The activity that Aviation Nerds calls Planespotting is a great way to spend time waiting for your flight to the board. It is always interesting to see unusual aircraft such as Double-Decker Airbus A380, which is something white elephant these days. On the other hand, one of the most common jet planes you probably see is Boeing 737. Although the updated 737 Max was a major headache in Boeing, there is no doubt that the overall success of this design that has been operating for almost 60 years.
The Boeing 737 is also easy to identify due to the unique flat part at the bottom of the two engine housings. Of course, unlike many jet engines, 737 units are not completely round and do not make a perfect circle. Rather, as racing steering wheels filtered into high quality passenger cars, 737 engine hoods have a bright flat location. One of the main causes of a flat bottom steering wheel, in addition to the sporty appearance, is the extra clearance under the steering wheel of the driver’s legs with tight quarters. As it turns out, this is the same reason for the bottom of a flat -bottom jet engine: additional clearance at the bottom.
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Larger engines could no longer be completely round
Two men in Blue Coverals stand in front of the Boeing 737 engine. – Monty Rakusen/Getty Images
When the Boeing 737 entered a jet in the late 1960s, flying was a much different experience than today. It was an age until an enlarged jet jet connector and terminal was normal. The passenger drove to the aircraft on the asphalt. Their suitcase was often unloaded by hand and without modern amenities of today, such as motorized conveyor belts to asphalt level.
All this means that the aircraft of this era had to be quite low before the landing and unloading of the land, not to mention maintenance. This is the same reason why the 737 landing equipment is so short and some enthusiasts in the theatrival, why it flies with their wheels. However, as technology advanced, the jet engines have become more powerful and efficient for fuel, and they have also grown. The 737 low ground clearance was a serious obstacle to the installation of larger engines and for a while it seemed that the total redevelopment of the aircraft was in the cards à la Boeing 727, the engines of which were attached high in the tail.
Low Boeing 737 clearance is still useful
Ryanair Boeing 737 with deployed boarding stairs. – Tupungato/Getty images
Eventually, engineers realized that the size of larger engines was not a problem. Instead, the shells, also known as Nacelles, were too large. These shells are actually considered part of the aircraft frame rather than the engine. And they are manufactured by a company that produces an airplane and the engines are handed over.
With the installation of the Nacelles, the turbophane node at the bottom, creating a 737 unique flat point, larger engines could be attached without other significant modifications or test retraining. The solution was not completely compromised, as the irregularly shaped nacel is less aerodynamic than a completely round equivalent, but it was seen as an insignificant victim compared to alternatives.
Although many US airports have been modernized, 737 low ground clearance is no longer needed, it is not everywhere. In some other parts of the world, airports still lack infrastructure to apply larger or higher nozzles. Also, some inexpensive carriers, such as Ryanair, are the main Boeing 737 operator, often avoid existing jet aircraft bridges to save money. After this jet bridge in Ireland collapsed and torn the door from the Boeing 787, the stairs may not be a bad strategy.
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