The Boeing 737 is, including all its versions, the best-selling commercial jet in history. Early 2008 a total of more than 7.500 aircraft had been sold of the 'Boeing Baby'. The 737-300, the 737-400 and the 737-500 are the so-called 'Classic'-versions of the 737. They are the much improved successors of the earlier 737-200. The three Classic versions seat 100 up to 171 passengers and although they are out of production since the year 2000, they still form the backbone of the short- and medium-range fleets of many airlines.
It all began with the Boeing 737-100, which flew for the first time in 1967. Lufthansa was the first customer with an order for 21 aircraft. The 737-100 seated a maximum of 103 passengers, but only 30 of this version were built. Much more successful was the stretched 737-200, which could accommodate 115 to 129 passengers. Development of the 200 started almost simultaneously with the work on the 737-100 so that United Airlines could introduce the first 737-200 in April 1968, only four months after Lufthansa's introduction of the 737-100. An improved version is the 737-200 Advanced, first flown on April 15 1971, with more powerful engines, extra fuel capacity, a new interior and wing modifications. Boeing built 1114 737-200s. The last aircraft was delivered to Xiamen Airlines of China in 1988.
 In the early 1980s Boeing started the development of a stretched version, the 737-300. It soon appeared necessary that the new aircraft became fitted with modern high-bypass turbofans rather than the 737-200's Pratt & Whitney JT8Ds. Boeing chose the CFM56, produced by CFM International, a cooperation of General Electric and SNECMA. A problem with this engine was that it didn't fit under the wing because of its larger fan diameter. Boeing's solution was to put the engine ahead of the wing in a higher position. To keep enough clearance between engine and ground, Boeing flattened the underside of the inlet and extended the nosewheel leg. The 737-300 seats 126 to 149 passengers.
The Boeing 737-300 made its maiden flight on February 24 1984 and Boeing delivered the first 737-300s to US Air and Southwest Airlines in December 1984.
 In 1985 Boeing decided to stretch the 737-300 fuselage by a further 3m (10ft) for another new version, the 737-400. The longer fuselage increased seating capacity to a maximum of 168 passengers. Other changes include more powerful engines a strengthened wing and a stronger landing gear. The new version flew for the first time on February 19 1988 and the first aircraft was delivered to launch customer Piedmont Airlines in September of the same year. Because the 737-400 has maximum commonality with the 737-300, pilots qualified for one model do not need a new type-rating to fly the other one. The same applies to the later 737-500.
 The 737-500 is the shortest model of the three Classic variants. It has a fuselage of only 25 cm (10in) longer than the 737-200 and offers room to a maximum of 132 passengers. Boeing presented this version as the ideal 737-200 replacement. The 737-500 was launched in May 1987 with a 38-aircraft order from Southwest Airlines and it flew for the first time on June 30 1989. Boeing delivered the first aircraft to Southwest in March 1990. The 737-500 offers more range than the 737-300 and is therefore suitable for longer routes with a relatively small passenger market. During the last few years the 737-500 is very popular with airlines in Russia, ex-East Block and ex-Soviet countries, for example Lithuanian Airlines, Estonian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, CSA, Bulgaria Air, Georgian Airlines, S7 Airlines, Belavia and Aeroflot-Nord.
The 'Classics' remained in production until the third 737-generation, the Boeing 737-600, 737-700, 737-800 and 737-900, appeared. A total of 1988 aircraft has been built until the year 2000, when Boeing delivered the last 'Classic', a 737-400, to CSA Czech Airlines. The numbers are as follows: 1.113 Boeing 737-300s, 486 Boeing 737-400s and 389 Boeing 737-500s.
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