Name that plane-the 737 re-engine

With Steve Wilhelm of the Puget Sound Business Journal getting a scoop that Boeing is naming the re-engined 737 the NE737, which we were underwhelmed by, and the conversation in the Internet and analyst community about the name, we thought we’d run a Name that Plane contest. It worked for the 7E7; why not for the 737 re-engine?

Even though this is a “contest,” there is no prize.

Here’s what’s out there so far:

737RE: it’s a generic name but widely used. Stands for 737 Re-Engine.

737NE: Stands for 737 New Engine.

NE737: Stands for (we presume) New Engine 737.

737REO: A take-off of the A320neo, this stands for Re-Engine Option.

737RG: In a 2009 speech we talked about the prospect of a re-engined 737. Noting that the 737 Next Generation has similarities to Star Trek, the Next Generation, we suggest the airplane be named 737RG (Re-Generation). Given the pasting Airbus has given the 737 in sales with the neo, the 737RG is even more appropriate: Boeing needs to re-generate sales of the 737.

737NG-A: for Next Generation-Advanced.

737NG-B: A throwback to the 707 “B” and 747 “B” designations.

737SC: Stands for Second-Coming.

737BA: Continuing the religious theme, stands for Born Again. Also the Boeing stock symbol.

737NGL: Kind of like sports-car designations with three letter names, we add this one to the mix. The “L” serves a dual purpose: for the LEAP engine, and assuming Jon Ostrower is correct for the addition on laminar flow technology, the “L” could also represent this.

So with these possibilities, what’s your vote?

36 Comments on “Name that plane-the 737 re-engine

  1. I like Leapliner. None of those suggested name seem to do much for an accurate distingushing designation between the reengined B-737NG and the current B-737NG.

    For a numerical designation, we could just call it the B-737L, and each sub-model the B-737-7L/-8L/-9L, then the customer designations behind that. For example the rengined B-737s AA ordered last month would be the B-737-8L23.

  2. Isn’t NEO and OEO trademarks of Airbus? Maybe Boeing can use those names after they buy up EADS? LOL

  3. Paying homage to its highly successful big brother from the 1970’s, how about 737-SP? As in Second Place.

    • he.

      73702 and maybe even a 73703.
      Volkswagen had marginal success with their 1302 (new rear and front axle, “blown out”
      windsrceen, ..) pimped version of the beetle πŸ˜‰

  4. 737N^2G. The NextNextGen.

    Back when the Next Generation 737 was in development, management supposedly ordered employees NOT to refer to it as “NG”. Which is common industrial parlance for “No Good”.

    Didn’t work.

  5. I suggested on Twitter on the day of the AA order announcement that it should be 3G737, for Third Generation 737. It makes sense that Third Generation should follow Next Generation, right?

    • Actually, this would be the 4th generation. The first 3 were the ORIGINAL (B-737-100/-200/-200ADV), then the CLASSIC (B-737-300/-400/-500), followed by the NG (B737-600/-700/-800/-900/-900ER).

  6. Andrew :Maybe 737 Stumble?

    A new rediculous low response about a proposed airplane that no one knows many details about, yet.

  7. I like the idea of LEAP X in there — it’s powered by that. LEAP Generation (nod to engine manufacturer) – 737LG. Oh, too close to the South Koreans with that one maybe…

  8. Forget about “NG” – it was never a formal designation. Whatever is selected imust be compatible with amending the Type Certificate and also with the existing customer code system As another poster mentioned elsewhere, 737-7, -8, -9 stops working when you add the customer’s two-character alphanumeric designator: an American Airlines 737-800 and 737-8 would both be 737-823.

    However, as someone else mentioned,if Boeing were to revert to the 707 re-engine nomenclature by adding a “B” then everything would be fine

    707-123 became 707-123B when turbofans replaced turbojets, either by retrofit or in production.

    A 737-823 would become 737-823B when LEAP-X’s replaced CFM-56’S

    [B=re-engine was only applicable to 707’s- the 747B had nothing to do with engine type]

  9. Sorry KC. Humour is not one of your strong points, neither is spelling.
    The word is RIDICULUOUS, Lighten up perhaps?

    • Let’s get off the ridiculous side trips and get back to the point. We will remind everyone to check our rules in Reader Comments which, among other things, says do not attack people for their spelling. In some cases, English is a second language and spelling varies from language to language. IN other cases, the US school system is so bad that we’re graduating students who not only can’t spell, they don’t know where states are, how to add and subtract and so on.

      So knock it off.

      • This is not a 3Rs contest site ? πŸ˜‰
        Though the other two Rs ( aRithmethic and Reading comprehension ) could provide an interesting line of competition.

  10. I voted for the number, 737REO. The logical name to follow that? Speedwagon.

  11. It is obvious that the 737RE designation won a clear 30% majority vote and that
    should settle this issue, for our group anyway!
    I now look fwd. to much more interesting exchanges about the prospects for the
    737RE, especially the consequences of AA agreeing or not agreeing to purchase
    the airplane and the very serious consequences for Boeing and the 737 program,
    if they do not.

  12. It wasn’t so long ago that airlines would get excited about a 2% fuel saving, and then along came Leap and GTF.
    I believe the question posed by Rudy above is very relevant, if the perceived difference between 737RE and 32xneo is realized.
    Because of engine availability, Boeing have plenty of time to introduce more changes to the 737 to accommodate a bigger fan, just a question of how much they are prepared to spend.
    One thing is certain the closer they get to the 32xneo in fuel burn, the more aircraft they will sell.

  13. Andrew, thank you for the compliment, but I must respectfully disagree with
    your other comments, because:
    1. If the 737RE is NOT going to be approved by the Boeing Board and
    2. if it is NOT purchased by AA,
    There will be NO other option for the 737 program, except the 737NG until
    the 2020’s, because the rejection by the Board will primarily be based on a
    lack of funding for other priorities i.e. the 777 update AND NO alternative
    engine option, because nether the P&W nor the Leap-x engine can be
    applied, because of the costs associated with their installation on the low
    737 a/p.
    That decision was already made earlier and the reason why GE AND Boeing
    came up in a great hurry to save their respective airplane and engine
    programs, which may well be domed, if AA and other airlines do not start
    purchasing the 737RE in very large numbers and soon!

  14. Going with the Star trek theme, don;t you think DS9 would do – also, BBJ customers would appreciate the similarity to their DB9, or maybe call the BBJ the DBS?

  15. Rudy, you paint a bleak picture, but consistent with my earlier post where I suggested that a 2% fuel burn reduction used to get airlines excited.(still would on A380?)
    So if RE737 can only offer say within 3-4% of 32xneo, will brand loyalty die a death?

  16. The A320 now has a backlog of over 3000.

    If DL, UA, LH, AF, BA etc. and the Asians take another bite out of the slots this decade, 737s will be ordered, rgardless of the few percent sfc disadvantage..

    Unless Bombardier talks to the Chinese and unleashes Chinese production power, in which case Pratt has a production issue too. Maybe Pratt can outsource work to AIE / RR.. Everything is possible..

  17. I’m sorry, but I really don’t think it’s a good idea for press conferences to be held where the sales guy says “I’m really looking forward to announcing NE737 sales in the near future!”

    (read it out loud…)

  18. The new 737 designation should not be related to the re-engining – there will be other improvements, such as larger windows. The focus should be on economy and a better passenger experience

  19. Looks like its none of the above.
    It’s
    737 MAX

    While I do like the 50s/60s style colouring of the promo photos that have been released so far, I’m not sure I’m a big fan of the MAX tag.

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