Germania Breaks Distance Record in Boeing 737-700
German tour operator Germania Fluggesellschaft mbH today helped The Boeing Company's newest jetliner -- the 737-700 -- set a new distance record, flying the single-aisle plane nonstop from Seattle to Berlin.
The 737-700, the first of the Next-Generation 737 family to enter service, weighed in at 62,248 kilograms before takeoff. The plane departed Seattle's Boeing Field at 4:26 p.m. PST (0026 Universal Takeoff Time), Tuesday, March 10 and arrived in Berlin at 10:53 a.m. local time (1053 UTC) Wednesday, March 11. The 9 hour 27 minute flight spanned 4,511 nautical miles, breaking the international record in the 60,000-80,000-kg weight class. The previous record -- 3,385 nautical miles -- was set in 1993 by another Boeing jetliner, the MD-83.
The airplane, painted in TUI/Germania livery, was fully configured for passenger service, with 144 seats. Among those participating in the record-breaking flight were Germania Managing Director Peter Kiessling, team leader; Germania Director-Flight Operations/Chief Pilot Thomas Scheel along with accompanying crew and staff; representatives from Boeing; and engine maker CFMI. The official observer aboard the flight was Jack Sweeney, a board member of the National Aeronautical Association, USA.
Aviation authorities from the United States, Germany and France are expected to accept the flight as a new international record for its weight class.
"This record-breaking flight is a testament to the design and quality of the Next-Generation 737-700 -- and to the Boeing workers who make it," said Germania's Kiessling. "In terms of range, new passenger-interior appearance, efficiency and reduced emissions, the -700 is perfect for us."
Germania's delivery marks the first of 12 737-700s the airline has ordered. Its all-Boeing fleet also includes 13 737-300s.
"We have had a good relationship with Germania and are pleased they continue to choose Boeing airplanes," said Jack Gucker, vice president - 737/757 Derivative Programs. "We have a lot of confidence in the -700 and we're happy to see it accomplish what we expect of it. Based on their needs, the 737-700 will serve them well."
The Next-Generation 737 family -- the 737-600/-700/-800/-900 models are designed to fly higher, faster, farther and quieter than previous models and continues to be the fastest-selling jetliner model in history. The Next-Generation 737 models are particularly popular among environmentally conscious carriers because of lower noise and emissions than competing aircraft.
The 737-700 is powered by new CFM56-7 engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric of the U.S. and Snecma of France.