The new interior features soft, blue-sky lighting overhead and passengers will immediately sense a soft blue sky overhead, created with colored light emitting diode or LED ceiling lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness.

The new design offers larger, pivoting overhead stowage bins that add to the openness of the cabin. The bins give more passengers room to store a carry-on roll-aboard near their own seat, adding both extra convenience and extra legroom.

Boeing redesigned reading-light switches so passengers can find them more easily and avoid accidentally pressing the flight-attendant call button.

Speakers are integrated into each row’s passenger-service unit to improve sound and clarity of public address operations, while the new integrated air vent and improved noise-dampening materials reduce overall cabin noise.

Boeing recently completed work on the first BBJ 3 (Boeing Business Jet). The BBJ 3 is a new, larger business jet based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range). The BBJ 3 has 1,120 square feet (104 square meters) of floor space, and provides 35 percent more interior space and 89 percent more luggage space than the BBJ 2. The BBJ 3’s range is between 5,435 nmi (10,066 km) and 4,725 nmi (8,751 km) depending on the number of passengers flown.

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The Boeing Company recorded 1,413 net commercial airplane orders during 2007, reaching more than 1,000 orders for an unprecedented third consecutive year, and setting a Boeing record for total orders in a single year.
Boeing also set new order records for the 787 Dreamliner, the 737, and for Boeing freighters.

The 2007 total surpasses the previous Boeing records of 1,044 net orders in 2006 and the 1,002 orders set in 2005. Gross orders in 2007, which exclude cancellations and conversions, totaled 1,423. Boeing recorded 1,050 gross orders in 2006 and 1,029 gross orders in 2005. Unfilled orders for Boeing Commercial Airplanes is now over 3,400 airplanes.
“It has been another strong year for commercial aviation, and we are grateful for our customers’ trust in our team, and our products and services,” said Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer. “We deeply appreciate the role we play in our customers’ plans for growth and success, and we are focused on meeting our commitments.

“Clearly we’ve had our share of challenges during the past year, but our customers understand the issues, and market acceptance of our products and services has been nothing short of remarkable,” Carson said. “With a balanced base of customers from all regions of the world, from airlines with varied business models, and with strong orders across our product line, we are now focused on executing this strong backlog position.”
In total, 80 different customers ordered Boeing airplanes in 2007, including passenger airlines, cargo carriers, leasing companies, and unidentified customers.

Boeing may decide to launch a replacement programme for the 737 before May 2009.

Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president, says the company will “likely” decide on a single-aisle replacement within 18 months. A final decision must be made by the company by 2012, he adds.

A Boeing spokeswoman confirms Carson’s remarks, which were reported in the French newspaper Le Monde.

The new timeline means Boeing could be seeking to advance the development schedule for the 737 replacement.

In the past, company officials have stated that technology to justify a 737 replacement would not become available until at least 2015.

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Boeing Co. said Thursday its first 737-700ER passenger jet rolled out of a Renton, Wash., manufacturing facility earlier this week.

The airplane, which was completed Tuesday, will receive a painted livery and go through preflight testing before delivery to launch customer Japan’s All Nippon Airways, according to a Boeing release.

The "ER" in the designator refers to "extended range." The plane can fly as far as 5,510 nautical miles, which is up to 2,145 nautical miles farther than the current 737-700.

The airplane is designed for long-range commercial applications with a flexible cabin that may range from a 48-person, all-business-class, to a more traditional 126-seat count.

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Boeing recently began final assembly of the first Next-Generation 737-700ER (Extended Range), one of the newest members of the worlds most successful single-aisle airplane family.
The wings, shown here, and landing gear are being joined to the 737-700ER fuselage in the Boeing manufacturing facility in Renton, WA.

Last-stage assembly and interiors installation will begin once the airplane joins the moving assembly line. All Nippon Airways (ANA) is to receive the airplane in early 2007.

Boeing launched the Next-Generation 737-700ER last January following an order conversion from ANA for two airplanes. According to the company, the 737-700ER has the longest range capability of any 737 family member in regular commercial service. The company says it’s able to serve new nonstop, point-to-point routes profitably.

In a release, Boeing says the 737-700ER was inspired by the Boeing Business Jet family. It features the fuselage of the 737-700 and the wings and landing gear of the larger 737-800.

Boeing claims it’s high-performance derivative can fly up to 2,145 nautical miles farther than the current 737-700. With up to nine optional auxiliary fuel tanks and optional blended winglets, the 737-700ER is capable of flying up to 5,510 nautical miles.

According to information on Boeing’s website, the 737-700 lists for $54 – $64 million each — the company doesn’t list a price for the -700ER derivative. The 737-900ER lists for $70 to $80 million each.

Boeing Business Jets today celebrates its 10-year anniversary by launching the newest member of its business jet family — the BBJ 3. The airplane, which is based on the new Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range), won two orders from undisclosed customers.

The new BBJ 3 is the largest BBJ family member and offers 1,120 square feet (104 square meters) of cabin space, 35 percent more than the BBJ and 11 percent more than the BBJ 2. With up to eight auxiliary fuel tanks, the BBJ 3 has a maximum range of 5,475 nautical miles (10,140 km).

In addition to the two BBJ 3 orders, Boeing Business Jets has secured 10 new orders for BBJs in the last 11 months, bringing total program sales to 114 airplanes.

For the second consecutive year, The Boeing Co. has sold more than 500 of its popular 737.

Boeing added 26 more of the Renton-built, single-aisle jets to its 2006 order book Thursday, pushing its net order total for the year for that model to 503. The company did not identify the customer or customers for the latest 737s.

Indonesian dancers waving yellow flags highlighted the rollout ceremony for the first 737-900-E-R.

The Indonesian airline Lion Air is the launch customer for the newest and largest member of the 737 family. It can carry as many as 215 passengers on flights as far as 37-hundred miles. The airline has ordered 60 of the planes to expand operations in Asia.More than one-thousand employees and guests filled a Boeing hangar at the factory in Renton for today’s rollout.

737-900ER

The 737-900ER is the newest addition to the Boeing 737 family and was introduced to meet the range and passenger capacity of the discontinued 757-200 (the B757-300 model will be replaced by the new 787 Dreamliner), with new exit doors and fuel tanks. The rear pressure bulkhead was flattened and there were other aerodynamic changes over the -900 variant. Its advanced wing aerofoil design provides an economic cruise speed of Mach 0.78 with sprint capability of Mach 0.82. Lion Air of Indonesia launched the 737-900ER. An executive conversion is offered as the BBJ3.

The 737-900ER typically seats 180 passengers in a 2-class configuration, but in a single-class layout seats up to 215 passengers. Powered by the same CFMI CFM56-7 engines as the -700ER model , the 900ER has a range of 5,900km (3,200 nautical miles). Final assembly of the first Boeing 737-900ER began in June 2006.

The direct Airbus equivalent is the A321, though the 737-900 is slightly smaller.