The Boeing 757-200 is a twin-engine short-to-medium-range jetliner. It incorporates advanced technology for exceptional fuel efficiency, low noise levels, increased passenger comfort and top operating performance. The 757 offers other virtues as well, including great versatility by reducing airport congestion.

The 757 can fly both long- and short-range routes and its broad use effectively lends itself to "hub-and-spoke" planning.

Designed to carry 200 passengers in a typical mixed-class configuration, the 757-200 can accommodate up to 228 passengers in charter service, putting its capacity between that of the Boeing 737-900, and the 757-300.

The 757-200 and twin-aisle 767 were developed concurrently, so both share the same technological advancements in propulsion, aerodynamics, avionics and materials. This commonality reduces training and spares requirements when both are operated in the same fleet.

Because of these features, many airline operators operate both 757 and 767 airplanes.

The U. S. Federal Aviation Administration certified the aircraft Dec. 21, 1982, after 1,380 hours of flight testing over a 10-month period.

First delivery of a 757-200 took place Dec. 22, 1982, to launch customer Eastern Airlines. Eastern placed the aircraft into service Jan. 1, 1983. On Jan. 14, 1983, the British Civil Aviation Authority certified the 757-200 to fly in the United Kingdom. British Airways, another launch customer for the 757-200, is now a major operator of the twinjet.

Final assembly of the 757-200, 757-300 and the 757 Freighter is done in the Renton plant. Parts and assemblies for the airplanes are provided by Boeing plants in Auburn and Spokane, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; and Wichita, Kan., as well as by nearly 700 external suppliers.

New overhead stow bins and the new sculptured ceiling have smoother curves, giving the cabin a more open, spacious feeling. A handrail that extends along the bottom of the stow bins as well as a moveable cabin class divider also are available.

The 757-200 also is equipped with vacuum lavatories. For airlines, that means reduced service time.

A fully integrated flight management computer system (FMCS) provides for automatic guidance and control of the 757-200 from immediately after takeoff to final approach and landing.

The precision of global positioning satellite (GPS) system navigation, automated air traffic control functions, and advanced guidance and communications features are now available as part of the new Future Air Navigation System (FANS) flight management computer.
The captain and the first officer each have a pair of electronic displays for primary flight instrumentation.

The engine indicating and crew alerting system, often called EICAS, monitors and displays engine performance and airplane system status before takeoff. It also provides caution and warning alerts to the flight crew if necessary. EICAS monitoring also aids ground crews by providing maintenance information.

The 757-200 is available with a wind shear detection system that alerts flight crews and provides flight-path guidance to cope with it.
Flight decks of the 757 and 767 are nearly identical and both aircraft have a common type-rating. Pilots qualified to fly one of the aircraft also can fly the other with only minimal additional familiarization.

Built-in test equipment helps ground crews troubleshoot avionics and airplane systems quickly for easier maintenance than on earlier aircraft.

The 757's wing is less swept and is thicker through the center than earlier aircraft, permitting a longer span. Its lower surface is slightly flatter, and the leading edge somewhat sharper. Taken together, these changes improve lift and reduce drag for greater aerodynamic efficiency and lower fuel consumption.

With the improved wing design, less engine power is required for takeoff and landing. Even with full passenger payload, the 757-200 can operate from runways as short as those used by the much smaller 737-200 jetliner. In addition, the 757 can reach a higher cruise altitude more quickly than many other jetliners.

These improvements reduce community noise of the already quiet 757-200 engines. In fact, noise

Lightweight materials contribute to the overall efficiency of the 757 models.

Improved aluminum alloys, primarily in the wing skins, save 610 pounds (276 kilograms).
Advanced composites such as graphite/epoxy are used in control surfaces (including rudder, elevators and ailerons), aerodynamic fairings, engine cowlings and landing gear doors for a weight savings of 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms).
Another 650 pounds (295 kilograms) of weight savings is attributable to carbon brakes, which have the added advantage of longer service life than conventional steel brakes.

In April 1992, the FAA granted 180-minute ETOPS certification for the 757-200 equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW2000-series engines. This followed the FAA's previous certification of Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered 757-200s for 120-minute operation in April 1990.

For added reliability on ETOPS flights, the 757 is available with extended range features, including a backup hydraulic-motor generator and an auxiliary fan to cool equipment in the electronics bay. High-gross-weight versions of the aircraft can fly 4,500 statute miles (7,240 kilometers) nonstop with full passenger payload.

These system attributes contribute to the 757's versatility, allowing it to serve more markets

Major features include

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training.

Powerplants for the 757PF are the Pratt & Whitney PW2000 series and the Rolls Royce RB211-535E4 and E4-B engines.

The 757-300 is a stretched version of the 757-200, measuring 23 feet 4 inches (7.1 meters) longer. The extra length allows it to carry 20 percent more passengers than the 757-200 and increases the available cargo volume by nearly 50 percent. Because of its additional capacity, the 757-300 has about 10 percent lower seat-mile operating costs than the 757-200, which already has the lowest seat-mile operating cost in its market segment.

In addition, the 757-300 shares a common type rating with the 767. This allows any pilot trained to fly one model to be qualified to fly the other model with minimal additional familiarization, saving training time and costs. Commonality offers airlines other benefits such as improved operating efficiency from reducing spares inventories, lowering training requirements and greater flexibility in assigning flight crews.

The Boeing 757-300 was launched Sept. 2, 1996, with an order from Condor Flugdienst, a German charter airline

The new interior offers passengers a spacious, user-friendly cabin with comfortable, aesthetically pleasing surroundings and gives operators a cabin that is both durable and flexible.

The interior features new soft, indirect lighting that enhances cabin ambience along with a smooth sculptured ceiling, giving the cabin a more open, spacious feel. The curved ceiling panels offer up to three additional inches of headroom.

Longer overhead stowage bins give passengers more storage space. The additional space was created by advanced engineering on the bins that eliminated the need for an internal support brace. A handrail that extends along the bottom of the stowbins and a moveable cabin class divider also is available

A computerized, fully integrated flight management system (FMS) provides for automatic guidance and control of the airplane from immediately after takeoff to final approach and landing. Linking together digital processors controlling navigation, guidance and engine thrust, the FMS assures that the aircraft flies the most efficient route and flight profile for reduced fuel consumption, flight time and crew workload.

The pilot and the copilot each have a pair of electronic displays for primary flight instrumentation and navigation. One display shows an electronic attitude director indicator and the other an electronic horizontal situation indicator.

Several flight deck improvements have been made on both the 757-300 and the 757-200.

Engines are available from Rolls-Royce or Pratt & Whitney in thrust ratings of 43,500 (193.5kN) and 42,600 pounds (189.4kN) respectively.

The wings on both the 757-300 and 757-200 are less swept and thicker through the center than those on earlier Boeing airplanes, permitting a longer span. The lower wing surface is slightly flatter, and the leading edge is somewhat sharper. This improves lift, reduces drag and makes for improved aerodynamic efficiency and low fuel consumption.

The only difference between the 757-300 and the 757-200 wing is that the former has been structurally reinforced to handle the increased load

Because the airplane is longer, Boeing made several modifications to protect against possible damage from tail strikes during takeoffs and landings. A retractable tail skid similar to that on the 777-300 was added. It has a body-contact indicator that lets the pilot know if the body of the airplane has made contact with the ground, despite the tail skid

In 18 years of operation, the 757 fleet has flown the equivalent of nearly 25,000 roundtrips between the Earth and the Moon

The 757 fleet has produced over 24 million hours of service for its operators, equivalent to about 2,750 years of continuous service.

The 757 Freighter can hold over 6 million golf balls.

At 255,000 pounds (115,660 kilograms), the 757 weighs as much as a diesel train locomotive.

The surface area of a pair of 757 wings is 1,951 square feet (181 square meters), about the same as the floor space of a three-bedroom house in the U.S.

There are about 626,000 parts in a 757. About 600,000 bolts and rivets fasten those parts together. The length of all wires in the twinjet is about 60 miles (100 kilometers).

Airlines fly the versatile 757 on a wide variety of routes. The twinjet is used to serve city pairs as far as 4,281 statute miles (6,890 kilometers) and as close as 65 statute miles (105 kilometers).

The common 757/767 cockpit type-rating permits flight crews trained on the 757 to also fly the 767.

The new interior provides passengers comfortable, aesthetically pleasing surroundings and gives operators a cabin that is both durable and flexible.

When passengers walk into the forward cabin entryway of the 757, they immediately get the feel of the new interior. The number of ceiling and wall panels are reduced, giving the entryway a smoother, cleaner look. All signs are located in designated areas instead of being spread about the entryway.

The flight attendant station is restyled so cabin controls are consolidated in one panel, making it easier for attendants to lower lights and turn on music.

A single handset located below the panel serves as both cabin interphone and intercom. Storage areas at the bottom of the station provide stowage room for emergency equipment.

With two 40-inch doors apiece, the overhead bins are more accessible to passengers and flight attendants storing or retrieving carry-on items. Each sturdy stow bin is 80 inches long and carries up to 160 pounds worth of carry-on items.

The 80-inch ceiling panels are easier for maintenance technicians to install and remove and easier to clean.

Airlines have the option of adding ceiling-mounted storage bins for life rafts and other emergency equipment, or miscellaneous stowage items such as duty-free goods in the forward, center and aft cabins. The ceiling-mounted storage bins minimize the need to store emergency equipment in stow bins.