Boeing - 737-600
The Boeing 737-600 is the smallest current production version of the Next Generation 737 family. The program was launched on March 15 1995 with an order for 35 from SAS, and was the third of the family to fly. The 737-600 is essentially a 737-700 with two sections of fuselage removed which results in an overall length of 31.2m (a reduction of 2.38m compared with the -700). As a result of this change in length the fuselage contour at the wing trailing edge is changed and the -600 features an aft fairing between the wing and fuselage. There are also aerodynamic changes to the outer fuselage skins. The 737-600 is powered by the CFM56-7B18/20/22 the 7B22 offering a 9.25% increase in take off thrust compared with the -7B20 and 14% more compared with the 7B18. The 737-600 is also the only Next Generation 737 which does not offer winglets; their fitment not delivering a positive cost/benefit outcome over the sectors the -600 is employed on. This situation however may change given increases in oil prices. The 737-600 is a replacement for the 737-500 in the Boeing product line but has a significantly better range/payload performance.
A 737-600 with a take-off weight of 54,431 kg can carry a 9247 kg payload some 2547 km. By comparison a 737-500 under the same conditions can carry the same payload 1907 km (a 25% range /payload performance improvement).
SAS took delivery of its first aircraft on 18 September 1998 and eventually accepted a total of 28 aircraft. Other operators who ordered the 737-600 were Continental Airlines (who ordered 30 but changed the order to larger variants), Westjet who ordered 17 and Tunis Air who ordered and accepted 7. The advent of larger capacity regional jets such as the E-195 which offer lower empty weights and growth in capacity demand has impacted on 737-600 orders which have only attained 72 having been subject to 134 cancellations from an original total of 206 ordered up to August 2006. At that time only 8 aircraft remained to be delivered with the last due to be delivered in July 2008 to Westjet
