The Boeing 757 is one of the most famous airliners in history, owing to its large size, excellent range, and sports-car-like performance. It’s often referred to as the « Ferrari of the skies », and pilots laud its power in particular. Not only can the 757 take off from short runways, but it also boasts excellent in-flight handling characteristics. It can climb rapidly, turns well, and has low approach speeds, too. In addition, the relatively heavy feel of the controls makes for an engaging experience for pilots.

However, there are two versions of the Boeing 757. The 757-200 was the original variant, and by far the most popular variant in the 757 family. Nearly 1,000 757-200 and 757-200 subvariants were produced from 1981 to 2004, when the 757 officially ended production. For years, the 757 was just the 757-200 variant, as there was no other version available. This changed in the late 1990s, however, as Boeing began selling a larger variant dubbed the 757-300. Does this variant fly just as well as the 757-200?

Overview Of The Boeing 757 Family

The Boeing 757 was developed in the late 1970s as a replacement for the Boeing 727. Initially known as the 7N7, customers were drawn to its clean-sheet design, twin-engine configuration with high-bypass turbofan engines, and improved cockpit technologies. Boeing initially offered the 7N7-100, which was closer to the 727-100, alongside the 7N7-200, which would replace the more popular 727-200. Airlines overwhelmingly preferred the 7N7-200, and Boeing dropped the 7N7-100 when the program was officially revealed as the 757.

With two engines, the 757 was significantly more efficient than the trijet 727, and one of its engines produced nearly as much thrust as all three engines on the 727. The 757-200 was only slightly longer than the 727-200, but its cabin was significantly longer. Boeing intended for the 757 to retain the same short-field performance that the 727 was known for, while carrying more passengers and cargo. As such, the 757 was given massive wings alongside its powerful engines, which also gave it incredible range for a narrowbody.

Whereas the 757-200 entered service in 1983, the 757-300 only began carrying passengers in 1999, just five years before the 757’s production line shut down. The 757-300 was a stretch of the 757-200, with a total length of 178 feet seven inches (54.4 meters). This made it the second-longest narrowbody aircraft ever made, behind only the Douglas DC-8-61/63 series. The 757-300’s high capacity gave it one of the lowest per-seat costs of any airliner of its day, while its range remained enough for all of its customers. However, it failed to save the 757 line, as it only sold 55 examples.

How Does The Boeing 757-300 Fly?

The 757-200 and 757-300 are both covered under the same type rating, meaning that the two aircraft are flown by a single pilot group, and there are generally limited differences between the two from a pilot’s point of view. The two share the same cockpit and also feature identical systems. The differences between the two largely come in regard to performance and handling. These are essentially due to the 757-300’s larger size, given its significantly increased length and weight.

The Boeing 757-300 requires significantly more caution while taxiing, and it requires longer takeoff rolls than the 757-200. The 757-300’s increased length requires higher rotation speeds to decrease its rotation angle, minimizing the risk of tail strikes, and the same is true for landings as well. In addition, the 757-300 is an overall heavier aircraft than the 757-200, while featuring the same wings and engines. The aircraft accelerated more slowly than the 757-200, while also climbing more slowly.

The 757-300 essentially trades range for payload compared to the 757-200. The 757-200 is rarely flown close to its Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) except for on transatlantic flights, whereas 757-300s fly much closer to their MTOW. Flying the 757-300 is essentially like flying a heavily loaded 757-200, but with the added tail strike concern. The other notable difference between the 757-200 and the 757-300 is that the latter tends to have lighter controls on account of its increased length. Whether this is a positive or negative trait depends on a pilot’s personal preferences.

What Else Can You Fly With A Boeing 757 Type Rating?

Before Airbus pioneered the concept of cockpit commonality in the late 1980s and 1990s, Boeing developed two different airliners with the same cockpit. While Boeing was working on the 757 in the late 1970s, the company was also simultaneously developing the 7X7. The 7X7 was developed as a small twinjet widebody airliner with transcontinental range to slot underneath the giant 747. As the two aircraft were being developed simultaneously, Boeing combined various design efforts for both projects. The 7X7 was later named the 767.

Both airliners debuted with a partial glass cockpit, consisting of a Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Navigation Display (ND) for both pilots, along with two EICAS (Engine Indicating and Crew Alerting System) displays. The increased automation compared to earlier airliners allowed the two planes to be flown without a flight engineer. The cockpit’s visual design is identical on both airliners, and they use the same avionics systems. Furthermore, the systems are nearly identical on the two aircraft.

The 757 initially resembled prior Boeing narrowbodies in early development, but ended up adopting elements from the Boeing 767 program as the 767 was ahead in development. The nose was widened while the cockpit was lowered to provide a similar viewing angle for pilots as the 767. The two aircraft feature largely identical cockpit windows, and the systems are also essentially the same. Engineers even attempted to make the two aircraft handle as similarly as possible to one another, despite the size difference.

How Does The 767 Fly Compared To The 757?

Although differences exist between flying the 757-200 and 757-300, these are fairly subtle differences. The Boeing 767, however, is a twin-aisle aircraft. Part of the reason why the two aircraft can be flown by the same pilots is that the 757 is a large narrowbody while the 767 is a small widebody. The difference in size is not quite as pronounced compared to an Airbus A321 and an Airbus A330, for example. In fact, the Boeing 757-300 has virtually the same passenger capacity as the 767-200.

The fact remains, however, that the 767 is a significantly heavier aircraft with a wider fuselage, larger wings, and different engines. It’s powerful, but the plane’s controls are actually significantly lighter than those of the 757. This makes it more sensitive to roll and pitch inputs, which some pilots prefer to the athletic feeling of the 757. Whereas the 757 is the Ferrari of the skies, the 767 is often referred to as the Cadillac of the skies.

The 757 and 767 have the same type rating, with pilots going through one training course for both aircraft. The Boeing 767-400ER requires an extra few days for different training, but this is mainly due to its unique flight deck. Mainly, regulators aim to examine similarities and differences regarding emergency procedures, cockpit flows, and systems. In these respects, the two aircraft are essentially the same, which is why virtually every regulator certifies the two aircraft as one type rating for pilots.

Other Examples Of Common Pilot Types

With the A320, Airbus introduced a new cockpit design standard that it later carried over to the A340 and A330. However, while the flight decks are identical, the A330 and A340 are significantly larger with major differences in aircraft systems as well as procedures. Training times are shorter, but airlines need regulator approval to maintain a single pilot group for the A320 and the Airbus widebodies with strict currency requirements. The A330 and A340 also do not share the same type rating, as the A340 is a quadjet with different systems.

On the Airbus side, it’s the A330 and A350 that are most closely related. The two aircraft are both twinjets with similar aircraft systems and procedures, while Airbus’ fly-by-wire design means that the two aircraft also handle relatively similarly. Not all jurisdictions grant a common type rating to the A330 and A350, but the number is relatively high. Airlines in nations where regulators certify the two as separate types still benefit from shortened training courses for pilots.

The same is true for the Boeing 777 and Boeing 787. The two aircraft are both large widebody twinjets with similar systems and procedures. Again, not all nations certify the 777 and 787 as a common type rating to be flown by a single pilot group. However, airlines in nations where the two are separate types still benefit from shortened training courses. This will also apply to the Boeing 777X, which will feature 787-like displays for even more commonality.