Boeing 727 in the context of "Flight engineer"

A trijet is a jet aircraft powered by three jet engines. In general, passenger airline trijets are considered to be second-generation jet airliners, due to their innovative engine locations, in addition to the advancement of turbofan technology. Trijets are more efficient than quadjets, but not as efficient as twinjets, which replaced trijets as larger and more reliable turbofan engines became available.

The Boeing 707 is an early American long-range narrow-body airliner, the first jetliner developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.Developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, the initial 707-120 first flew on December 20, 1957.Pan Am began regular 707 service on October 26, 1958.With versions produced until 1979, the 707 is a swept wing quadjet with podded engines. Its larger fuselage cross-section allowed six-abreast economy seating, retained in the later 720, 727, 737, and 757 models.

Although it was not the first commercial jetliner in service, the 707 was the first to be widespread, and is often credited with beginning the Jet Age. It dominated passenger air-transport in the 1960s, and remained common through the 1970s, on domestic, transcontinental, and transatlantic flights, as well as cargo and military applications. It established Boeing as a dominant airliner manufacturer with its 7x7 series.The initial, 145-foot-long (44 m) 707-120 was powered by Pratt & Whitney JT3C turbojet engines.The shortened, long-range 707-138 and the more powerful 707-220 entered service in 1959.The longer-range, heavier 707-300/400 series has larger wings and is stretched slightly by 8 feet (2.4 m).Powered by Pratt & Whitney JT4A turbojets, the 707-320 entered service in 1959, and the 707-420 with Rolls-Royce Conway turbofans in 1960.

The Boeing 737 is an American narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton factory in Washington.Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retained the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating but with two underwing Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofan engines. Envisioned in 1964, the initial 737-100 made its first flight in April 1967 and entered service in February 1968 with Lufthansa.The lengthened 737-200 entered service in April 1968, and evolved through four generations, offering several variants for 85 to 215 passengers.

The first generation 737-100/200 variants were powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D low-bypass turbofan engines and offered seating for 85 to 130 passengers. Launched in 1980 and introduced in 1984, the second generation 737 Classic -300/400/500 variants were upgraded with more fuel-efficient CFM56-3 high-bypass turbofans and offered 110 to 168 seats. Introduced in 1997, the third generation 737 Next Generation (NG) -600/700/800/900 variants have updated CFM56-7 high-bypass turbofans, a larger wing and an upgraded glass cockpit, and seat 108 to 215 passengers. The fourth and latest generation, the 737 MAX -7/8/9/10 variants, powered by improved CFM LEAP-1B high-bypass turbofans and accommodating 138 to 204 people, entered service in 2017.Boeing Business Jet versions have been produced since the 737NG, as well as military models.

The Boeing 757 is an American narrow-body airliner designed and built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.The then-named 7N7, a twinjet successor for the trijet 727, received its first orders in August 1978.The prototype completed its maiden flight on February 19, 1982, and it was FAA certified on December 21, 1982.Eastern Air Lines placed the initial 757-200 variant in commercial service on January 1, 1983.A package freighter (PF) variant entered service in September 1987 and a combi model in September 1988.The stretched 757-300 was launched in September 1996 and began service in March 1999. After 1,050 had been built for 54 customers, production ended in October 2004, while Boeing offered the largest 737 Next Generation variants as a successor to the -200.

The jetliner is powered by 36,600–43,500 lbf (163–193 kN) Rolls-Royce RB211 or Pratt & Whitney PW2000 underwing turbofan engines for a 255,000–273,000 lb (116–124 t) maximum takeoff weight (MTOW).The 757 has a 2,000 sq ft (185 m) supercritical wing for reduced aerodynamic drag and a conventional tail.It keeps the 707 fuselage width and six–abreast seating and its two-crew glass cockpit has a common type rating with the concurrently designed 767 (a wide-body aircraft).It was produced in two fuselage lengths: the 155 ft (47.3 m) long 757-200 (the most popular with 913 built) typically seats 200 passengers in two classes over 3,915 nautical miles [nmi] (7,250 km; 4,505 mi); while the 178 ft (54.4 m) long 757-300 typically seats 243 over 3,400 nmi (6,295 km; 3,900 mi).The 757-200F can haul a 72,210 lb (32,755 kg) payload over 2,935 nmi (5,435 km; 3,378 mi).Passenger 757-200s have been modified for cargo use as the Special Freighter (SF) and the Precision Converted Freighter (PCF).

On 27 April 2012, a multinational team of television studios staged an airplane crash near Mexicali, Mexico. An unmanned Boeing 727-200, fitted with numerous cameras, crash test dummies and other scientific instruments, was flown into the ground. The exercise was filmed for television.