Name: Boeing 757-200
Brand: Boeing

Airline Liveries

A narrow-body aircraft with wide-body performance. Its powerful engines and efficient wing made it capable of transcontinental and transatlantic routes. Highly regarded by pilots for its performance.

Passengers

178-239

Range

4,524 mi

Cruise Speed

528 mph

First Flight

1982

Did You Know?

Pilots call the 757 the "muscle car" of commercial aviation due to its exceptional climb performance and power-to-weight ratio.

History & Timeline

Key Milestones

1982

First Flight

The prototype Boeing 757 made its first flight on February 19, 1982, from Renton Field, marking a new era in narrow-body aircraft design with its advanced two-crew glass cockpit.

1983

Entry into Service

Eastern Air Lines introduced the 757-200 on its first commercial flight from Atlanta to Tampa in January 1983, demonstrating 45% better fuel efficiency than the 727 it replaced.

Development Story

Clean Sheet Design

Boeing began developing the 757 as a clean-sheet replacement for the 727, initially designated 7N7. The decision to use two wing-mounted engines instead of three tail-mounted engines was revolutionary.

ETOPS Pioneer

The 757 helped prove that twin-engine aircraft could safely operate long overwater routes, paving the way for ETOPS regulations that transformed transoceanic aviation.

Interesting Facts

Ferrari of the Skies

The 757 earned nicknames including the Flying Pencil and Ferrari of the Skies due to its narrow fuselage and powerful engines that made it feel overpowered to many pilots.

Government Service

The US government operates several 757s as C-32 aircraft for transporting the Vice President, First Lady, and Secretary of State with extensive security and communications equipment.

Records & Achievements

Tibetan High-Altitude Flight

On March 29, 1991, a 757 demonstrated its exceptional performance by taking off, circling, and landing at Tibets Gonggar Airport at 11,621 feet elevation on just one engine.

1991

Legacy & Impact

Irreplaceable Capability

Even decades after production ended in 2004, the 757s unique combination of capacity, range, and hot-and-high performance remains unmatched, forcing airlines to choose between smaller or larger replacements.