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The Boeing 737-300 program was launched in March 1981. The market
requirements for this
derivative airplane became clear during the late 1970s in an
environment of airline deregulation and
the fierce competition that followed.
As a result of increased competition, there were changes in the
way air routes were served at that
time. Airplanes flew into airports operated as hubs, then dispersed
into a spoke configuration, often
to short distance destinations. The 737 proved ideal for airlines
operating frequent
short-to-medium-range routes.
A fuselage extension of 104 inches (2.6 m) allowed the 737-300 to accommodate
seats for up to
20 more passengers than its predecessor, the 737-200 model. In mixed-class
service with 36/32-inch pitch (91/81 cm), the -300 seats 128 passengers;
in an all-tourist arrangement at
32-inch pitch (81 cm), seating is 140. For inclusive-tour charter service
(30-inch pitch, or 76 cm), a maximum of 149 passengers can be carried.
From the outset, one of the main objectives of the 737-300 program
was to maintain commonality
with the existing fleet. The airplane would use new and larger
CFM56-3 engines, an
advanced-technology flight deck and a common airframe. These
features afforded airlines a lower
investment in spares, interchangeable flight crews, and less
ground support equipment and
maintenance training. New aluminum alloys and composites were
used to reduce the airplane's
weight and aerodynamic improvements were adapted from the 757
and 767 airplanes.
Unlike its predecessor, the 737-200, which was powered by Pratt
& Whitney JT8D engines
mounted against the underside of the wing in long, thin nacelles,
the power plants for the 737-300 --
as well as all subsequent versions of the 737 -- are mounted
forward of the wing on struts.
Relocating engine accessories from the bottom of the engine to
the side and flattening the bottom of
the inlet lip solved the ground-clearance problem created by
the larger engines. In addition, the nose
wheel unit was attached five inches lower on the fuselage.
Besides the new engines, the flight deck of the 737-300 was upgraded
to make use of digital
technology like that of the 757 and 767 airplanes. These electronics
systems provide concise flight
information, which allows increased fuel efficiency and improves
the airplane's ability to land in bad
weather.
The 737-300 also borrowed the 757's interior appointments, which
include large enclosed bins,
galleys and lavatories located fore and aft; and a wider cabin
that allows airlines to choose a larger
aisle or seats or more window-seat headroom.
The first 737-300 rolled out of Boeing's Renton, Wash., plant
on Jan. 17, 1984, and made its initial
flight Feb. 24, 1984. That began a nine-month flight test program,
during which a fleet of three
737-300s logged nearly 1,300 hours in the air.
Certification of the 737-300 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
was awarded Nov. 14,
1984. First deliveries of the new aircraft occurred Nov. 28,
1984, to USAir and Nov. 30, 1984, to
Southwest Airlines. Both carriers put their new aircraft into
revenue service during December 1984.
The British Civil Aviation Authority granted certification on
Jan. 29, 1985, the same day that Orion
Airways of Great Britain became the first non-U.S. customer to
take delivery.