The Boeing 757 is a twin-engine short-to-medium-range jetliner known for fuel efficiency, low noise levels and increased passenger comfort. It can fly both long- and short-range routes and its broad use effectively lends itself to "hub-and-spoke" planning.

On Nov. 28, 2005, Boeing concluded the remarkable 23-year run of the 757 passenger airplane by delivering the final one to Shanghai Airlines. The airplane is the 1,050th Boeing 757. The 757 is one of seven commercial models that have sold more than 1,000 airplanes, and more than 1,030 of the 757s are still in service.

History

The first 757-200 rolled out of the Boeing Renton, Wash., plant Jan. 13, 1982, and made its first flight Feb. 19, 1982. The U. S. Federal Aviation Administration certified the aircraft Dec. 21, 1982, after 1,380 hours of flight testing over a 10-month period. First delivery of a 757-200 took place Dec. 22, 1982, to launch customer Eastern Airlines. Final assembly of the 757-200 and the 757 Freighter is done in the Renton plant

Unusual Facts

• The 757 has carried more than 1.3 billion passengers, more than four times the population of the United States and Canada combined.
• In 18 years of operation, the 757 fleet has flown the equivalent of nearly 25,000 roundtrips between the Earth and the Moon.
• The 757 fleet has produced over 24 million hours of service for its operators, equivalent to about 2,750 years of continuous service.