For those with a discerning eye towards detail...

[FlyinIron406 3]

Hey All,This is something I wonder a little bit as I taxi around SFO and other hub airports. I know how to tell a 737-300/400/500 from a 737-700/800/900/900ER.But, to those with a more detail oriented eye than I, how do you tell a normal 800 or 800ER, from a 900? A 900ER really stands out with the extra emergency exit (half door).Thanks.

[NGXfanatic 85]

Perhaps someone here will throw on some photos to show the difference between the 300-500 and the 600-900, but when it comes to Southwest airlines, which has both the -500 (old) and -700 (new), one tell tale sign is the tail. The 700's tail is a bit taller. Also, the older series has a special pylon on the trailing edge near the engine that the NG's don't. Also, the engine nacelle on the older 737's have a more flattened bottom.

[FlyinIron406 3]

Perhaps someone here will throw on some photos to show the difference between the 300-500 and the 600-900, but when it comes to Southwest airlines, which has both the -500 (old) and -700 (new), one tell tale sign is the tail. The 700's tail is a bit taller. Also, the older series has a special pylon on the trailing edge near the engine that the NG's don't. Also, the engine nacelle on the older 737's have a more flattened bottom.

Yeah. I struggle with the 800 vs 900. You can also tell a Ng vs Cg by looking at the exhaust pipe. It's a cone on the Cg's, but more of a pipe on the Ng's.

[Tabs 2,790]

There is no 800ER first of all... It really comes down to the fuselage length though - that's pretty much the only difference between an 800 and 900. The 900 just looks really long when you see it. I personally think the 800 is the most proportional of the NG variants - the 600 and 700 both look pretty short/stubby by comparison and the 900 looks longer than it should lol. The extra exit door is definitely the way to tell an 800 or normal 900 and a 900ER apart.

[FlyinIron406 3]

When did they stop making the 800ER? Or, is the 800ER now the standard 800? When it first came out, there was an 800ER. I like the 700 and 800 myself, but the 900ER has a neat look to it, if even a pencil look :S.I guess you're right, the 800 and 900 are really hard to tell apart. All carriers should do like Alaska, and put it on the nose :(

[pao 55]

One thing I look is the 3 parts (don't know their name) below the flaps... on the Classic series, these are flat and wide whereas there are pointed on the NG version.

[Tabs 2,790]

Perhaps someone here will throw on some photos to show the difference between the 300-500 and the 600-900, but when it comes to Southwest airlines, which has both the -500 (old) and -700 (new), one tell tale sign is the tail. The 700's tail is a bit taller. Also, the older series has a special pylon on the trailing edge near the engine that the NG's don't. Also, the engine nacelle on the older 737's have a more flattened bottom.

There's quite a few ways actually:- For me the easiest way is the wing as a whole - the NG wing has a very different shape - it's longer, has a different taper to it, and the flap fairings look different. The engine plyon extends out behind the engine on the classic wing's top as well - on the NG it's a clean trailing edge.-The vertical stabilizer is taller and narrower on an NG.-The external lighting pattern is also quite different on the NG.-With SWA planes specifically there's an easy way to tell which one you're looking at - only the 700s (and soon to be 800s) have orange painted flap fairings on the wings - the classic fairings are gray.

[FlyinIron406 3]

Never noticed that with SWA Ryan. That's pretty good info for us plane identifying nerds :(.

[captainklm 1]

I know!!! Look for the 737-... Sign near the last exit

[blackheart2502 0]

SWA decided to paint the flap fairings red/orange when they first got the -700's to help the rampers quickly ID the new type. The -700 wingspan is to wide to fit into some of the gates around the SWA system. So too avoid a ramper mistakenly marshalling a -700 into a -200/-300/-500 gate there are three big red bubbles under each wing to remind them :) Remember that back when they got the -700 the blended winglets hadn't been put on NG's yet so it was harder for a busy ramper to recognise the difference on a crowded hot ramp at night! Tabs may have even seen some of the signs at PHX on certain SWA jetways that say NO 700, in big red letters.Hiram Hunt

[markadeane 274]

Of course, which model you're in has an impact on a takeoff variable. Anyone care to venture a guess what it is? :(

[blackheart2502 0]

It used to be really easy to tell a straight -900 from an -800. If it was REALLY long and didn't have winglets it was a -900. Now most are being retrofitted so it's back to counting windows :-)! Winglets haven't been available on the -900 until very recently. Also there were very few operators of the -900. In fact there are still very few operators of the -900. The -900ER has sold far better. You only had to know who bought the -900 and that narrowed it down. Some airlines that have the -900ER don't use the extra rear exit. You only need it if you plan to carry more than 189 and go all economy at 212. So the extra exit doesn't have a painted outline on the outside of the airplane even though it's installed. So they way you can tell those -900ER's apart from the -900's with winglets is by the tail skid. The -900ER has a two stage tail skid that extends further out than the regular -900 which has the same tail skid as the -800. What a pot of -800/-900/-900ER Soup!!! Oh yeah another way is that they haven't built a -900 in FOREVER. So they all had the eyebrow windows. Most of the eyebrow windows have been removed and plugged with aluminum to save weight and maintenence costs. So you can look for the outline of the eyebrows on the metal skin. Gimme a minute I'll come up with something else!!!Hiram Hunt

[jordanal 70]

.... Also, the engine nacelle on the older 737's have a more flattened bottom.

I thought all the 737's had the flat-bottom engines; at least that was my preconceived notion. The 732 was easy though, LOL... Engines look like rocket tubes.. I am really enjoying reading this topic as I"ve always had problems quickly identifying 737's when taxing around my large custom AI collection. You'd think AI collectors would spend more time studying all those repaints we install. Naaa, not enough time to fly as it is...Also, this will help spotting all the new SWA arrivals over my house at 1600ft MSL on approach into Charleston. Even that low, I find it hard to tell much difference when they boogying along at 180kts. Maybe I need to stage some binaculars in the garage so I can quickly grab them for some driveway plane spotting. Oh goodness, what will the neighbors think, LOL... :(

[skiboj 22]

900 fuselage is same length (and basically the same) and the 757-200. In fact the 757 fuselage line was being transferred to Wichita (Now Spirit) before they cancelled the 757. Fuselages out of wichita travel by rail (as well as 41 sections for all the current Boeing models). Sometimes they show up in Seattle with bullet holes in them :) Must be some interesting folks living near those tracks.

[AUPilotAU 0]

The size is the major difference between the 800 and 900 series. When COA brings in their 900 series to my airport, you can definitely tell the difference. I'd always been curious if it was as long as the B752. At a quick glance, it can deceive you into thinking it is with the length, that's for sure.Brian Berkowicz