The Boeing 737-900ER is the newest member of the Next-Generation 737 airplane family, the world's best-selling jet airplane family. The higher capacity, longer-range derivative of the 737-900 was launched on July 18, 2005 with an order for 30 airplanes from Indonesia's Lion Air.
The first delivery to Lion Air is scheduled for the first half of 2007.
The 737-900ER can carry 26 more passengers or fly about 500 nautical miles farther than the 737-900. Aerodynamic and structural design changes such as an additional pair of exit doors, a flat rear pressure bulkhead allow more room for up to 215 passengers. Other changes such as a two-position tailskid, wing strengthening changes, enhancements to the leading and trailing edge flap systems, and optional Blended Winglets and auxiliary fuel tanks increase the range of the 737-900ER to 3,200 nautical miles (5,925 km).
The longer range of the 737-900ER will connect distant city pairs across continents (e.g., Seattle to Orlando, or San Francisco to Boston) in a generous two-class configuration.
The 737-900ER has substantial economic advantages over competing models including six percent lower operating costs per trip and four percent lower operating costs per seat mile than the A321, which is 9,550 pounds (4,340 kg) heavier.
The 737-900ER shares the same performance attributes of the other models of the Next-Generation 737 family (737-600, 737-700, 737-800 and 737-900) such as reliability, lower maintenance costs, lower operating costs and state-of-the-art flight deck systems such as Head-Up Display (HUD), Global Positioning Landing System and Vertical Situation Display.
The 737-900ER also shares the same advanced-technology wing design that helps increase and fuel capacity and efficiency. The advanced wing airfoil design provides an economical cruise speed of .78 Mach -- compared to .74 Mach for earlier 737 models -- with sprint capability of .82 Mach.
The 737-900ER model is powered by new CFM56-7 engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric Co. of the U.S. and Snecma of France. The engines meet strict international noise restrictions.