If it didn’t become immediately apparent when Boeing began alluding to time frames that implied a replacement of the 737 might not materialize until 2020, the company’s recent revelations of a new set of design enhancements certainly erased any doubts that a so-called follow-on will have to wait until designers and engineers squeeze all the efficiency and comfort available from the existing narrowbody family.
The improvements, unveiled in late April during a day of media briefings that included a tour of Boeing’s 737 assembly plant in Renton, Washington, will result in a 2-percent increase in fuel burn and a marked upgrade in cabin comfort and utility, according to Boeing 737 chief engineer John Hamilton. Of course, they won’t come close to the magnitude of gains coveted by the likes of ILFC and Southwest Airlines in an eventual 737 replacement. But for the time being, Hamilton seemed to discount the possibility of any more radical changes such as re-engining with Pratt & Whitney’s new Geared Turbofan.
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