).[ These systems allow the pilots to handle monitoring tasks previously performed by the flight engineer.][ An enhanced flight management system, improved over versions used on early 747s, automates navigation and other functions,][ while an ]automatic landing
In aviation, autoland describes a system that fully automates the landing procedure of an aircraft's flight, with the flight crew supervising the process. Such systems enable airliners to land in weather conditions that would otherwise be dangero ...
system facilitates CAT IIIb instrument landings in low visibility conditions. The inertial reference system
An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors (gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (direc ...
(IRS) which debuted with the was the first to feature laser-light gyros.[ On the , the upgraded flight deck features a ]Honeywell
Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building technologies, performance ma ...
Pegasus flight management computer, enhanced EICAS, and updated software systems.[
To accommodate the same flight deck design as the 767, the 757 has a more rounded nose section than previous narrow-body aircraft.][ The resulting space has unobstructed panel visibility and room for an observer seat.] Similar pilot viewing angles as the 767 result from a downward sloped cockpit floor and the same forward cockpit windows.[
Three independent ]hydraulic
Hydraulics (from Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is the liquid counter ...
systems are installed on the 757, one powered by each engine, and the third using electric pumps.[ A ]ram air turbine
A ram air turbine (RAT) is a small wind turbine that is connected to a hydraulic pump, or electrical generator, installed in an aircraft and used as a power source. The RAT generates power from the airstream by ram pressure due to the speed o ...
is fitted to provide power for essential controls in the event of an emergency. A basic form of fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires, and flight control co ...
facilitates spoiler operation, utilizing electric signaling instead of traditional control cables.[ The fly-by-wire system, shared with the 767,][ reduces weight and provides for the independent operation of individual spoilers.] When equipped for extended-range operations, the 757 features a backup hydraulic motor
A hydraulic motor is a mechanical actuator that converts hydraulics, hydraulic pressure and flow into torque and angular displacement (rotation). The hydraulic motor is the rotary counterpart of the hydraulic cylinder as a linear actuator. Mo ...
generator and an additional cooling fan in the aircraft's electronics bay.[
]
Interior
The 757 interior allows seat arrangements of up to six per row with a single center aisle.[ Originally optimized for flights averaging two hours,][ the 757 features interior lighting and cabin architecture designs aimed at a more spacious impression.][ As on the 767, garment-bag-length overhead bins and a rear economy-class ]galley
A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...
are standard equipment. The bins have twice the capacity as those on the preceding 727.[ To save weight, ]honeycomb sandwich
Honeycomb structures are natural or man-made structures that have the geometry of a honeycomb to allow the minimization of the amount of used material to reach minimal weight and minimal material cost. The geometry of honeycomb structures can ...
is used for interior paneling and bins.[ Unlike previous ]evacuation slide
An evacuation slide is an inflatable slide used to evacuate an aircraft quickly. An escape slide is required on all commercial (passenger carrying) aircraft where the door sill height is such that, in the event of an evacuation, passengers wou ...
designs which are not equipped for water landings, the 757's main exits feature combination slide rafts similar to those found on the 747.[ In the 1980s, Boeing altered the interior designs of its other narrow-body aircraft to be similar to that of the 757.
In 1998, the 757-300 debuted a redesigned interior derived from the Next Generation 737 and ]777
777 may refer to:
* 777 (number), a number
* AD 777, a year of the Julian calendar
* 777 BC, a year in the 8th century BC
* Boeing 777, a commercial jet airliner
:* Boeing 777X, the newer generation of the Boeing 777.
Art and entertainment Alb ...
, including sculptured ceiling panels, indirect lighting, and larger overhead bins with an optional continuous handrail built into their base for the entire cabin length. Centerline storage containers mounted in the aisle ceiling for additional escape rafts and other emergency equipment were also added. The 757-300's interior later became an option on all new . In 2000, with wheeled carry-on baggage
Baggage or luggage consists of bags, cases, and containers which hold a traveler's personal articles while the traveler is in transit. A modern traveler can be expected to have packages containing clothing, toiletries, small possessions, trip ...
becoming more popular, Delta Air Lines began installing overhead bin extensions on their to provide additional storage space, and American Airlines did the same in 2001. The larger bins are part of aftermarket interior upgrades which include updated ceiling panels and lighting.
Variants
The 757 was produced in standard and stretched lengths.[ The original 757-200 debuted as a passenger model, and was subsequently developed into the 757-200PF and 757-200SF cargo models,][ as well as the convertible 757-200M variant.][ The stretched 757-300 was only available as a passenger model.] When referring to different versions, Boeing, and airlines are known to collapse the model number (757) and the variant designator (e.g. or ) into a truncated form (e.g. "752" or "753"). The International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sc ...
(ICAO) classifies all variants based on the under the code "B752", and the is referred to as "B753" for air traffic control purposes.
757-200
The 757-200, the original version of the aircraft, entered service with Eastern Air Lines in 1983.[ The type was produced with two different exit configurations, both with three standard cabin doors per side: the baseline version has a fourth, smaller cabin door on each side aft of the wings, and is certified for a maximum capacity of 239, while the alternate version has a pair of over-the-wing emergency exits on each side, and can seat a maximum of 224.] The 757-200 was offered with a MTOW of up to ;[ some airlines and publications have referred to higher ]gross weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force acting on the object due to gravity.
Some standard textbooks define weight as a vector quantity, the gravitational force acting on the object. Others define weight as a scalar qua ...
versions with ETOPS certification as "757-200ERs", but this designation is not used by the manufacturer.[ Similarly, versions with ]winglets
Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft' ...
are sometimes called "757-200W" or "757-200WL". The first engine to power the 757-200, the Rolls-Royce RB211-535C, was succeeded by the upgraded RB211-535E4 in October 1984. Other engines used include the Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B, along with the Pratt & Whitney PW2037 and PW2040.[ Its range with full payload is .][Flottau, Jens, and Guy Norris, "Filling the gaps", Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15 – February 1, 2015, p. 24]
online version
/ref>
Although designed for short and medium length routes, the 757-200 has since been used in a variety of roles ranging from high-frequency shuttle services to transatlantic routes.[ In 1992, after gaining ETOPS approval, American Trans Air launched 757-200 transpacific services between Tucson and Honolulu.][ Since the turn of the century, mainline U.S. carriers have increasingly deployed the type on transatlantic routes to Europe, and particularly to smaller cities where passenger volumes are insufficient for wide-body aircraft. Production for the 757-200 totaled 913 aircraft, making the type by far the most popular 757 model.][ At over , , the longest commercial route served by a 757 is United Airlines' Newark to Berlin flight; the aircraft assigned to this route cannot fly with full payload. United's 757s assigned to transatlantic routes are fitted with 169 seats.] In July 2018, 611 of the 757-200 versions were in service.[
]
757-200PF
The 757-200PF, the production cargo version of the 757-200, entered service with UPS Airlines in 1987. Targeted at the overnight package delivery market,[ the freighter can carry up to 15 ULD containers or ]pallet
A pallet (also called a skid) is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, a pallet jack, a front loader, a jacking device, or an erect crane. A pallet is the structural foundat ...
s on its main deck, for a volume of up to , while its two lower holds can carry up to of bulk cargo
Bulk cargo is commodity cargo that is transported unpackaged in large quantities.
Description
Bulk cargo refers to material in either liquid or granular, particulate form, as a mass of relatively small solids, such as petroleum/ crude oi ...
.[ The maximum revenue payload capability is including container weight.][ The 757-200PF is specified with a MTOW of for maximal range performance;][ when fully loaded, the aircraft can fly up to .][ Because the freighter does not carry any passengers, it can operate transatlantic flights free of ETOPS restrictions.][ Power is provided by RB211-535E4B engines from Rolls-Royce, or PW2037 and PW2040 engines from Pratt & Whitney.][
The freighter features a large, upward-opening main deck cargo door on its forward port-side fuselage.] Next to this large cargo door is an exit door used by the pilots.[ All other emergency exits are omitted, and cabin windows and passenger amenities are not available.] The main-deck cargo hold has a smooth fiberglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...
lining, and a fixed rigid barrier with a sliding access door serves as a restraint wall next to the flight deck.[ Both lower holds can be equipped with a telescoping baggage system to load custom-fitted cargo modules.][ When equipped for extended-range transatlantic operations, UPS's 757-200PFs feature an upgraded ]auxiliary power unit
An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...
, additional cargo bay fire suppression equipment, enhanced avionics, and an optional supplemental fuel tank in the aft lower hold.[ Total production for the 757-200PF totaled 80 aircraft.][
]
757-200M
The 757-200M, a convertible version capable of carrying cargo and passengers on its main deck, entered service with Royal Nepal Airlines in 1988.[ Also known as the 757-200 Combi, the type retains the passenger windows and cabin doors of the 757-200, while adding a forward port-side cargo door in the manner of the 757-200PF.] Kathmandu-based Royal Nepal Airlines, later renamed Nepal Airlines
Nepal Airlines Corporation ( ne, नेपाल वायुसेवा निगम, Nepāl Vāyusevā Nigam, Nepal Air Service Corporation), formerly known as Royal Nepal Airlines ( ne, शाही नेपाल वायुसेवा, ...
, included the convertible model as part of an order for two 757s in 1986.[
]
Nepal Airlines ordered the 757-200M to fulfill a requirement for an aircraft that could carry mixed passenger and freight loads, and operate out of Tribhuvan International Airport
Tribhuvan International Airport ( Nepali: त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल) (, colloquially referred to as TIA) is an international airport located in Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal. I ...
, with its elevation, in the foothills of the Himalayas. Patterned after convertible variants of the 737 and 747, the 757-200M can carry two to four cargo pallets on its main deck, along with 123 to 148 passengers in the remaining cabin space.[ Nepal Airlines' 757-200M, which features Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4 engines and an increased MTOW of , was the only production example ordered.][
In October 2010, Pemco World Air Services and Precision Conversions launched aftermarket conversion programs to modify 757-200s into 757 Combi aircraft.] Vision Technologies Systems launched a similar program in December 2011. All three aftermarket conversions modify the forward portion of the aircraft to provide room for up to ten cargo pallets, while leaving the remaining space to fit around 45 to 58 passenger seats.[ This configuration is targeted at commercial charter flights which transport heavy equipment and personnel simultaneously.][ Customers for converted 757 Combi aircraft include the ]Air Transport Services Group
Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) is an American aviation holding company which provides air cargo transportation and related services to domestic and foreign air carriers and other companies that outsource their air cargo lift requirements. A ...
,[ National Airlines,][ and ]North American Airlines
North American Airlines, Inc., was a United States airline with its headquarters at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia in Greater Atlanta, United States. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the U.S. to Af ...
.[
In 2018, Nepal Airlines retired their sole Boeing 757-200M. They tried to sell it for a price of $7 million, then $5.4 million, then $4.2 million. The deal fell through and Nepal Airlines planned to keep it in service to maintain its value.
]
757-200 SF/PCF
The 757-200SF is a passenger to freighter conversion developed by Boeing following an order for 34 aircraft plus 10 options by DHL. It entered service in 2001 with the initial ex-British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
aircraft converted at Boeing's Wichita site and subsequent blocks of aircraft converted by Israel Aerospace Industries
Israel Aerospace Industries (Hebrew: התעשייה האווירית לישראל ''ha-ta'asiya ha-avirit le-yisra'el'') or IAI (תע"א) is Israel's major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both mi ...
and ST Aerospace Services. Modifications included the removal of passenger amenities, main deck structural reinforcement, addition of cargo handling flooring and the installation of a 757-200PF port-side cargo door in the forward fuselage. The forward two entry doors and lobby area of the passenger aircraft are retained resulting in a main deck cargo capacity of 14 full sized pallets and one smaller LD3
A unit load device (ULD) is a container used to load luggage, freight, and mail on wide-body aircraft and specific narrow-body aircraft. It allows preloading of cargo, confidence the containerised load will fit in the aircraft and efficient plann ...
.[ Environmental controls can be fitted for animal cargo such as racehorses, and rear exits and window pairs are retained on some aircraft to facilitate animal handlers.ST Aerospace continue to offer 14, 14.5 and 15 ]Unit load device
A unit load device (ULD) is a container used to load luggage, freight, and mail on wide-body aircraft and specific narrow-body aircraft. It allows preloading of cargo, confidence the containerised load will fit in the aircraft and efficient plann ...
variants of the SF in 2020.
In September 2006, FedEx Express
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, is a major American cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2020, it is one of the world's largest airlines in terms of fleet size and freight tons flown. It is the name ...
announced a US$2.6 billion plan to acquire over 80 converted 757 freighters to replace its 727 fleet citing a 25% reduction in operating cost along with noise benefits.
The 757-200PCF is a passenger to freighter conversion, developed by Precision Conversions and certificated in 2005. Reported in 2019 to cost $5 million per aircraft and similar to the SF it has 15 pallet positions. External differences include the removal of the forward passenger style doors and their replacement with a -200PF style small crew door. Internally the main cargo door is not integrated with the base aircraft hydraulic and warning systems and instead operates from a self-contained hydraulic system though powered by the aircraft electrics. By early 2020 a total of 120 757-200PCFs had been delivered.
757-300
The 757-300, the stretched version of the aircraft, entered service with Condor
Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere.
They are:
* The Andean condor (''Vult ...
in 1999.[ With a length of , the type is the longest single-aisle twinjet ever built,] while being shorter than the DC-8-61/63. Designed to serve the charter airline
Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a airline ticket, ticket through a traditional airline).
Regulation
Charter – also called air taxi or ad h ...
market and provide a low-cost replacement for the 767-200, the 757-300 shares the basic design of the original 757, while extending the fuselage forward and aft of the wings.[ Six standard cabin doors, two smaller cabin doors behind the wings, plus a pair of over-the-wing emergency exits on each side,][ enable the 757-300 to have a maximum certified capacity of 295 passengers.][ A higher MTOW of is specified, while fuel capacity remains unchanged; as a result, the stretched variant offers a maximum range of .] Engines used on the type include the RB211-535E4B from Rolls-Royce and the PW2043 from Pratt & Whitney.[ Due to its greater length, the 757-300 features a retractable tailskid on its aft fuselage to avoid ]tailstrike
In aviation, a tailstrike or tail strike occurs when the tail or empennage of an aircraft strikes the ground or other stationary object. This can happen with a fixed-wing aircraft with tricycle undercarriage, in both takeoff where the pilot rotat ...
s.[
Condor ordered the stretched 757 to replace its ]McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is an American trijet wide-body aircraft manufactured by McDonnell Douglas.
The DC-10 was intended to succeed the DC-8 for long-range flights. It first flew on August 29, 1970; it was introduced on August 5, 1971, ...
s and serve as low-cost, high-density transportation to holiday destinations such as the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
. Because tests showed that boarding the 757-300 could take up to eight minutes longer than the 757-200,[ Boeing and Condor developed zone-based boarding procedures to expedite loading and unloading times for the lengthened aircraft.] The 757-300 has been operated by mainline carriers Continental Airlines (now part of United Airlines), Northwest Airlines (now part of Delta Air Lines), and Icelandair; other operators have included American Trans Air (the first North American operator), Arkia Israel Airlines, along with charter carriers Condor and Thomas Cook Airlines
Thomas Cook Airlines Limited was a British charter and scheduled airline headquartered in Manchester, England. It was founded in 2007 from the merger of Thomas Cook Group and MyTravel Group, and was part of the Thomas Cook Group Airlines. It ...
as of 2014. Production for the 757-300 totaled 55 aircraft.[ All 55 were in service in July 2018.][
]
Government, military, and corporate
Government, military, and private customers have acquired the 757 for uses ranging from aeronautical testing and research to cargo and VIP transport. The 757-200, the most widely ordered version of the aircraft, has formed the basis for these applications. The first government operator of the 757 was the Mexican Air Force
The Mexican Air Force (FAM; es, Fuerza Aérea Mexicana) is the primary aerial warfare service branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is a component of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat (SEDENA). The objective of t ...
, which took delivery of a VIP-configured 757-200 in November 1987.
* Airborne Research Integrated Experiments System (ARIES), a NASA platform for air safety
Aviation safety is the study and practice of managing risks in aviation. This includes preventing aviation accidents and incidents through research, educating air travel personnel, passengers and the general public, as well as the design of airc ...
and operational research, was created in 1999 using the second production 757. The aircraft originally flew in the 757 flight test program before entering service with Eastern Air Lines. After NASA purchased the aircraft in 1994 to replace its 737-100 testbed, it was initially used to evaluate a hybrid laminar flow
In fluid dynamics, laminar flow is characterized by fluid particles following smooth paths in layers, with each layer moving smoothly past the adjacent layers with little or no mixing. At low velocities, the fluid tends to flow without lateral mi ...
control system, avionics systems for the proposed Northrop YF-23
The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 is an American single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter aircraft technology demonstrator designed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The design was a finalist in the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter ( ...
jet fighter, and the 777's fly-by-wire control system. Equipped with a flight deck research station, on-board laboratories, and two experimental flight decks, ARIES was used for evaluating weather information and landing approach systems, as well as runway friction tests. ARIES went into storage in 2006.
* C-32 – The United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
operates six 757-200s under the designation C-32. Four are VIP
A very important person or personage (VIP or V.I.P.) is a person who is accorded special privileges due to their high social status, influence or importance. The term was not common until sometime after World War 2 by RAF pilots.
Examples inc ...
-configured C-32A variants, whose mission is primarily transport of the Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
, First Lady
First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
, and Secretary of State. The C-32As are powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW2000
The Pratt & Whitney PW2000, also known by the military designation F117 and initially referred to as the JT10D, is a series of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines with a thrust range from . Built by Pratt & Whitney, they were designed for the ...
, and outfitted with a communication center, conference room, seating area, and private living quarters. The USAF also operates two 45-seat Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to:
* Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct
Automobiles
* Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
powered 757-200 aircraft, designated C-32B Gatekeeper, which provides airlift to special operations units and global emergency response teams. The C-32Bs are outfitted for any contingency, with an advanced communications suite, aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
capabilities, extended fuel tanks, and an internal airstair
An airstair is a set of steps built into an aircraft so that passengers may board and alight the aircraft. The stairs are often built into a clamshell-style door on the aircraft. Airstairs eliminate the need for passengers to use a mobile st ...
. The C-32As are painted in the Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy ( , ; November 5, 1893 – July 14, 1986) was a French-born American industrial designer who achieved fame for the magnitude of his design efforts across a variety of industries. He was recognized for this by ''Time'' magazi ...
-designed blue and white livery used on most Special Air Mission
The United States Air Force Special Air Mission provides air transportation for the president of the United States (POTUS), vice president of the United States (VPOTUS), first lady of the United States (FLOTUS), presidential Cabinet, U.S. congres ...
aircraft, while the C-32Bs are painted gloss white with minimal identification markings. The first C-32s were acquired in 1998 and replaced C-137 Stratoliner
The Boeing C-137 Stratoliner is a retired VIP transport aircraft derived from the Boeing 707 jet airliner used by the United States Air Force. Other nations also bought both new and used 707s for military service, primarily as VIP or tanker t ...
transports.
* F-22 Flying Testbed – the first 757 built was used in 1998 as a testbed for Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is an American single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). As the result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, th ...
avionics and sensor integration. The Boeing-owned aircraft was fitted with a canard above its cockpit to simulate the jet fighter's wing sensor layout, along with a forward F-22 fuselage section with radar and other systems, and a 30-seat laboratory with communication, electronic warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
, identification, and navigation sensors.
* Krueger flap
Krueger flaps, or Krüger flaps, are lift enhancement devices that may be fitted to the leading edge of an aircraft wing. Unlike slats or droop flaps, the main wing upper surface and its nose is not changed. Instead, a portion of the lower wing i ...
and Natural Laminar Flow
In fluid dynamics, laminar flow is characterized by fluid particles following smooth paths in layers, with each layer moving smoothly past the adjacent layers with little or no mixing. At low velocities, the fluid tends to flow without lateral mi ...
Insect Mitigation Test Program – as part of their ecoDemonstrator
The ecoDemonstrator Program is a Boeing flight test research program, which has used a series of specially modified aircraft to develop and test aviation technologies designed to improve fuel economy and reduce the noise and ecological footprint ...
program, Boeing commenced a series of test flights on March 17, 2015 with a modified Boeing 757, incorporating new wing-leading-edge sections and an actively blown vertical tail. The left wing was modified to include a 6.7 m-span glove section supporting a variable-camber Krueger flap to be deployed during landing which protrudes just ahead of the leading edge. Although Krueger flaps have been tried before as insect-mitigation screens, previous designs caused additional drag; the newer design is variable-camber and designed to retract as seamlessly as possible into the lower wing surface. Increasing the use of natural laminar flow (NLF) on an aircraft wing has the potential to improve fuel burn by as much as 15%, but even small contaminants from insect remains will trip the flow from laminar to turbulent, destroying the performance benefit. The test flights have been supported by the European airline group TUI AG
TUI Group is a German leisure, travel and tourism company. TUI is an acronym for ''Touristik Union International'' ("Tourism Union International"). TUI AG was known as Preussag AG until 1997 when the company changed its activities from mining to ...
and conducted jointly with NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
as part of the agency's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) program. While the left wing tests the Kreuger flaps, the right wing is being used to test coatings that prevent insects from adhering to the wing.
* Active Flow Control System – On one aircraft Boeing has mounted 31 active flow jets mounted ahead of the rudder's leading edge. They receive air from the Auxiliary Power Unit
An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles. Aircraft APUs generally produce 115&n ...
(APU). Their purpose is to recover air flow that has separated from the rudder and redirect it to the rudder so that the rudder regains effectiveness, even at high deflection angles. The air exiting the APU is very hot, at , and is cooled by a heat exchanger mounted under the aft fuselage, which is connected to the ducts running along the front and back of the stabilizer's spars. This ensures an even air supply at all times.
* Royal New Zealand Air Force 757 Combi – the Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
(RNZAF) operates two 757s converted to 757-200M standard by ST Aerospace Services for delivering equipment, medical evacuation
Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to wounded being evacuated from a battlefield, to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of a ...
, troop movements, and VIP transport. A cargo door, upgraded auxiliary power unit, enhanced communications systems, and retractable airstair
An airstair is a set of steps built into an aircraft so that passengers may board and alight the aircraft. The stairs are often built into a clamshell-style door on the aircraft. Airstairs eliminate the need for passengers to use a mobile st ...
s are fitted. The two aircraft, which replaced two 727-100QCs, have carried the Prime Minister of New Zealand
The prime minister of New Zealand ( mi, Te pirimia o Aotearoa) is the head of government of New Zealand. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, took office on 26 October 2017.
The prime minister (inform ...
, and flown to the ice-covered Pegasus Field
Pegasus Field was an airstrip in Antarctica, the southernmost of three airfields serving McMurdo Station. It closed due to excessive melting in the summer season caused by warmer temperatures combined with dust and dirt blown in from nearby Bla ...
near New Zealand's Scott Base
Scott Base is a New Zealand Antarctica, Antarctic research station at Pram Point on Ross Island near Mount Erebus in New Zealand's Ross Dependency territorial claim. It was named in honour of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Royal Navy, RN, leader ...
in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.
* VIP transport – the 757-200 serves as VIP transports for the President of Argentina
The president of Argentina ( es, Presidente de Argentina), officially known as the president of the Argentine Nation ( es, Presidente de la Nación Argentina), is both head of state and head of government of Argentina. Under Constitution of Ar ...
under the Presidential Air Group serial '' Tango 01'' and for the President of Mexico
The president of Mexico ( es, link=no, Presidente de México), officially the president of the United Mexican States ( es, link=no, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos), is the head of state and head of government of Mexico. Under the Co ...
under the Mexican Air Force call sign TP01 or ''Transporte Presidencial 1''. A Royal Brunei Airlines
Royal Brunei Airlines Sdn Bhd (RB) ( ms, Penerbangan DiRaja Brunei, Jawi: ) is the national flag carrier airline of Brunei Darussalam, headquartered in the RB Campus in Bandar Seri Begawan. It is wholly owned by the Government of Brunei Da ...
757-200 was used by the Sultan of Brunei
The sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...
in the 1980s before being sold to the Government of Kazakhstan
The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan ( kk, Қазақстан Республикасының Үкіметі, tr, ''Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Ükımetı'') oversees a presidential republic. The President of Kazakhstan, currently Kassym- ...
in 1995. The royal family of Saudi Arabia uses a 757-200 as a flying hospital. Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...
co-founder Paul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American business magnate, computer programmer, researcher, investor, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation with childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975, which h ...
used a private 757 from 2005 until 2011; the aircraft was then sold to Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
and became known as "Trump Force One
Trump Force One is an informal name—analogous to Air Force One—for The Trump Organization's Boeing 757 used by Donald Trump prior to and after his presidency. The name was in use during his presidential campaign of 2016. The 757 was in lon ...
" during his 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.
* Excalibur – a testbed for the British BAE Systems Tempest
The BAE Systems Tempest is a proposed sixth-generation fighter aircraft that is under development in the United Kingdom for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft is intended to enter service from 2035, gradually replacing the Eurofighter Typh ...
's avionics and sensors. The aircraft is to be converted from a civilian airliner by 2Excel.
Proposed
* 757-100 - A 150-seat, short fuselage version intended to offer similar capacity to a 727-200 but with greater range. Both the 757-100 and -200 were announced at the product launch on 31 August 1978, however the large wing and landing gear common with the 757-200 were found to be excessively heavy for an aircraft of that capacity. Planning for the 757-100 was discontinued in March 1979.
Operators
The largest 757 operators are Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express and United Airlines; Delta Air Lines is the largest overall, with a 757 fleet of 127 aircraft .[ American Airlines' 757 fleet of 142 aircraft was the largest until 2007,] when the carrier retired Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered models originating from its TWA
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with ...
acquisition to have an all Rolls-Royce RB211-powered 757 fleet. Delta subsequently acquired 17 former TWA/American Airlines 757s, and in October 2008, gained 45 more 757s from its acquisition of Northwest Airlines.
The cargo carrier with the most 757s is FedEx Express, which operated a 757-200F fleet of 111 aircraft in July 2018.[ UPS Airlines operate a further 75 of the type, with DHL Aviation and its affiliated companies, ]DHL Air UK
DHL Air UK, incorporated as DHL Air Ltd., is a British cargo airline based in Orbital Park, Hounslow, London Borough of Hounslow. It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post and provides services on the group's DHL-branded parcel and express network i ...
, DHL Latin America, European Air Transport Leipzig
European Air Transport Leipzig GmbH, often shortened to EAT Leipzig or EAT-LEJ, is a German cargo airline with its head office and main hub on the grounds of Leipzig/Halle Airport in Schkeuditz. It is wholly owned by Deutsche Post and operates ...
, and Blue Dart Aviation
Blue Dart Aviation is a cargo airline based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It operates with its main base as Chennai International Airport. It serves 7 Indian metro cities. German courier company Deutsche Post owns a 70% stake in the airline th ...
, combined operating 35 cargo 757s of various types in 2018.[
Joint launch customer British Airways operated the 757-200 for 27 years before retiring the type in November 2010. To celebrate the fleet's retirement, the airline unveiled one of its last three 757-200s in a ]retro style
Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from history, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. In popular culture, the "nostalgia cycle" is typically for the two decades that begin 20–30 ...
livery on October 4, 2010, matching the color scheme that it introduced the aircraft into service with in 1983. Subsequently, the type remained in operation with the company's subsidiary, OpenSkies
OpenSkies was a French airline owned by International Airlines Group (IAG) which operated under the Level brand prior to closing down, and before that operated under its own brand name. Its headquarters were located in Rungis, near Paris.
...
.
Over the duration of the program, 1,050 Boeing 757s were built[ with 1,049 aircraft delivered.][ The prototype 757 remained with the manufacturer for testing purposes.] In August 2020, a total of 642 Boeing 757 aircraft of all variants were in commercial service with operators Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
(127), FedEx Express
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, is a major American cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2020, it is one of the world's largest airlines in terms of fleet size and freight tons flown. It is the name ...
(107), UPS Airlines
UPS Airlines is a major American cargo airline based in Louisville, Kentucky. The second-largest cargo airline worldwide ( in terms of freight volume flown), UPS Airlines flies to 815 destinations worldwide. A wholly owned subsidiary of UPS (Unit ...
(75), United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. (72), Icelandair
Icelandair is the flag carrier airline of Iceland, with its corporate head office on the property of Reykjavík Airport in the capital city Reykjavik.
Linked from here
It is part of the Icelandair Group and operates to destinations on both si ...
(27) and others with fewer aircraft of the type.[
]
Orders and deliveries
Boeing 757 orders and deliveries (cumulative, by year):
ImageSize = width:auto height:250 barincrement:38
PlotArea = left:35 bottom:15 top:10 right:18
AlignBars = justify
DateFormat = yyyy
Period = from:0 till:1100
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:100 start:0
PlotData=
color:skyblue width:38
bar:1978 from:start till:38 text:38 align:center
bar:1979 from:start till:38 text:38 align:center
bar:1980 from:start till:102 text:102 align:center
bar:1981 from:start till:105 text:105 align:center
bar:1982 from:2 till:107 text:107 align:center
bar:1983 from:27 till:133 text:133 align:center
bar:1984 from:45 till:135 text:135 align:center
bar:1985 from:81 till:180 text:180 align:center
bar:1986 from:116 till:193 text:193 align:center
bar:1987 from:156 till:239 text:239 align:center
bar:1988 from:204 till:387 text:387 align:center
bar:1989 from:255 till:553 text:553 align:center
bar:1990 from:332 till:648 text:648 align:center
bar:1991 from:412 till:698 text:698 align:center
bar:1992 from:511 till:733 text:733 align:center
bar:1993 from:582 till:766 text:766 align:center
bar:1994 from:651 till:778 text:778 align:center
bar:1995 from:694 till:791 text:791 align:center
bar:1996 from:736 till:850 text:850 align:center
bar:1997 from:782 till:894 text:894 align:center
bar:1998 from:836 till:944 text:944 align:center
bar:1999 from:903 till:962 text:962 align:center
bar:2000 from:948 till:1005 text:1005 align:center
bar:2001 from:993 till:1042 text:1042 align:center
bar:2002 from:1022 till:1042 text:1042 align:center
bar:2003 from:1036 till:1049 text:1049 align:center
bar:2004 from:1047 till:1049 text:1049 align:center
color:powderblue width:38
bar:2005 from:1049 till:1049 text:1049 align:center
color:green width:38–
bar:1982 from:start till:2 text:2 align:center
bar:1983 from:start till:27 text:27 align:center
bar:1984 from:start till:45 text:45 align:center
bar:1985 from:start till:81 text:81 align:center
bar:1986 from:start till:116 text:116 align:center
bar:1987 from:start till:156 text:156 align:center
bar:1988 from:start till:204 text:204 align:center
bar:1989 from:start till:255 text:255 align:center
bar:1990 from:start till:332 text:332 align:center
bar:1991 from:start till:412 text:412 align:center
bar:1992 from:start till:511 text:511 align:center
bar:1993 from:start till:582 text:582 align:center
bar:1994 from:start till:651 text:651 align:center
bar:1995 from:start till:694 text:694 align:center
bar:1996 from:start till:736 text:736 align:center
bar:1997 from:start till:782 text:782 align:center
bar:1998 from:start till:836 text:836 align:center
bar:1999 from:start till:903 text:903 align:center
bar:2000 from:start till:948 text:948 align:center
bar:2001 from:start till:993 text:993 align:center
bar:2002 from:start till:1022 text:1022 align:center
bar:2003 from:start till:1036 text:1036 align:center
bar:2004 from:start till:1047 text:1047 align:center
bar:2005 from:start till:1049 text:1049 align:center
* Data from Boeing, through the end of production[
]
Model summary
* Data from Boeing, through the end of production
Accidents and incidents
, the 757 has been involved in 40 aviation occurrences, including 12 hull-loss
A hull loss is an aviation accident that catastrophically damages the aircraft beyond economical repair, resulting in a total loss. The term also applies to situations in which the aircraft is missing, the search for their wreckage is terminate ...
accidents. Nine incidents and 12 hijackings have resulted in a total of occupant fatalities. The first fatal event involving the aircraft occurred on October 2, 1990, when a hijacked Xiamen Airlines
XiamenAir, also known as Xiamen Airlines, is a Chinese passenger airline based in Xiamen, Fujian Province. The airline operates scheduled passenger flights out of Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport and, to a lesser extent, Beijing Daxing Interna ...
737 collided with a China Southern Airlines
China Southern Airlines Company Limited is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province and is the largest airline in China. Established on 1 July 1988 following the restructuring of ...
757 on the runways of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is the major airport of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in Southern China. Both airport codes were inherited from the former Baiyun Airport, and the IATA code is derived from Guangzhou's historical romani ...
, China, killing 46 of the 122 people on board. Two 757-200s were hijacked on September 11, 2001 during a coordinated terrorist attack in the United States; hijackers crashed American Airlines Flight 77
American Airlines Flight 77 was a scheduled American Airlines domestic transcontinental passenger flight from Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia, to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California. The Boe ...
into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing all 64 on board and 125 on the ground, and United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight that was hijacked by four al-Qaeda attackers aboard the plane on the morning of September 11, 2001, as part of the September 11 attacks. The plane eventually crashed in Som ...
was also hijacked, and crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing all 44 on board.
Accidents involving pilot error
Pilot error generally refers to an Aviation accidents and incidents, accident in which an action or decision made by the Aircraft pilot#Airline, pilot was the cause or a contributing factor that led to the accident, but also includes the pi ...
include American Airlines Flight 965
American Airlines Flight 965 was a regularly scheduled flight from Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the greater Miami metropolitan a ...
, which crashed into a mountain in Buga, Colombia, on December 20, 1995, killing 151 passengers and eight crew members with four survivors, and the mid-air collision of DHL Flight 611
DHL is an American founded, German logistics company providing courier, package delivery and express mail service, which is a division of the German logistics firm Deutsche Post. The company group delivers over 1.8 billion parcels per year. DHL ...
near Überlingen
Überlingen is a German city on the northern shore of Lake Constance (Bodensee) in Baden-Württemberg near the border with Switzerland. After the city of Friedrichshafen, it is the second largest city in the Bodenseekreis (district), and a cent ...
, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on July 1, 2002, with the loss of the two people on board plus 69 on a Bashkirian Airlines
BAL – Bashkirian Airlines (russian: «Башкирские авиалинии», ba, «БАЛ Башҡортостан авиалиниялары») was an airline with its head office on the property of Ufa International Airport in Ufa, R ...
Tupolev Tu-154
The Tupolev Tu-154 (russian: Tyполев Ту-154; NATO reporting name: "Careless") is a three-engined, medium-range, narrow-body airliner designed in the mid-1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. A workhorse of Soviet and (subsequently) Russian ...
.[ The American Airlines Flight 965 crash was blamed on navigational errors by the crew,][ while the collision of DHL Flight 611 involved ]air traffic control
Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airs ...
errors, but was mainly blamed on the Tupolev's crew not following a TCAS resolution advisory. Accidents attributed to spatial disorientation
Spatial disorientation results in a person being unable to determine their position or relative motion, commonly occurring during periods of challenging visibility, since vision is the dominant sense for orientation. The auditory system, vestibular ...
due to improperly maintained instruments include Birgenair Flight 301 on February 6, 1996, which crashed into the ocean near Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, with the loss of all 189 passengers and crew, and Aeroperú Flight 603 on October 2, 1996, which crashed into the ocean off the coast of Pasamayo, Peru, with the loss of all 70 on board.[ In the Birgenair accident, investigators found that the aircraft had been stored without the necessary covers for its pitot tube sensors, thus allowing insects and debris to collect within, while in the Aeroperú accident, protective tape covering Pitot-static system, static vent sensors had not been removed.][
Two private aircraft crashes were blamed on ]wake turbulence
Wake turbulence is a disturbance in the atmosphere that forms behind an aircraft as it passes through the air. It includes variety of elements, the most significant of which are wingtip vortices and jetwash. Jetwash refers to the rapidly moving g ...
emanating from 757s.[ On December 18, 1992, a Cessna Citation crashed near Billings Logan International Airport in Montana, killing all six aboard, and on December 15, 1993, an IAI Westwind crashed near John Wayne Airport in California, killing all five aboard.][ Both airplanes had been flying less than behind a 757.][ The FAA subsequently increased the required separation between small aircraft and 757s from to .][
On September 14, 1999, Britannia Airways Flight 226A crash landed near Girona-Costa Brava Airport, Spain, during a thunderstorm; the 757's fuselage broke into several pieces.][ The 245 occupants evacuated successfully, with 40 requiring hospital treatment. On October 25, 2010, American Airlines Flight 1640, a 757 flying between Miami and Boston, safely returned to Miami after suffering the loss of a fuselage section at an altitude of approximately .] After investigating the incident, the FAA ordered all 757 operators in the U.S. to regularly inspect upper fuselage sections of their aircraft for Fatigue (material), structural fatigue.
On April 7, 2022, a DHL Aero Expreso, DHL Boeing 757 aircraft operating DHL Aero Expreso Flight 7216, Flight 7216 crash landed at Juan Santamaría International Airport, San Jose, Costa Rica after attempting an emergency landing due to a hydraulic failure. Both crew members survived without injuries, the incident is under investigation.
Aircraft on display
A Delta Air Lines 757-200, registered as N608DA, is on display at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta, Georgia. The aircraft was the sixty-fourth example built. Prior to being moved to its permanent location, the aircraft was repainted into Delta's 'Widget' livery, the livery it wore when it was originally delivered; it is now on static display at the museum entrance.[
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{{Authority control
Boeing 757,
Boeing aircraft, 757
1980s United States airliners
1980s United States cargo aircraft
Twinjets
Aircraft first flown in 1982
Low-wing aircraft