Controversial Boeing 737: The World's Most Debated Commercial Airliner

Renowned aviation historian and author Graham M. Simons delves deeply into the history of the 737 in this comprehensive study, examining its design and introduction. The Boeing 737, developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, a division of the Boeing Company, is an American short- to medium-range twinjet narrow-body airliner. Originally envisioned as a cost-effective twin-engine airliner based on the 707 and 727, the 737 has evolved into a family of passenger models with capacities ranging from 85 to 215 passengers. The most recent version, the 737 MAX, has been embroiled in a global controversy.

In 1964, the first 737-100 took its inaugural flight, and in February 1968, it entered airline service with Lufthansa. The 737 has become one of the best-selling commercial jetliners in history and has been in production since 1967. The 10,000th example was rolled out on March 13, 2018. However, the 737’s development took a different turn, demonstrating a shift from an engineering-focused structure to a number-driven powerbase that led to compromises in safety methods and ultimately resulted in the 737 MAX. This model, which entered service in 2017, was grounded worldwide in March 2019 following two catastrophic crashes.

In this insightful examination of the Boeing 737, Graham M. Simons sheds light on its design, development, and service since 1967. He also delves into the darker side of the 737's history, revealing the politics, power struggles, changes in management ideology, and battles with Airbus that culminated in the 737 MAX debacle, posing a threat to Boeing's survival.

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