Boeing’s 700 Numbering System Explained
Ryan Boyd February 18, 2016
The vast majority of Boeing aircraft begin with the number 7, and although there have been many theories about lucky numbers and the shape of the planes’ wings (they’re not in the shape of the number 7, by the way), the true answer lies in Boeing’s history post-World War II. Boeing President William Allen restructured the whole company after the war, separating each department into three-digit classifications. The 300 and 400 departments were designated as the company’s propeller aircraft division, 500 was devoted to turbine engine development, and 700 (the ones commercial passengers are most familiar with) was dedicated to the newly developed jet transport aircraft division.
Via Road Warrior Voices: “As the company prepared its Model 700 jet for commercial sales, Boeing’s marketing department swept in and rightfully suggested that the name didn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Instead, the 700 was rechristened the alliterative 707. The 717 followed the pattern, with subsequent decades bringing with them the 727, 737, 747, and so on up to today’s 787 Dreamliner.”
To read more about this story, go to Road Warrior Voices.
[Photo: Wired]
I rode a QF 717 a decade ago ... it didn't feel like a 60 year old plane ...
Exactly, so what explains the gap between the 707 and 727 which left a sequencing hole to be adopted for the final version of the DC9/MD11 after Boeing acquired McDonell/Douglas. So still a mystery unless Boeing had been working on an aborted series of jetliners. Or why the SST project was never assigned such numbering or where the B720 fits in this scenario.
Thanks Lakeviewsteve. I'm glad I'm not alone!
Actually, the Boeing 720 (a derivative of the 707) was originally designated the 717-020 during the development phase. Eventually, it became the 707-020 - shortened to 720 for marketing purposes.
The 717 didn't follow the 707 but rather than 727, 737, 747 did. They didn't tart using 717 until they acquired McConnell Douglas in 1997 and renamed the DC-9 series to 717.