BOEING”S 737 is growing. The Seattle (or is it Chicago?) based aircraft manufacturer has announced a new version of its successful Next Generation family, called the 737-900ER. Launch customer is Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air, with a firm order for 30, plus a further 30 options. The 737-900ER is the same size as today's 737-900, but with the addition of a pair of exit doors and a flat rear pressure bulkhead, enabling it to carry 26 additional passengers, raising the maximum capacity from 189 to 215 in a single-class layout. Aerodynamic and structural design changes, including strengthened wings, a two-position tailskid, enhancements to the leading and trailing edge flap systems, optional Blended Winglets and auxiliary fuel tanks, will allow the 737-900ER to accommodate higher takeoff weights and increase its range to 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km), making it comparable to the range of the 737-800. To date, 86 airlines have placed orders for more than 2,700 Next-Generation 737s.
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